Festa e identidade

Conceptually, a feast day is a collective event. After a brief criticism of some theories, we conclude that there are two core features: the formal (the object of the feast) and the material (the ingredients). Every feast day involves ceremony and festivity. The actual date of the feast day, which is essential to its characterization, represents a rupture with the insignificant and commonplace time with the purpose of attributing more sense to the existence of those celebrating whatever the event(s). In spite of the extinction of certain feast days in modern Europe, the advancement of rationalistic utilitarianism and revolutions, we may support the anthropologically necessary character of the festive celebration and its irreplaceable role as far as the identification of individuals, social groups and nations are concerned. Against the postmodern and pagan attempt to turn feast days into unremarkable events or dissolution in nature, we might demand, within our own festive jubilations, the “differentiation of consciousness”.