L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2023 www.italoamericano.org 10 L'Italo-Americano D e c e m b e r i s a m o n t h f i l l e d with Christ- ian religious festivals, cel- ebrated with profound devo- tion on the island of Sicily. These festivities could be seen as precursors to Christ- mas, as the island tradition integrates them into a cele- bration that is not solely reli- gious but also significantly c u l i n a r y . I n d e e d , t h e kitchen, once the center of d a i l y l i f e a n d t h e h u b o f household chores, where tra- ditions were kept alive and passed down through gener- ations, now primarily serves as a space dedicated to cook- ing. Let's explore these holi- days that continue to punc- tuate our lives today. The c e l e b r a t i o n s b e g i n o n D e c e m b e r 8 t h w i t h t h e Immaculate Conception, a day marked in red on the calendar, honoring the high- ly revered Madonna, sinless mother of God, and mother of all Christians. It's custom- ary to gather with family and friends on the evening of D e c e m b e r 7 t h , s h a r i n g a m e a l o f d e l i c i o u s s f i n - cione—a type of pizza with a soft, well-leavened dough, topped with tomato sauce, a n c h o v i e s , s p i c y c h e e s e (preferably caciocavallo), and toasted breadcrumbs. For dessert, buccellato is served, a visually appealing and delectable pastry ring made of shortcrust pastry, filled with a mix of dried figs, c h o p p e d a l m o n d s , d a r k chocolate shavings, and dec- orated with chopped pista- c h i o s a n d o t h e r c a n d i e d fruits. This dessert is a trib- ute to the starry sky associat- ed with the Immaculate Con- c e p t i o n , w h o i s a l s o t h e patron saint of Sicily. These g a t h e r i n g s o f t e n i n c l u d e p l a y i n g t o m b o l a o r c a r d games. Less than a week later, on December 13th, comes the f e s t i v a l o f S a n t a L u c i a . While not marked in red on the calendar, this festival is celebrated not only in Sicily but also in many other Ital- ian cities and even in coun- tries of Northern Europe, such as Norway, Sweden, and Finland. Similar to the Jewish festival of Hanukkah and the Indian festival of Diwali, it echoes the worship of Artemis, the Greek god- dess venerated in Ortigia, S y r a c u s e , o f t e n d e p i c t e d holding two flaming torches symbolizing the rite of light. Lucia, a virgin and martyr during Diocletian's persecu- tion, brought aid to Chris- t i a n s h i d i n g i n t h e c a t a - combs. She wore lit candles on her head to light her way and keep her hands free to carry food to those in hiding. Before the adoption of the Gregorian calendar in 1582, Santa Lucia was traditionally celebrated around December 23, aligning with the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year. This is encapsulat- ed in the old saying, "Santa Lucia, the shortest day there i s . " T h e v i r g i n m a r t y r o f S y r a c u s e i s l i n k e d t o t h e Madonna of Tears, who is a l s o a d o r e d i n S y r a c u s e , n o t a b l y i n a m a g n i f i c e n t s a n c t u a r y l o c a t e d i n t h e same neighborhood—per- haps even the exact spot—of the town's patron saint's suf- fering. In Syracuse, her home- town, and where her cult is deeply rooted, the celebra- tions for Santa Lucia (whose mortal remains are actually i n V e n i c e ) c o m m e n c e o n D e c e m b e r 9 t h , w i t h t h e opening of the niche housing h e r e f f i g y . T h e n , o n t h e afternoon of December 13th, this silver effigy, usually kept closed in the Cathedral for the rest of the year, is shoul- dered by the "green berets," followed by the "green hand- k e r c h i e f s " w h o c a r r y t h e relics. The procession, start- i n g f r o m t h e C a t h e d r a l , winds up around 10 PM in the Santa Lucia neighbor- hood, named in her honor. During this time, the effigy becomes a focal point for public veneration, drawing many faithful to Syracuse, i n c l u d i n g l a r g e n u m b e r s from Argentina — which has perhaps the world's largest Syracusan community — and the United States. Another significant pro- cession occurs on December 20th. This time, firefighters carry the effigy through the courtyards of the Hospital, v i s i t i n g t h e s i c k . B e f o r e returning to the Cathedral, the procession stops on the Umbertino Bridge, culminat- ing the festivities with fire- works. The feast on December 13th features arancini— resembling supplì but dis- tinct, filled with meat ragù, peas, cheese, or with butter, ham, and mozzarella. Mod- ern variations include fill- i n g s l i k e s p i n a c h o r e v e n squid ink. An indispensable dish is cuccìa, traditionally made with wheat cooked in wine. In its savory form, it's s i m p l y w h e a t c o o k e d i n wine, while the sweet variant is mixed with sieved, sug- ared sheep ricotta, enriched with chocolate drops, can- died pumpkin pieces, and a dusting of cinnamon. In Palermo the celebra- tions for Santa Lucia, the patron saint of sight, extend b e y o n d r e l i g i o u s o b s e r - vances to include the ritual of essential foods. Alongside arancini and cuccìa—also served with sweet bianco- m a n g i a r e o r w i t h c h o c o - late—the tables of Palermi- t a n s a r e g r a c e d w i t h panelle, delectable fritters made from chickpea flour and water, as well as various p o t a t o - b a s e d d i s h e s l i k e gateau, croquettes, and rice with beans and dried chest- nuts. It's noteworthy that the D e c e m b e r 1 3 t h f e a s t d i s - tinctly lacks any flour-based products. This unique aspect lies at the core of Palermo's culinary tradition honoring the saint, which originated under dire circumstances. In 1646, the city was in the grip o f a f a m i n e : i t s p e o p l e , starving and without food, were delivered a miracle on December 13th when a ship l a d e n w i t h g r a i n a r r i v e d . D r i v e n b y h u n g e r , t h e y cooked the grain immediate- ly and simply seasoned it with oil, giving birth to the s a v o r y v e r s i o n o f c u c c ì a . Palermitan sweets, beloved not just by the islanders but also by those far beyond, led to the evolution of cuccìa into one of the most cher- ished delicacies of Palermi- tan sweet traditions. Unlike many other festive treats, it i s e x c l u s i v e l y s a v o r e d o n December 13th. T o n o t e a l s o t h a t t h e spherical shape of arancini i n P a l e r m o i s t h o u g h t t o symbolize eyes, linking them to the saint's miracle, often depicted in religious iconog- raphy as holding her eyes on a tray. In the Nordic countries, where long winters make light a precious gift, Santa Lucia is celebrated as the guardian of sight and a bear- er of light. As December draws to a c l o s e , t h e f o c u s s h i f t s t o Christmas. But, of course, that's a tale for another time. Left, procession of the simulacrum of Saint Lucia in Siracusa, Sicily (Photo: Valentina5000/Dreamstime) and, right, a delicious buccellato (Photo: Lorenzograph/Dreamstime) December: a month of festivities! TERESA DI FRESCO ALL AROUND ITALY TRAVEL TIPS DESTINATIONS ACTIVITIES

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