The word epiphany was used by the Greeks to indicate
the action or the manifestation of a divinity (as miracles,
visions, signs, etc.).
In the third century Christians began to celebrate, with
the word Epiphany, the divine manifestations (such as
miracles, signs, visions, etc..) of Jesus. In particular,
among these events, the Epiphany includes: the adoration
of the Magi to Baby Jesus, the baptism of Jesus and the
first miracle happened in Cana. Today this word means
instead the first public manifestation of divinity, with the
visit of the Magi to Baby Jesus
In the Orthodox world, some use this word to indicate
the Epiphany feast which always falls on January 6 and is
more commonly known as Theophany. In this day is
celebrated the baptism of Jesus in the river Jordan, and
the visit of the Magi, commemorated by Catholics of the
Latin Rite and other Western churches in a party in it
self, in the churches of the Byzantine rite is celebrated on
the day of Christmas.
The Epiphany is a Christian holiday celebrated on January 6 (that is twelve days
after Christmas). In countries where it is a public holiday, it is moved on
Sunday between 2 and 8 January. The Epiphany is considered by the Catholic
Church, one of the greatest solemnity celebrated, with the Ascension,
Pentecost, Christmas and Easter. In this day people go to church in the
morning, add the statues of the Three Wise Men to their crib and stay together
for a big lunch which is very similar to the Xmas lunch, many people also
exchange presents. Epiphany, a religious holiday, commemorates the visit of the
3 Magi to Baby Jesus.
Three kings, Melchior, Balthazar and Gaspar, left from different countries to
bring gifts to Jesus: gold, incense and myrrh.
They met near Jerusalem, and even if they speak different languages,
understood and realized that they have the same destination, so rode on
together.
When they reached the cave offered their gifts to Jesus and worshiped him and
then left again. Befana is an old woman who flies on a broom, wearing a
kerchief on her head and her dark clothes are torn and dirty with soot, because
it falls into the houses down the chimney. This old woman, on the night of
January 5, when people are asleep, brings gifts to children: dolls, toy cars,
books, games and various sweets. If someone has been naughty, it will find coal,
ash, onions, garlic. A week before the festival, children try to make "good" and
the night before the arrive of Befana preparing the stocking hanging on the
fireplace and go to bed early. The next day the children are excited, curious to
see their gifts, anxious for the arrive of the Befana.
Befana’ s legends
The Magi were going to Bethlehem to bring gifts to Baby Jesus. When they reach an
house, they decided to stop to ask the direction to Bethlehem.
They knocked on the door and opened it an ugly old lady. The Magi asked if she knew
the best way to Bethlehem because the Messiah was born. The woman who didn’ t
understand where they were going , she couldn’ t give them any indication.
The Magi asked to the old woman to join them, but she refused because she had a lot of
work to do.
After that the three kings were gone, the woman realized that she had made a mistake and
decided to join them to visit Baby Jesus, but despite it, trying for hours, she couldn’ t find
them and then she stopped every child to give him a gift in the hope that he was Baby
Jesus.
And so every year, on the evening of Epiphany she flies on her broom from house to
house in search of Jesus leaving a gift, if the child has been good, or coal, if he has been
bad.
One day, the 3 Wise Men left, full of gifts (gold, incense and myrrh) to Baby
Jesus. They crossed lots of countries guided by a star, and in every place where
they passed, the people flocked to meet them and join them. There was only an
old woman who at first wanted to go, but at the last minute he changed his
mind and refused to follow them.
The next day, sorry, tried to reach the Magi, but they were already too far away.
To this, the old woman didn’ t see Baby Jesus. Since she, in the night between
fifth and sixth January , flying on a broom with a sack on his back, goes from
house to house to bring the gifts which she didn’ t give to Baby Jesus to the
children who have been good
Domenico Pascale, Alessio Romiti,
Riccardo Gatti, Lorenzo Giarè.