Saint Joseph Festival – Tables of Saint Joseph

A rite of faith and community

Every year, around March 19th, the small town of Monteparano, in the province of Taranto (Apulia), celebrates the Saint Joseph Festival with the ancient rite of the Tables of Saint Joseph. This is a centuries-old tradition, widespread in southern Apulia across the Taranto, Brindisi, and Salento areas, which in Monteparano is guarded with particular devotion by local families, the Maria Santissima Annunziata Parish, and the local Pro Loco.

The Tables: blessed bread and devotion

The heart of the festival is the Tavole (Tables), large votive spreads set up in private homes and public places such as Piazza Castello, the Via Roma socio-cultural center, and the senior center. Each table is an act of thanksgiving and prayer: it is laden with dishes from the Salento peasant tradition and presided over by guests who impersonate the saints. In its most solemn form, the table welcomes up to thirteen guests — including Saint Joseph, the Virgin Mary, and the Baby Jesus — and involves the preparation of a vast number of dishes.

A central element is the blessed bread, shaped into large round loaves decorated with sacred symbols, which is distributed to participants after the blessing. The tables are always filled with typical local dishes: massa (or vermiceddhri) with chickpeas and cabbage, lampascioni, salt cod, rice, and carteddate.

Processions, bands, and bonfires

Alongside the rite of the Tables, the festival comes alive with the classic moments of Apulian popular devotion: the solemn holy mass, the procession through the town streets with the blessing of the altars, the brass band accompanying the day, and in the evening, bonfires lit by the neighborhoods and a fireworks display. It is an occasion where the entire Monteparano community comes together, renewing a bond of faith and solidarity that has its roots in the great religious celebrations of the past.

A heritage of the Taranto area

The Tables of Saint Joseph represent one of the most authentic identity rites of the small towns in the province of Taranto. In Monteparano, the tradition is vibrant and well-attended, supported by the Uniti per San Giuseppe association and the devotional families who renew their commitment to setting up the tables every year. For those visiting Salento and the Taranto area in spring, it is a rare experience of popular culture, traditional cuisine, and shared spirituality.