St. Joseph’s Day was once a great celebration
It’s hard to believe March 2018 has arrived. Wow! This new year is fast becoming an old year.
March is a month that presents us with various holidays. Some years we celebrate Mardi Gras in March; in other years we celebrate Easter in March. But the holiday that the month is best known for is the feast of St. Patrick, held on the 17th day of the month.
But did you know there is another feast day of importance also celebrated in March?
St. Joseph's Day is a Roman Catholic feast day commemorating the life of the stepfather of Jesus and husband of Mary. This day is celebrated each year on March 19. Many people — especially those of Italian descent — observe the day as a holiday.
As part of the observance, Italians in many Louisiana towns prepare elaborate altars in honor of St. Joseph. That tradition came from the immigrants who arrived in the state during the 1880s from the Sicilian area of Italy. The altars began soon after their arrival as a way to honor St. Joseph for the relief he provided during a famine in Sicily many years before.
St. Joseph Altars were prepared in Opelousas as well over the years. In 1946, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Graffagnino Sr. prepared an elegant altar at their home to celebrate the end of World War II and pray for continued peace. Bona Fidem Fraternity and its auxiliary sponsored St. Joseph’s Altars in Opelousas at various places for many years. Some years the altars were prepared at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church. Churches in towns such as Melville, Eunice and Leonville have prepared altars dedicated to St. Joseph.
Today, the tradition of St. Joseph Altars continues in Opelousas and St. Landry Parish. But years ago, Opelousas did a lot more to celebrate the feast of St. Joseph.
At one time, Opelousas had costumed balls on March 19 each year. In 1895 one of these balls attracted a large crowd to the Littell Opera House for the occasion. And as the 20th century was just beginning, on March 2, 1901, the Opelousas Courier newspaper announced plans were underway to hold a St. Joseph Day Parade in Opelousas. The paper announced the business community was united behind this parade, and many floats were being designed by businesses with interesting displays and people in costumes representing the different industries in the town. The article said this parade would also include brass bands, costumed horsemen and many other marching units. In other words, it was developing into a “lengthy and imposing procession.”
As the day approached, the people of Opelousas became involved in making the parade a great celebration. Most businesses got their employees to help in building elaborate floats. Area brass bands and other types of marching groups were invited to participate. Also as part of the festivities, the Sandoz Opera House was planning a masquerade ball to end the celebration in an impressive way.
Word spread throughout south Louisiana about the St. Joseph Festival in Opelousas, and local train services offered special excursion rates for those from out of town wanting to attend. It was being promoted as “one of the grandest affairs ever held in a Louisiana country town.”
Soon Tuesday, March 19, arrived. Flags and bunting were displayed all over the town. The courthouse square was decorated in the finest way. Opelousas was a sight to behold.
The parade route was lined with thousands of local people plus many who traveled by buggy, horseback and train to the old village just for the occasion. Over thirty beautiful floats plus three brass bands from Opelousas, Grand Coteau and Breaux Bridge participated as well as local and area fire companies in full uniform, over fifty well mounted horseback riders, and other marching groups from around the state.
According to newspaper accounts: “Love, and poetry, and romance, and agriculture, and commercialism, all made a picture that will ever linger like a dream of fairyland in the memory of the five thousand people who witnessed the thirty-two descriptive floats wending their way in a mile stretch of beauty through the streets of Opelousas.”
The parade lineup began at 10 a.m., and by 11:15, the procession started. It made its way through town and eventually ended up at the courthouse at 1:15 p.m., where all the floats lined up around the square, forming a circle.
The program began immediately following the parade, with speeches by city and area officials including Mayor B. H. Littell, John Lewis and Percy T. Ogden. The three brass bands performed beautiful musical renditions for the excited crowd. The only thing that dampened the occasion was the rain that came fast and lasted a few hours. Following the shower, the party continued into the night. The celebration concluded at the Sandoz Opera House with the grand masquerade ball. The house was packed with an overflowing crowd who all gave glowing reviews of the jovial occurrence.
The 1902 St. Joseph’s parade was also successful. However, following that year there were no more elaborate St. Joseph parades held in Opelousas. Instead, in 1903, the committee that produced the St. Joseph festival produced a Mardi Gras celebration.
In 1911, the Opelousas Italian Society sponsored a celebration for St. Joseph’s Day that included a small parade and festival on the grounds of the St. Landry Catholic Church. The event also included performances by an Italian Band from New Orleans, a special High Mass officiated by an Italian priest, and a fireworks display.
Following the 1911 event, St. Joseph’s feast day in Opelousas was not again extravagantly observed. Today, the altars prepared at some local and area churches honor the saint.
Have a question about Opelousas history? Send it to me care of the Daily World and I will try to get the answer for you as we continue our Opelousas Trivia.