L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 30 2023 www.italoamericano.org 26 L'Italo-Americano ringing of a bell known as La Squilla in Lanciano. This is followed by a candlelit pro- cession that traces back to a 3-kilometer journey histori- cally undertaken by Bishop Tasso from 1588 to 1607. In the village of Tufillo, a large log known as farchia, some- t i m e s 2 0 m e t e r s l o n g , i s burned on Christmas Eve. Also, in the village of Santo Stefano di Sante Marie, a p r o c e s s i o n w i t h t o r c h e s , locally called ntosse, takes place, and a bonfire made of bundles is lit on the moun- tain above the village . B a s i l i c a t a b e g i n s i t s Christmas celebrations dur- i n g t h e e a r l y A d v e n t , o n December 8th, with Christ- mas markets set up in the regional capital of Potenza. Notably, the city of Matera, a U N E S C O W o r l d H e r i t a g e site, is famous for its live Nativity scenes set up in the a n c i e n t c a v e d w e l l i n g s known as the Sassi. In Cal- abria, the festive season offi- c i a l l y s t a r t s w i t h S a i n t Andrew's Day, which falls on something everyone knows and enjoys: who isn't familiar with it? Whether it's the tra- ditional type with little doors or a modern one filled with chocolates, each day opened is a step closer to celebrating Christmas: a daily dose of e x c i t e m e n t , s t a r t i n g o n D e c e m b e r 1 s t , n o m a t t e r when Advent officially begins that year. The Advent calen- dar started with the German Lutherans, but now you'll find it in homes all around the world, crossing denomi- national lines and bringing people together in the shared joy and anticipation of the festive season. Let's take an ideal journey through our lovely peninsula to see what people like to do this time of the year. As you would expect from such a culturally rich and diverse country, Italy is filled with many traditions that vary from region to region during Advent. I n A b r u z z o , t h e m a i n moment of the Advent period is on December 23rd with the the 30th of November and is not usually, at least officially, part of the Advent period. F r i u l i V e n e z i a Giulia has the tradition of Santa Lucia visiting on the n i g h t o f D e c e m b e r 1 2 t h , bringing gifts to children, a tradition similar to that of Saint Nicholas in other cul- t u r e s , w h i l e L i g u r i a , i n long-gone times, would deco- rate homes with long strings adorned with juniper berries, laurel, olive branches, maca- roni, and nuts. Still today, traditional dishes of Advent include natalini in broth, boiled cabbages dressed with olive oil, and corn focaccia . In Milan, the Advent sea- son features the fair dedicat- ed to Saint Ambrose, known as the "Oh Bej! Oh Bej!" mar- ket, which is one of the city's oldest traditions, believed to h a v e s t a r t e d i n 1 2 8 8 . T h e M o l i s e r e g i o n c e l e - brates with 'Ndocciata, a torchlight procession held on the evening of the Immacu- late Conception and Christ- m a s E v e i n t h e t o w n o f Agnone . Puglia, and specifically Taranto, starts the holiday season with celebrations in honor of Saint Cecilia on the n i g h t b e t w e e n N o v e m b e r 22nd and 23rd, some two w e e k s b e f o r e t h e o f f i c i a l beginning of Advent. It's a t i m e f o r m a k i n g p e t t o l e , deep-fried dough balls, and bands playing typical musical compositions known as pas- torali. Also, in some villages in the province of Bari, a tra- d i t i o n i n v o l v e s l i g h t i n g twelve candles starting from Saint Lucia's day, extinguish- ing one by one as Christmas approaches. In beautiful Sicily, from December 13th, homes pre- pare a Christmas grotto with w i l d a s p a r a g u s , k n o w n a s s p i n a p u l i c i , w o v e n together, while on Christmas night, many villages in east- ern Sicily light a large bonfire in the main square, called u zuccu, to warm Baby Jesus. Advent is a special time, a blend of deep spirituality and e n d u r i n g t r a d i t i o n s t h a t guide and accompany us to w h a t ' s p e r h a p s t h e m o s t beautiful time of the year. fresh, green leaves that never turn brown, even when the snow falls. Now, onto its can- dles, which of course, are not just for show. Each one is lit, week by week, marking the four Sundays leading up to Christmas: the first candle, — that's the "Prophet's Can- dle" — is all about hope and the ancient prophecies of Christ's arrival. The second, the "Bethlehem Candle" rep- resents faith and Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethle- hem. The third candle, with its pink hue, is called the " S h e p h e r d ' s C a n d l e " a n d represents the joy that filled the shepherds' hearts when a n g e l s b r o u g h t t h e m t h e g o o d n e w s o f t h e C h i l d ' s b i r t h ; a n d t h e n , f i n a l l y , c o m e s t h e f o u r t h , t h e " A n g e l ' s C a n d l e , " t h a t spreads a message of peace and tranquillity while the wait for the birth of Jesus is near the end. B u t w h i l e t h e A d v e n t wreath is something strictly c o n n e c t e d w i t h F a i t h , the Advent calendar is T he Advent peri- o d i s a t i m e o f expectant waiting and preparation for the celebra- tion of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas, as well as the return of Jesus at the second coming. The term "Advent" is d e r i v e d f r o m t h e L a t i n w o r d a d v e n t u s , m e a n i n g "coming" or "arrival:" for many, it is a period of spiritu- al reflection as well as joyous anticipation. Advent began as a tradi- tion in the 4th and 5th cen- turies, arriving on the scene after Christmas had already been established. Initially, it w a s a p e r i o d o f s o l e m n reflection, fasting, and prepa- ration for the sacrament of baptism, emphasizing the f a i t h f u l ' s r e a d i n e s s f o r J e s u s ' s r e t u r n . A s t i m e passed, particularly by the Middle Ages, Advent's signif- icance began to intertwine w i t h t h e a n t i c i p a t i o n o f C h r i s t m a s . H o w e v e r , i t ' s noteworthy that the anticipa- tion was twofold: while it cel- ebrated the historical birth of Jesus, it also looked forward to his prophesied return—not as the newborn in Bethle- hem, but as the sovereign judge at the end of times. By the 6th century, this dual f o c u s w a s e m b r a c e d b y R o m a n C h r i s t i a n s , a n d A d v e n t b e c a m e a p e r i o d reflecting on both the humble beginnings of Jesus in the manger and his future com- ing in glory. Today, in Italy and around the world, Advent is associat- ed with well-established cus- t o m s . M a n y o f u s , f o r instance, are familiar with t h e A d v e n t w r e a t h , a heartwarming tradition that really brings the spirit of the season to life. To practicing Christians, this circle of ever- green is more than a decora- t i o n y o u s e e i n c h u r c h , because it symbolizes the never-ending love and mercy t h a t c o m e f r o m G o d . I t ' s about hope, the feeling that keeps us looking forward, w h i c h i s r e p r e s e n t e d b y FRANCESCA BEZZONE Celebrating "l'Avvento," between spirituality and tradition An Advent wreath (Photo: Timelynx/Dreamstime) LA VITA ITALIANA TRADITIONS HISTORY CULTURE

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