Today is an official day of holiday in Geneva “canton” (county). It is called the “Jeûne Genevois” (Genevan Fast) and even if there is probably nobody who will fast on that day, everybody will have prune/plum tart…
The Jeûne Genevois day is celebrated every year on the Thursday after the first Sunday of September. This holiday has its origins in a tradition dating from the Middle Ages. At that time, some days were officially decided to be fasting days, as penitence days, usually after calamities such as plague, or other epidemics and war, and then, they were maintained on the calendar.
It is said that the first fast was decided in September 1572, after the massacre of protestants during the St Barthelemy massacre in France. Other sources, mention that the first fast happened in 1567, after a terrible repression against protestants, which took place near Lyon in France.
Geneva has a long tradition of doing thing differently than the rest of the country, that is why it is the only canton having his day of fast on the Thursday. The rest of the country has a fasting day,called “Jeûne Fédéral” on the third Monday of September.
But, will you ask, why do you call it a fast, when plum pie is being eaten? Well, it seems that, traditionally only plum/prune pie could be eaten on that day. And the reason is: 1) pretty simple and 2)pretty misogynistic… 1)Plums are widely available in September! 2)The pie was baked on the day before, so that women and servants (!) would not have to cook on the day of fast and thus would be able to pray, meditate.
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