Feast of the Seven Fishes

Feast of the Seven Fishes, Italian American Christmas Eve meal involving the serving of a meatless dinner composed of seven different dishes of fish. Although Feast of the Seven Fishes is the most common name for this meal, it is also referred to as Christmas Eve Fish Dinner or the Vigil, and many people alternatively prepare a feast of 3, 11, 13, or any other odd number of fishes.

Origins

The meal is believed to have evolved from the Roman Catholic practice of fasting before the observance of certain church feast days, including Christmas (December 25), the feast celebrating the birth of Jesus. Traditionally, the 24-hour period before Christmas—i.e., Christmas Eve (December 24)—was a period of fasting during which Catholics also were required to abstain from meat. However, in southern Italy, where seafood was abundant and relatively cheap, it became customary for families to break the fast with a large meal of fish. In modern times, fasting and abstaining from meat before Christmas are no longer required, but the tradition of a Christmas Eve fish dinner has endured.

In Italy, Christmas Eve is known as La Vigilia di Natale (“the Vigil of the Nativity”), and the meal is known as cena della Vigilia, or “dinner of the Vigil.” Other names include cenone della Vigilia (“great dinner of the Vigil”) and, simply, La Vigilia. Indeed, Feast of the Seven Fishes is believed to be an exclusively Italian American name for the meal. In the United States the feast’s tradition developed among Italian Americans who had emigrated from Sicily and other southern regions of Italy in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The first known printed mention of the name Feast of the Seven Fishes appeared in the 1980s in a Philadelphia newspaper—fittingly, as the feast is a popular tradition in that city.

The number seven is considered to be symbolic, although opinions differ on what it represents. Many people claim that it refers to the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church or the Seven Hills of Rome. Religious meaning has also been ascribed to other numbers of fish dishes—for example, 9 dishes for the holy Trinity times three or 12 dishes for the Twelve Apostles.

Traditions and popular culture

Traditions regarding the Feast of the Seven Fishes vary between families and individuals, but two consistent elements are that it involves the participation of an entire extended family—and often friends and other members of a community—and the serving of an odd number of fish dishes for good luck. The types of fish and seafood served can range from lobster to fish sticks (finger-length portions of fish that have been coated in seasoned bread crumbs or batter). Baccalà (salted cod) is generally a favorite dish, and many dinners include eel, which was popular among older generations of Italian immigrants.

The Feast of the Seven Fishes has become better known outside Italian American communities largely through popular culture, including cookbooks and television cooking shows. Famous chefs such as Mario Batali have discussed the feast’s traditions in their families. In 2019 the movie Feast of the Seven Fishes, focusing on an Italian American family, was released. The feast was also depicted, albeit as celebrated by a highly dysfunctional family, in an episode of the TV series The Bear in 2023. Notably, one character’s bringing of a tuna casserole to the family feast is perceived as an embarrassing misreading of the celebration, in addition to introducing an unlucky eighth dish. The episode won four Emmy Awards, including in the directing and editing categories.