St. Joseph's Altar

Ursuline Academy was proud and excited to prepare its very own St. Joseph’s Altar on campus this year.

The St. Joseph’s Altar is a tradition that began in Sicily and was brought to New Orleans by immigrants in the 1800s.

The first altar was prepared as a way for Sicilians to show their gratitude to St. Joseph, who they prayed to for intercession from a famine caused by a devastating drought. The altar was prepared with a special assortment of foods they had harvested. After paying honor to St. Joseph, the food was distributed to the less fortunate. As is tradition, Ursuline’s St. Joseph’s

Day Altar was divided into three sections to represent the Holy Trinity, with a statue of Joseph at its head. It included flowers, breads, fruit, cakes, cookies, and fava beans, or lucky beans. The fava beans are a significant part of the altar because they were the only crop that survived the drought, helping to sustain the Sicilians during the famine.

We would like to thank our parents and staff who helped make our inaugural St. Joseph's Altar a beautiful success. We would also like to recognize Nor Joe Importing Co. for donating delicious Italian treats for the altar.