Befana

Befana (Italian: of Epifania ) is the designation of a witch (or a female demon ) by the Italian folk belief that on January 6, flies in search of the baby Jesus on a broom from home on the night of 5 to house and Gifts brings or punishes.

The name comes from Epiphany, the church feast of the three kings Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar. According to legend, the witch is said to have heard of the shepherds the good news. The Star of Bethlehem should lead them to the manger. However, since she left too late, she missed the star.

Over time, outweighed the positive aspects of their shape, so that it applies today as a good witch in the first place. It constitutes a parallel form to the Alpine Percht

During Fascism was on the occasion of the Epiphany in 1928, the Befana fascista celebrated. This was at an event organized by the National Fascist Party charity event were distributed in gifts to poor children. This custom continued even during the Second World War and in the Italian Sozialrepublilk.

Pictures of Befana

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