La Befana Is Nice!
Despite what you might think when you hear the name “La Befana”, or “the witch”, the mythical character is actually a sweet lady! On the day of the feast, La Befana is said to sweep the floors homes on the night of January 5th. But before she goes, she leaves gifts and sweets for the well-behaved children. I’ve personally numerous different tales of La Befana depending on what region the Italian telling me was from, but the one I remember the most was that La Befana was stopped by the Magi while they were on their journey to meet baby Jesus. She first refused, but then had a change of heart and tried to find the manger herself. She wasn’t able to find the manger and decided to give the gifts she had bought to other children.
The Three Wise Men
The traditional, Christian take on this holiday is the remember the biblical story of the visit of the Magi to baby Jesus. The Magi followed the star of Bethlehem to find the manager and present Jesus with gifts of god, frankincense, and myrrh. Does anybody know what frankincense and myrrh is? I googled it so you don’t have to: frankincense is burned as an incense, while myrrh is used in medicines and perfumes. The word “Epiphany” means the manifestation of God to the world. The event symbolizes the manifestation of Jesus as the Son of God. This feast is meant to reflect on the significance of this day and the revelation that people had to God and Jesus. It marks the end of the Christmas season and the transition into the liturgical season. I really love this considering that Christmas is over too soon, and this is a great way to reflect and remember the importance of this season.
Does you celebrate this feast? What story of La Befana do you tell? Let me know in the comments!
Resources
Images:
Pinterest Giada Rose… La Befana
Celebrating the Epiphany in Italy and The Legend of La Befana… Wine and Travel Italy
