Ethan Walker
Food is an integral part of Catholic feast days, with celebrations and the sharing of food being observed for ages. Catholics have specific food traditions for various feast days, such as Saint Nicholas Day, Saint John the Baptist's Day, and Saint Blaise's Day. For instance, stockings filled with candy are hung up on Saint Nicholas Day, and garlic, salt, apples, and chocolates are blessed on Saint Blaise's Day. Catholics also have food traditions for specific seasons, like Christmas and Lent, with the latter involving fasting and abstinence from meat on Fridays.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Feast days | Christmas, New Year's Eve, Saint Nicholas Day, Candlemas Day, Pentecost, Saint John the Baptist Day, Saint Catherine of Alexandria Day, Saint Pio of Pietrelcina Day, Saint Anthony Day, Saint Basil Day, Saint George's Day, Saint Andrew's Day, Saint David's Day, Michaelmas, Martinmas, Lammas Day |
| Foods | Beef, wine, candy, champagne, apple juice, locusts, honey, fasting bread, cappuccino mousse, milk, cake, jelly, jam, garlic, salt, apples, chocolates, sausage, oysters, pancakes, waffles, macaroni, cheese, fish, tempeh, beans, grains, vegetables |
| Eating practices | Abstinence from meat on Fridays, abstinence from meat on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays during Lent for Catholics aged 14 and older, fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday for Catholics aged 18-59 |
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What You'll Learn
Traditional recipes for Catholic feast days
Food is an integral part of Catholic feast days, with the custom of sharing food and festivities after liturgical events being practised for ages. While there is no set diet, there are certain traditional dishes made from recipes handed down for generations.
Christmas
On Christmas Day, families might feast on Prime Rib or Beef Wellington, accompanied by wine.
Saint Nicholas Day
On December 6, stockings are hung and filled with candy.
Twelfth Day Cake
In many lands, a cake is baked and eaten to celebrate the famous Twelfth Day. In France, this is called "Galette des Rois", and an extra slice is cut for "la part de Dieu", which goes to the first poor person who comes to the door. In Greece, the first piece is cut for Christ, the next for Our Lady, and the third for Saint Basil.
Candlemas Day or Feast of the Purification
On February 2, the daughters of Saint Bridget insist that the children eat foods with natural remedies. One such recipe involves boiling three bunches of parsley, straining the liquid, and then adding sugar and lemon.
Saint Blaise's Blessing
On the feast day of Saint Blaise, the Basques of the Pyrenees bring garlic, salt, apples, and chocolates to church for Saint Blaise's blessing. These are then given to children and animals as protection against throat ailments. Later, they eat "loukinkas", a highly seasoned regional sausage, served with fresh raw oysters.
Lent
During Lent, Catholics over the age of 14 should not eat meat on Ash Wednesday and all the Fridays of Lent. Traditionally, fish is eaten instead of meat. Some meatless meal ideas include pancakes, waffles, macaroni and cheese, grilled cheese sandwiches, and cheese pizza.
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Abstaining from meat on Fridays
Historically, before 1966, Catholic Church law prohibited the consumption of meat on all Fridays throughout the year. However, the regulations have since been amended. The current canon law, as outlined in Canon 1251, mandates abstinence from meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and all Fridays during Lent. This law is in place for Catholics aged 14 and older, with no upper age limit.
The United States Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB) has extended the practice of abstinence to include all Fridays of the year, encouraging Catholics to make every Friday a day of self-denial and penance. This can be achieved through abstaining from meat or substituting it with other suitable forms of penance. Outside of Lent, the bishops allow for alternative penances if abstaining from meat is not suitable for an individual due to health reasons or dietary restrictions.
Abstinence is a form of asceticism, which is the practice of self-denial to grow in holiness. It is a way to honour Jesus' sacrifice by denying earthly cravings and practising simplicity and austerity. While fish and seafood are permitted during abstinence, indulging in luxurious alternatives like lobster or crab defeats the purpose of asceticism. Simple meatless meal options include pancakes, waffles, soup, macaroni and cheese, sandwiches, pizza, and more.
By abstaining from meat on Fridays, Catholics continue to uphold a longstanding tradition of penance and self-denial, honouring the sacrifice of Christ and practising asceticism to grow in their faith.
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National dishes for patronal feast days
In countries influenced by Christianity, patronal feast days are dedicated to the 'heavenly advocate' or patron saint of a location. These feast days may reflect national holidays, such as the feast of Saint George, patron saint of England, Georgia, Bulgaria, Romania, Portugal, and various regions of Spain. However, they typically reflect the celebration of a single city or town.
Each city or town in Italy, for example, celebrates a public holiday on the occasion of the festival of the local patron saint. Rome celebrates Saints Peter and Paul on 29 June, while Milan honours Saint Ambrose on 7 December. Venice observes a feast day for Saint Mark the Evangelist on 25 April, and Naples venerates Saint Januarius on 19 September.
National dishes are often eaten on patronal feast days. For instance, on Saint George's Day in England, Saint Andrew's Day in Scotland, and Saint David's Day in Wales. In Serbia, instead of local patron saints, families celebrate their family patron saints in a festival known as 'slava'.
Some other examples of patronal feast days and their associated foods include:
- Saint John the Baptist, whose feast day menu might include locusts and honey, the two staple foods he is said to have lived on.
- Saint Joseph, the patron saint of many places and trades, is honoured with generous sharing with the poor and needy, especially in Italy and Sicily, where everyone contributes to a table spread in the public square.
- Saint Corentinus, patron saint of Quimper, was a sixth-century hermit who lived in a forest by a stream. Each day, a fish sent by angels would swim to the bank, allow Corentinus to cut a slice off for his meal, and then swim away. This story has inspired a Lenten dish among the Irish called Champ, which is made with freshly boiled and pounded potatoes, and herbs or vegetables boiled in milk.
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Sweets and treats for feast days
Catholic feast days are celebrated with traditional dishes, and each Christian country has its own unique recipes that have been passed down through generations. These recipes vary depending on the feast day and the country, but there is often an emphasis on sweets and treats to mark these special occasions.
For Saint Nicholas Day, which falls on December 6th, it is customary for children to find candy in their stockings. White food is also traditional on this day, representing the purity of the Virgin Mary. This could include spaghetti with white sauce, chicken, and white cake with white icing.
On the feast of St John the Baptist, locusts and honey are the traditional foods, reflecting the staples that St John is said to have lived on. A modern twist on this could be a honey-themed dessert, such as a honey cake or honey-glazed biscuits.
For a festive treat, a Cappuccino Mousse recipe was shared for the feast of St. Pio of Pietrelcina. Another dessert idea for children is a simple combination of strawberries, whipped cream, and sponge cake decorated with sprinkles and a marshmallow to represent the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Some families also like to incorporate new ideas into their feast day celebrations. For instance, one family chose to eat Indian food on Saint Thomas Day, as he is the patron saint of India.
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Drinks to serve on feast days
While there is little guidance on what drinks to serve on Catholic feast days, there is some advice on how to drink during these celebrations. One source suggests that drinking with merriment is preferable to drinking for fun. "Fun", in this context, implies entertainment that can be enjoyed alone, whereas "merriment" necessitates fellowship and a strong sense of community. Drinking with merriment is about bringing people together to celebrate.
Another source recommends drinking with gratitude, which is described as an expression of gratitude to God for the gift of the drink. This is accompanied by a quote from Chesterton: "We should thank God for beer and burgundy by not drinking too much of them". This quote highlights the importance of drinking in moderation, which is also emphasized by St. Thomas Aquinas, who writes about the merit of fasting and the risk of losing it by drinking too much.
With these principles in mind, here are some drink recommendations for Catholic feast days:
- Braggot, a drink made from malt and honey, is a traditional beverage for Mothering Sunday.
- Eggnog is a popular drink for New Year's Day celebrations in the United States.
- Swedes often drink Glogg, a beverage made with almonds, raisins, cloves, cardamons, cinnamon, sherry, port, and cognac.
- On Shrove Tuesday, the French serve wine with their pancakes, including the famous Crepes Suzettes.
- In Poland, the Thursday before Lent is a day of high feasting, and rich fried doughnuts called "piczki" are served. This would be a good opportunity to serve coffee or tea to balance the sweetness of the dish.
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Frequently asked questions
Some Catholic feast days include Saint Nicholas Day, Saint Anthony's Day, Saint George's Day, Saint Andrew's Day, Saint David's Day, Saint John the Baptist's Day, and Saint Blaise's Day. Foods eaten on these days include candy, "loukinkas" (a highly seasoned regional sausage), oysters, locusts and honey, "Galette des Rois" (Twelfth Day cake), and jellies and jams.
Catholics aged 14 and older are required to abstain from eating meat on Fridays and during Lent, as well as on Ash Wednesday. Meat is defined as the flesh of mammals and poultry, including beef, pork, chicken, and turkey. However, fish is not considered meat, so it is allowed.
Catholics aged 18 to 59 must also fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, limiting themselves to one full meal and two smaller meals that do not equal a second full meal. Some Catholics may also choose to give up other foods, such as dessert or soda, as an additional penance.
