Thanksgiving Traditions: An Origin Story

REV. MR. ALEX FRY ’23, DIOCESE OF DALLAS

Thanksgiving Week always brings a buzz of excitement to the house, as the seminarians gear up for a full slate of festivities. How did our four-day celebration of Thanksgiving become what it is today? I scoured the history books, and here’s what I found:

The Turkey Trot is the youngest of the Thanksgiving traditions. The 5K, which circumnavigates the Vatican, had its 13th annual race this year with 117 participants. With a 6 AM start time on Thanksgiving Day, it’s not for the faint of heart, but runners cherish the memorable opportunity to race on this special course.

The New Man Dinner, which takes place on the day after Thanksgiving, seems to have begun in the early 2000s, after the college invested in a fifth-floor student kitchen. It offers the new-man class members an opportunity to celebrate how far they’ve come since their arrival in Rome only a few months before. A small group of first-year men prepare and cook the meal for their classmates and new faculty, often showcasing regional dishes from the states and a reasonable amount of red meat.

The New Man – Old Man Show, a variety show comprised of skits, videos, and songs. From the opening of the NAC in 1859 until the 1950s, seminarians lived and interacted within small groups called camerata. Seminarians from different camerata were rarely permitted to spend time together except on special feast days in the form of mixes, with the “new man mix” traditionally taking place around Thanksgiving. Later, an old man show was added as an official welcome to the new men. Now, the two shows take place together on the same night. It is always a fun night to laugh together and admire the comedic and musical talent of the house.

The Spaghetti Bowl saw its 68th edition this year on the Campo Sportivo, the only American football field in the Eternal City. First conceived in 1954, the gridiron championship pits the new men against the old men in a classic David versus Goliath matchup. In its 70-year history, the new men have secured victory only 6 or 7 times (depending on whom you ask). The game is fierce and injuries are to be expected, but the ultimate goal is always a renewed sense of brotherhood. n