WEST WYOMING, Pa. — It's 51 years of celebrating love through Valentine's Day Dinners at Marianacci's in West Wyoming. Dominic Marianacci is a third-generation owner.
"You see younger kids getting into a relationship, maybe courting, a little bit. Some of our older customers, not necessarily in age, but maybe being here with us for 50-60 years and falling in love all over again," said Marianacci.
Marianacci will spend Valentine's Day working alongside his love, his wife, Joelle. She'll be rolling out pounds of fresh pasta to prepare for their special Valentine's Day menu.
"My wife and my father-in-law do a lot of that. They are making a beautiful beet Fettuccine with some lobster. We know it's Ash Wednesday, so people are going to be looking for some seafood options," added Marianacci.
But, the sweetest of holidays, may look different for Catholics this year. A day usually focused around date night dinners, and sweet treats will be filled with fasting for those who follow the Catholic faith, as it falls on Ash Wednesday. It marks the start of the 40 days of Lent, where many Catholics fast and abstain from meat.
Restaurants, like Leggio's in the Back Mountain, are making sure the menu is prepped and ready to go for the Lenten season. Owner, Lori Leggio, says their specials will often focus around seafood this time of year.
"We do have a lot of fish specials, shrimp in the basket, so we do accommodate, and we're ready for it," Leggio said.
Their chefs, like Gennaro Dellecave, will be tossing lots of pizzas throughout the 40-day stretch. On Ash Wednesday, the restaurant will also be serving a Lenten favorite, Pagach.
"They do love it, yeah. What's not to love? It's a big pierogi with butter, onions, and potatoes", said Dellecave.
Bishop Bambera and the Diocese of Scranton say the significance of Ash Wednesday takes precedence over Valentine’s Day, just like in 2018. The Bishop is encouraging Catholics to celebrate ahead of Ash Wednesday.
“Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent, a season of grace that challenges us to deepen our relationship with Jesus through prayer, penance, and works of charity. The obligations of fasting and abstinence are naturally the priority in the Catholic community. Its spiritual importance is evidenced by the large number of faithful choosing to attend Mass on this day,” Bishop Bambera said in a statement. “Valentine’s Day can appropriately be celebrated on another day, such as the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, which happens to be Mardi Gras, a time of celebration prior to the Lenten journey. That will allow Ash Wednesday to retain its appropriate significance.”
Marianacci's has fresh pasta available to go for those laying low this holiday.
"We also have a market next-door that we sell it there if you're not coming out on Valentine's Day you could always pick up dinner and have a night at home with it," said Joelle Marianacci.
The restaurant will be running their Valentine's Day specials through the weekend, for those who want to celebrate their love, any day of the week.
"People come before the holiday. They wait until the weekend because they have work, so we're gonna run it right through the weekend, and all the specials will be available the whole week," said Marianacci. "So you don't have have to rush and be here right on Valentine's Day, we get here at any time through the week."