Epiphany’s night in Naples

Epiphany is a very special day, it is the last anniversary of these long Christmas holidays that accompanies us gently to the return of daily life made of work and study and various commitments. Even our city is preparing to celebrate it with different events and above all, traditions that have now become an integral part of the Neapolitan society and that have been handed down for some time.

The air of the Epiphany begins to breathe in Naples in the different days, days that precede the fateful night of January 5 in which the befana will arrive in the houses to bring sweets and gifts for everyone. The main squares from that of via Toledo to via Scarlatti, Piazza Cavour, host banquets with socks and sweets, traders compete in a battle with sweets and candies. But the apotheosis of this party comes just the evening of January 5 when Piazza Mercato is the most characteristic event of the entire city, sounds, dances, stands of sweets at very low prices, toys of all kinds, the night of the befana becomes the pivotal moment to experience a magical, magical night like our city.

But what is the origin of this party? Let’s find out together with some curiosities about the sweetest party there is.

Epiphany: between myths and legends

Perhaps not everyone knows that the Epiphany has ancient origins and above all few know that before becoming a party of the Christian religion, this type of celebration was typical of the Roman people and of pagan matrix. According to an ancient legend, twelve days after solstice in December, the goddess Diana, flew over the fields to promise fertility and the Romans exchanged a gift of good wishes for the new year. Starting from the 4th century AD the Catholic church, made this holiday his own by adapting it, however, to the coming of the Magi Kings to the cave of baby Jesus, holding the gifts for the son of God.
But why the symbolism of an old woman? Well, according to a popular narrative, the Three Wise Men, going to Bethlehem to bring the gifts to the Child Jesus, unable to find the way, asked information to an elderly lady. Despite their insistence, in order to follow them to visit the little one, the woman preferred not to leave the house to accompany them. In the end, however, regretted not having gone with them, having prepared a basket of sweets, left the house and began to look for them, but without succeeding in its intent. So he knocked at every house he met along his way, giving sweets to the children he ran into, in the hope that one of them was little Jesus.