SPRING — With a loud thunk-thunk-thunk, St. Joseph knocked on the door and called out: “We seek food and shelter.”
A voice beyond the door responded: “There is no room for you here.” Asking again, knocking on another door, St. Joseph cries out: “We seek food and shelter,” only to receive another decline.
Finally, perhaps the third time is really the charm. After a visit to a third door, Jesus, Mary and Joseph are finally welcomed into the room, where an Italian feast was prepared for the journeying trio, concluding the “Tupa Tupa” at the St. Joseph’s Altar celebration at St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic Church in Spring.
Held ahead of the March 20 Solemnity of St. Joseph, the gathering at St. Ignatius was one of the dozens of St. Joseph Altars held around the Archdiocese honoring the earthly father of Jesus.
The tradition is carried on from Sicily. The story holds that, during the Middle Ages, a famine struck the island of Sicily, who, in turn, sought help from St. Joseph to end their starvation and death, promising a feast in his honor if he did save them. The famine soon ended, and altars were prepared throughout the island. To honor St. Joseph, the food was given to the poor.
