Epiphany

 THE EPIPHANY
Hi, our task was to make a research about the Epiphany. When we werwe children we used to love this festivity. It is still a festivity for children.

The end of the 12-day Christmas season is marked by the feast of Epiphany ( Greek “showing forth”) celebrating the arrival of the wise men as well as the showing forth of Jesus as an adult when he was identified at his baptism as God’s son.
 This is an important day to Italians because it marks the end of the Christmas season and the day that the three Wise Men arrived at the manger of the Christ child.

According to the legend  the three Wise Men were in search of the Christ child when they decided to stop at a small house to ask for directions. An old woman holding a broom opened the door but was unaware of who these three men were looking for and could not give them the right directions. The three men asked the old woman to join them on their journey but she refused. After they left she felt she had made a mistake and decided to go and look for the three kind men and Christ child but she could not find them. So the old woman stopped every child to give them a small treat in hopes that one was the Christ child. Each year on the eve of the Epiphany she sets out looking for the baby Jesus. She stops at each child's house to leave those who were good treats in their stockings and those who were bad a lump of coal.

The tradition of la Befana includes some pre-Christian elements: she is said to represent a goddess associated with fertility and agriculture but she is also thought to be  related to the celebration of the New Year: la Befana represents the old year, and she is burned to give place to the new one: this is what happens in Northern Italy, in the province of Treviso: la Befana, called la Vecia, is burned on 6 January. La Befana is also said to represent a goddess associated with fertility and agriculture.
In Italy, two places are associated with la Befana: Piazza Navona in Rome where there is a famous market between Christmas and Epiphany.

 In the Marche Region there is the town of  Urbania that is thought to be the official home of la Befana and every year there is a big festival to celebrate the holiday.

This is the Befana's house in Urbania

In the Macerata area the Epiphany is known as “Pasquetta” when all the people used to wish each other “Happy Easter”. It is still custom today that some musicians and singers go from house to house on the previous evening singing the Pasquella one of the most characteristic tunes of the Marches. It is an augury of prosperity and well- being. To thank the musicians you usually give some money or chocolates.

La Pasquella in town centre of  Macerata

There are poems about Befana, which are known in slightly different versions throughout Italy. Here is one of the versions:
La Befana vien di notte
Con le scarpe tutte rotte
Col vestito alla romana
Viva, Viva La Befana

The English translation is:

The Befana comes by night
With her shoes all tattered and torn
She comes dressed in the Roman way
Long life to the Befana!

Nicola e Francesco