Curiosity:

The feast of Epiphany dates back to 120-140 BC when in the Christian East people began to celebrate the baptism of Jesus.During the centuries the Epiphany has taken on the character of a solemn ideology which transcends historic events: we celebrate the manifestation of God to men, the first phase of the redemption. According to the Italian popular tradition, the Befana (a old kind woman who looks like a witch) meets the Three Kings during their trip to Bethlehem. As they got lost, they ask her for information about the road they have to take, but she is not able to give them any suggestion. The Magi suggest her to join them, but she says no, she has a lot of things to do. After the Magi’s departure, she understands the importance of their mission and decides to pay homage to the infant Jesus. As she is not able to reach the Magi, she stops every child to give him a gift, hoping to meet Jesus. That is way every year at Epiphany’s night she looks for Jesus and she stops at every house where a child lives to give him a gift, if he has been good, or some coal, if his behaviour has been bad.

On Epiphany eve, on 5th January, the rite of the lighting of the bonfire, which is called “Foghera” in our dialect, takes place. People usually go to the Foghera to enjoy the friend’s company, to taste the traditional cake – the so called “Pinza” – to get warm with a glass of “Vin Brulé”, the warm wine flavoured with apple and cinnamon, and to wait the burning of the “vecja”. The eldest wait to see the route of the smoke caused by the bonfire, and they remember the ancient saying: ”Se il fum al va a soreli jevât, cjape il sac e va a marcjât. Se il fum al va a soreli amont, cjape il sac e va pal mont" (if the smoke goes eastwards, take your sack and go to the market – the year will be abundant. If the smoke goes westwards, then take your sack and go abroad – you shall emigrate to feed your family). Pro Latisana in collaboration with the municipal administration starts with the Foghera in Piazza Indipendenza, called “the Befana is coming”: in the afternoon of the 5th January the main square becomes setting of a multicoloured celebration for kids. Entertainers, the little dragon Grisù, the Befana’s laboratory of the flying balloons, a big parachute, the Disney Castle, the pool filled with marbles, the makeup artist for children, elves and Befanas entertain the children and give them the traditional stocking filled with small presents or sweets, while adults can spend their time at the numerous refreshment stands where they can have a slice of pinza and a glass of wine. The next Foghera is in Bevazzana, and it takes place on the sports ground; then there is the one in Gorgo, Via Tommaseo and in Sabbionera, whose tradition has been renewed since a few years. You cannot miss the wonderful Foghera on the Tagliamento, Pertegada - www.amicidellafoghera.it – the “vecja” burns on a floating platform and it is lightened by the torches transported on canoes, and the Foghera in Latisanotta, organized by the association “Chei de la Foghera di Latisanotta". There are also a lot of Foghere organized by private citizens in their country hamlets: the landscape they create in this occasion is really suggestive.