Christmas 2025: The Feast of the Seven Fishes is celebrated on Christmas Eve. It is a Roman Catholic tradition originating in southern Italy. It involves eating seven or more kinds of fish.

Feast of the Seven Fishes

Christmas 2025: Christmas is celebrated worldwide on December 25th. People celebrate this day as the birth anniversary of Lord Jesus. Although the Bible does not mention the birth of Lord Jesus on December 25th, historians believe that this festival was not celebrated before Jesus' birth.

People celebrate Christmas with great enthusiasm on December 25th. In some places, Christmas celebrations begin several days earlier. Christians celebrate this festival like New Year's Day. The festival of Christmas brings peace, goodwill, and compassion to people's lives. Various traditions and beliefs are associated with Christmas, celebrated across the country and around the world. One of the many traditions associated with Christmas is the Feast of the Seven Fishes. Let's learn what it is and how it relates to Christmas.

What is the Feast of the Seven Fishes?

Christmas Eve, the night of December 24th, is celebrated in different ways in many parts of the world. Italy and Italian-American communities, in particular, have a special tradition called the Feast of the Seven Fishes, or "La Vigilia" in Italian. Many also call it a fish dinner or vigil. However, the "Feast of the Seven Fishes" is a common name, as many people alternatively prepare a meat-based meal consisting of 3, 11, 13, or any odd number of fish. There is no specific menu for the seven fishes that must be followed.

When and where did the tradition of the Feast of the Seven Fishes begin?

This tradition is believed to have its roots in the south of Italy and has been passed down for generations. Before 1861, Italy was divided into various regions, with the south being the poorest. Each region had its own government. When the newly unified government allocated most of its resources to northern Italy, poverty and crime spread further in the south. However, due to its proximity to the sea, the region had no shortage of fish.

People living in the coastal areas of Italy adopPeople living in the coastal areas of Italy adopted this tradition, and gradually, special meals consisting of more than one type of fish began to be prepared. the 1900s. When Italians fled the country due to poverty and moved to the United States, they took this tradition with them. Therefore, the Feast of the Seven Fishes tradition also spread among many Italian Americans.