Italian American Herald - March 2020

ENTERTAINMENT
‘Italian Bred’ comes to stage in Wilmington
PAGE 3
ACHIEVERS
Vince Iannone
has always had
a song in his heart
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IN MEMORIAM
Carmen Giacchino, 95, founder of auto dealership
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MARCH 2020
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The traditional St. Joseph’s cake is finished with powdered sugar and a cherry on top.
By Jeanne Outlaw-Cannavo
Buona Festa! Buon onomastico! These are the sounds you will hear on March 19 when Italians in Italy and across the globe celebrate La Festa di San Giuseppe. The day honors Joseph, husband to the Virgin Mary and earthly father to Jesus. There is also
another celebration that day if your name is Joseph or Josephine. Family and friends will give good wishes and presents for your “onomastico.”
An onomastico is the celebration of
your “name” day. St. Joseph, St. Francis, St. Anthony, St. Anne, St. Catherine and so forth,
are all celebrated name days in Italy. And while not celebrated with the same grandiose celebration of a birthday, an onomastico is an occasion for Italians to gather with family, friends to enjoy cake or pastries and often gifts as well.
St. Joseph and Father’s Day are celebrated
all over Italy, but it is most venerated in the south, particularly Sicily. In fact, in Sicily, St. Joseph is considered to be the island’s patron saint. This honor bestowed on St. Joseph is accredited to his having saved Sicily’s residents during one of their many
continued on page 5
Giuseppe: More a saint than a regular Joe
Patron saint of fathers has always been particularly venerated in Sicily
Vol. 7 / No. 3