Feast of the Seven Fishes

High school (ages 12+)
Holidays & Celebrations

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/feast-of-the-seven-fishes

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the observance period?Christmas Eve, functioning as a vigil before the Christmas Day feast
2. What is the dietary basis?Abstinence from meat, leading to a focus on fish and seafood
3. Why do people eat seven fishes on Christmas Eve?On Christmas Eve many Christians do not eat meat, so they eat fish instead. The number seven is symbolic, often meaning perfection or completeness.
4. Where did the Feast of the Seven Fishes come from?It began in Southern Italy where fish is plentiful, and Italian immigrants brought the tradition to the United States, where it grew into a big celebration.

Vigil: A period of watchful waiting, especially preceding a significant religious holiday.
Abstinence: The voluntary refraining from certain foods or practices, often for religious reasons.
Diaspora: The dispersion of any people from their original homeland.