First brewed in northern Africa among nomadic tribes and shepherds, coffee gained regional popularity for the sharpening and energizing effect it had on those who drank it. Coffee soon became synonymous with the Middle East, and Muslims were known for enjoying the beverage. While Islam prohibited alcohol, no such ban was placed on coffee. As it spread to Europe by trade routes, Church officials viewed the beverage’s rise in popularity suspiciously due to its Middle Eastern connections. It took Pope Clement VIII tasting coffee for the first time in the seventeenth century to bless the beans, declaring the drink so delicious that “it would be a pity to let the [non-Christians] have exclusive use of it.” Not long after, in 1645, Rome’s first café opened.

There’s more! The frothy milk and coffee cappuccino takes its name from the brown habits and white cords worn by Capuchin friars, an offspring of the Franciscan movement. The Italian word for their signature brown hood is cappuccio. Legend has it that a Capuchin friar, Marco d’Aviano, who also lived in the seventeenth century, was the first to suggest sweetening strong Turkish coffee by blending it with milk.

Catholic connections to coffee are everywhere. From ministries dedicated to coffee production for evangelizing with the hot beverage to monasteries that roast and sell coffee beans to support their orders, Catholic coffee culture is thriving – and not just at the parish coffee hour!

This light yet rich Crema al Caffè is often served as a dessert after lunch in Italy, but the possibilities are endless!