Pope Leo in Naples, the refreshment with the fruits of the Bible

A table placed in the basilica, in front of the altar, a circular table - a symbol of sharing - set up with foods found in the Bible and natural ornaments full of meaning: the pomegranate, emblem of unity and fertility; grapes, sign of the covenant and joy; figs, fruit of the Promised Land, representing prosperity and divine blessing; cherries, recalling the sweetness of charity; dates, nourishment in the desert, associated with the nativity of Jesus, symbolising peace and triumph; olive branches, universal icon of peace; manna, reminder of divine providence accompanying the people's journey.

This is the set-up by E p S.p.a., a Neapolitan company active in Italy and abroad in catering and set-ups for large events, which belongs to the Esposito family. The request came from Cardinal Domenico Battaglia, and the company set the table inside the Church of San Francesco di Paola, in Naples, on the occasion of the Pope's visit.

Each food item was carefully chosen to portray the values of faith, abundance, communion and care. Ep released yesterday, together with the official photo of the table, also a card with the biblical meaning of each element, to accompany the faithful and the media in the symbolic reading of the setting. "In this interweaving of symbols, for Ep the table was not a simple welcoming element. We wanted to transform it into a true theological and cultural sign,' explains Pasquale Esposito, founder and president of Ep Spa. 'Through food, we tried to renew the link with the Bible, in a harmony between matter and spirit that manifests itself in the most authentic sense of the celebration: an invitation to recognise God's presence in beauty'.