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Sunday morning we attended the Traditional Latin Christmas
Vigil Mass at Our Lady of Peace Church in Brooklyn, New York |
Glória in excélsis Deo et in terra pax homínibus bonæ voluntátis
Like many Duosiciliano Americans, my family still keeps the tradition of La Vigilia di Natale, the Southern Italian ritual of eating seafood and eschewing meat on Christmas Eve. We don’t do the so-called Festa dei sette pesci, or “Feast of the Seven Fishes,” but we do eat a variety of aquatic delicacies. |
| The Nativity at Our Lady of Peace Church |
Despite regular and varied claims to authenticity, I believe the “Seven Fish” custom is a relatively recent fabrication. According to my family’s matriarchs there were never a set number of dishes served, we simply ate what we could afford and what was fresh and available.
Today, we normally have shrimp, calamari, clams, mussels and scungilli (whelk), which all can be prepared in a variety of ways. Capitone fritto alla napoletana (fried eel) use to be the main course, but nowadays, since the passing of my grandparents, the dish has been replaced with aragosta (lobster), ricci di mare (sea urchin), seppia (cuttlefish), or baccalà (salt cod). This year, we enjoyed baccalà in umido (stewed codfish) and mini lobster tails. |
| Insalata di mare |
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| Fritto misto di mare |
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| Spaghetti alle vongole |
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| Baccalà in umido with tomato, onion and olives |
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| Mini lobster tails |
Following the fish bonanza, we had three different types of meatless panzerotti, a delicious deep-fried crescent-shaped dough filled with onions and capers; sweet ricotta; and the classic mozzarella and tomato.
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| Panzerotti |
Next came fruit, roasted chestnuts, caffè and an assortment of delicious sweets, including homemade pizza di ricotta and cartellate. There is no panettone in my house.
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| Pizza di ricotta |
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| Cartellate with fig syrup |
Afterward, we played tombola with the kids and attended Solemn High Midnight Mass at the Shrine and Parish Church of the Holy Innocents in New York City.
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| Before Mass, the choir performed traditional carols and hymns. Plunged in darkness, the church was lit by candlelight during the procession |
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| After the procession, Baby Jesus was placed in the crèche and blessed |
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| After Midnight Mass, we stayed for the Low Mass |
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| Low Mass was celebrated by Fr. Leo Camurati |
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| John, Fr. Leo and David. After the Masses, we joined parishioners in the church hall for a festive coffee hour, replete with Polish and Italian delicacies |
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Still full from our Vigilia dinner, I did not eat the amazing
looking dishes at the coffee hour, but I did imbibe a
little Chartreuse and Nursia Ale during the toasts |
Christmas morning we exchanged presents, and visited family and friends until dinnertime. Sadly, this year I did not make the Mass at Dawn commemorating Sant'Anastasia di Sirmio.
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This year, on top of the bottles of wine and liqueur, I received
Palaces of Reason: The Royal Residences of Bourbon Naples by Robin L.
Thomas and bookmark with Masolino da Panicale's Archangel Gabriel |
No less extravagant than the Eve, Christmas dinner was a culinary tour de force with plenty of hot and cold antipasti, insalata, lasagna and grilled steak. Fruit, dessert and caffè completed the meal. |
| Christmas dinner is served |
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| An impressive array of antipasti on a charcuterie board |
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| Melanzane grigliate |
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| Lasagna with tiny meatballs |
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| Grilled steaks |
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| During our meals we enjoyed white and red wines from Campania |
Not quite finished yet, on December 26th, the second day of Christmas, we celebrate St. Stephen's Day (my saintly Confirmation namesake) with leftovers and homemade torrone, a sticky candy made from honey and nuts that dates back to Roman times. I like mine with a glass of Strega or Amaro. |
| Torrone |
As always, the ladies outdid themselves and treated us to another memorable Christmas. Buon Natale a tutti!~ Giovanni di Napoli, December 26th, Feast of Santo Stefano primo Martire
Amended for 2023
