Italy celebrates World Pizza Day today. Numerous events take place across the country. The dish’s hometown, Naples, declared St. Anthony’s Day on January 17 as Pizza Day in 2018 in order to honor traditional bread-making. Saint Anthony is considered, among other things, the patron saint of bakers and therefore also of pizza bakers.
But it is not new that food is given the honor of a “vacation”. It is also celebrated on June 11th on the day of Pizza Margherita, because according to legend, the first pizza of this type was made in Naples on that day in 1889. Alternatively, June 15th is also considered the day of commemoration of Saint Vitus, patron saint of innkeepers, like pizza day.
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Since the year 2000, October 25th is World Pizzaiolo Day. On that day, Pope John Paul II, then in office, blessed the profession during a general audience of pizzerias around the world. Pizza is a global hallmark of Italian cuisine and a piece of the national identity. It was recognized by UNESCO as a cultural heritage of humanity in 2017.
The United States traditionally celebrates National Pizza Day on February 9th. As with many curious “holidays”, it is not known exactly who is responsible for the day. Among other things, it is said to be based on an initiative by the American magazine “Pizza Today”. In 2009, Congress declared February 9th Pizza Day on the nation’s culinary calendar.