The Spina Santa o Holy Spina sweet it is one of the typical Nisseni sweets born of the Benedictine monastery in Italy, together with the crocetta. Both were prepared and donated during the feast of the Holy Crucifix on September 14 by the cloistered nuns of the Benedictine monastery annexed to the church of Santa Croce.
The name derives from the Marruca plant (Paliurus spina-christi Mill.) with which they are presented, whose branches, it is said, were woven for the crown of thorns that was placed on the head of Jesus. [1] [2]
The ingredients of the Holy spina are typical of the Caltanissetta area at the beginning of the last century. They are almonds, sugar, sweet mulberry purée and dark chocolate. [2]
The Holy Spina is a typical Sicilian convent sweet.
Sicilian cuisine is the style of cooking on the island of Sicily. It shows traces of all cultures that have existed on the island of Sicily over the last two millennia. Although its cuisine has much in common with Italian cuisine, Sicilian food also has Greek, Spanish, French, Jewish, Maghrebi, and Arab influences.
Baking is a method of preparing food that uses dry heat, typically in an oven, but can also be done in hot ashes, or on hot stones. The most common baked item is bread, but many other types of foods can be baked. Heat is gradually transferred "from the surface of cakes, cookies, and pieces of bread to their center, typically conducted at elevated temperatures surpassing 300°F. Dry heat cooking imparts a distinctive richness to foods through the processes of caramelization and surface browning. As heat travels through, it transforms batters and doughs into baked goods and more with a firm dry crust and a softer center. Baking can be combined with grilling to produce a hybrid barbecue variant by using both methods simultaneously, or one after the other. Baking is related to barbecuing because the concept of the masonry oven is similar to that of a smoke pit.
Pastry refers to a variety of doughs, as well as the sweet and savoury baked goods made from them. These goods are often called pastries as a synecdoche, and the dough may be accordingly called pastry dough for clarity. Sweetened pastries are often described as bakers' confectionery. Common pastry dishes include pies, tarts, quiches, croissants, and pasties.
The Camaldolese Hermits of Mount Corona, commonly called Camaldolese, is a monastic order of Pontifical Right for men founded by Saint Romuald. Its name is derived from the Holy Hermitage of Camaldoli, high in the mountains of central Italy, near the city of Arezzo. Its members add the nominal letters E.C.M.C. after their names to indicate their membership in the congregation. Apart from the Roman Catholic monasteries, in recent times ecumenical Christian hermitages with a Camaldolese spirituality have arisen as well.
Holy Cross or Saint Cross may refer to:
According to the New Testament, a woven crown of thorns was placed on the head of Jesus during the events leading up to his crucifixion. It was one of the instruments of the Passion, employed by Jesus' captors both to cause him pain and to mock his claim of authority. It is mentioned in the gospels of Matthew, Mark and John, and is often alluded to by the early Church Fathers, such as Clement of Alexandria, Origen and others, along with being referenced in the apocryphal Gospel of Peter.
Caltanissetta is a comune (municipality) in the central interior of Sicily, Italy, and the capital of the province of Caltanissetta. Its inhabitants are called nisseni.
The Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem or Basilica di Santa Croce in Gerusalemme is a Catholic Minor basilica and titular church in rione Esquilino, Rome, Italy. It is one of the Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome.
Crocetta del Montello, formerly Crocetta Trevigiana, is a comune (municipality) in the province of Treviso, in the Italian region of Veneto, located about 50 kilometres (31 mi) northwest of Venice and about 25 kilometres (16 mi) northwest of Treviso. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 5,807 and an area of 26.4 square kilometres (10.2 sq mi).
Galzignano Terme is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Padua in the Italian region Veneto, located about 50 kilometres (31 mi) southwest of Venice and about 15 kilometres (9 mi) southwest of Padua.
Fonte Avellana or the Venerable Hermitage of the Holy Cross, is a Roman Catholic hermitage in Serra Sant'Abbondio in the Marche region of Italy. It was once also the name of an order of hermits based at this hermitage.
Amaro Averna is an Italian liqueur in the amaro category produced in Caltanissetta, Italy. It is named after its inventor, Salvatore Averna, who invented the recipe in 1868. This drink is produced on the Island of Sicily and is considered a traditional drink. The Averna company was acquired in 2014 by Gruppo Campari.
Novalesa Abbey is a Benedictine monastery in the Metropolitan City of Turin, Piedmont, Italy. It was founded in 726, and dedicated to Saint Peter and Saint Andrew.
Raynald was a Benedictine monk and Bishop of Nocera Umbra. Born around 1150, in the village of Postignano, near Nocera Umbra, Italy, to parents of German descent.
Angelo Capranica was an Italian Roman Catholic bishop and cardinal.
The Scarabelli library is the public library in the city of Caltanissetta in the centre of the island of Sicily, Italy. In 1862, the library was established by Antonio Mordini in the premises of the former Jesuit convent.
The crocetta di Caltanissetta is a traditional Italian sweet pastry that was produced in the comune (municipality) of Caltanissetta, Sicily, until the end of 1908, then forgotten about, and which has recently been rediscovered. The crocetta di Caltanissetta and the spina sacra are two pastry dishes that were traditionally prepared for the feast of the Most Holy Crucifix by the Sisters of the Benedictine Monastery. This monastery was located next to the Church of Santa Croce, from which these sweet pastries take their name.
Giuseppe Benedetto Dusmet – born Giuseppe Dusmet – was an Italian Roman Catholic cardinal who served as the Archbishop of Catania from 1867 until his death. He became professed into the Order of Saint Benedict where he took "Benedetto" as his religious name. He studied under the Benedictines prior to joining them before serving as a professor in addition to prior and abbot. His elevation to the episcopate saw him distinguish himself in cholera epidemics when he tended to the ill while also remaining a strong advocate for the poor of his archdiocese. He remained a Benedictine and was known to continue to don the Benedictine habit instead of the red cardinal's regalia.