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Giving back - St. Joseph's style

by Brian Walker
| March 16, 2010 9:00 PM

POST FALLS - After seeing her Italian restaurant come to life during the recession, Tina-Marie Schultz believes it's time to celebrate with those in need.

She's planning a free meal in honor of St. Joseph's Day on Sunday, March 21, from noon to 3 p.m. at her Rosa's Italian Market and Deli, 120 E. Fourth Ave., across from Post Falls City Hall.

When she started her business a year ago, she feared she wouldn't get a loan, but prayed about it and in reality ended up getting to choose from several options.

"It was unbelievable, and here we are a year later," Schultz said. "We offered to hold a table in his honor to feed the hungry in our community if he chose to bless us.

On Friday, St. Joseph's feasts, an Italian tradition, will be held throughout that country to honor the earthly father of Jesus.

"In the Middle Ages, God, through St. Joseph's intercessions, saved the Sicilians from a serious drought," Schultz said. "They prayed to God through St. Joseph to get through the famine, and the only thing that grew was the fava beans.

"So in his honor, the custom is for all to wear red, in the same way that green is worn on St. Patrick's Day. It's a neat Italian tradition."

The meal will also be an educational event of sorts.

During the feast, an altar - St. Joseph's Table - will have several meatless foods such as minestrone, pasta with breadcrumbs, seafood, oranges, zeppoli and fava beans. Fava beans are considered lucky because they survived the drought. The breadcrumbs symbolize the sawdust that would have covered St. Joseph's floor. Oranges represent the sweetness of St. Joseph.

The table, blessed by a priest, will be in three tiers, symbolizing the most Holy Trinity. The top tier will hold a statue of St. Joseph surrounded by flowers and greenery. The other tiers will hold breads and pastries shaped like a monstrance, chalices, fishes, doves, baskets, St. Joseph's staff, lilies, the Sacred and Immaculate Hearts and carpentry tools. Twelve fishes symbolize the 12 apostles; wine symbolizes the miracle at Cana; pineapple symbolizes hospitality; and bread and wine the Last Supper.

When the feast is done, the altar is smashed, and three children dressed as the holy family knock on three doors, asking for shelter. They will be refused at the first two, and welcomed at the third, in memory of the holy family's seeking of hospitality just before Christ was born. The re-enactment is called Tupa Tupa, meaning "knock knock."

The feast ends with each participant taking home a bag with bread, fruit, pastries, cookies, a holy card and a blessed fava bean.

"Keep your lucky bean for good fortune and let it remind you to pray to St. Joseph," Schultz said.