 © E. Tresmontant/ViaMichelin In France First celebrated in France during the Middle Ages, the Epiphany (from the Greek epiphaneia: apparition) originally commemorated the adoration of the Christ by the Three Kings of the East - Melchior, Caspar and Balthasar - according to the gospels of Matthew and Luke. In feudal France a galette, or flat cake, made from a variety of grains would be prepared during the period of dues and one would traditionally be offered to the feudal lord. Seeing as this festival took place at the same time as the week-long Roman Saturnalia celebrating the winter solstice, the 16C Church judged that it was of pagan inspiration and banned it. France’s learned cardinals knew that the small ‘bean’, called la fêve in French, hidden inside the cake symbolized the underworld gods of Greek mythology. Despite the ban, Epiphany continued to be celebrated by the populace, and whoever was served the piece of Kings’ Cake containing the bean became king or queen for the day... at least until Louis XIV categorically forbade the ‘Galette des Rois’ tradition, that is. He considered it to be a crime of lèse majesté, since none other than he himself could rightly be declared king! In 1801 however, the Concordat revived the holiday and chose 6 January for the Epiphany. Rich with symbolism and history, today’s Kings’ Cake is a delicacy which brings together and reconciles all levels of society, from the humblest of village bakers to the most sophisticated Parisian pastry chef. It may take the form of a simple puff pastry, or be filled with almond-flavoured frangipane or applesauce with candied chestnuts; or it may be a brioche, sprinkled with dried fruit and flavoured with orange blossom water, as they do it in Provence... Every year many millions of Kings’ Cakes are baked in France... and that’s only because they’re a seasonal treat. ‘Indeed,’ we were told by several famed Parisian pastry chefs, ‘if our customers had their way, we’d be making Galettes des Rois from October to April!’  © Flickr In Italy Befana comes by night
With her stockings all tattered and torn
Her hat worn the Roman way
Long life to the Befana! ... a nonsensical, though ever popular Italian nursery rhyme. Dated it might be, but it’s a traditional and enduring verse that celebrates the character of La Befana, an old and ugly, but friendly, witch who, it’s said, brings presents to children on Twelfth Night. ... .. On January 6th, Italian children will traditionally receive small gifts, usually cakes or sweets, either from stockings hung in family kitchens or from the hands of various Befanas in local town squares across the country. At one time it was said that well behaved children would receive sweets, whilst Befana would merely bring lumps of coal for the naughty ones. To this day, Befana’s influence is present in a number of popular celebrations across Italy.
For example, Milan’s renowned two-wheel Epiphany charity run, that sees hundreds and hundreds of motorcyclists gather each year in the city’s Piazza del Duomo armed with sweets to share out and to deliver to local hospitals. Similarly, Rogo della Stria , which is celebrated in the historic town centre of Recoaro Terme a small town in the Upper Agno Valley, in the province of Vicenza. A group of children dressed as elves will parade a witch puppet, singing songs and handing out sweets until they reach the town square where the witch will be burned. The celebrations also include s sledge race with competitors dressed from surrounding districts all dressed in ancient costume. On the same day, the local park hosts a live nativity re-enactment involving more than 50 characters and climaxing with a torchlight parade and the arrival of the three wise men. A space reserved for the public to enjoy hot chocolate and mulled wine represents one of the most popular, distinguishing features of the event, differentiating it from the many other re-enactments that take place that have remained relatively unchanged over the years. In the United Kingdom Epiphany, known as "Twelfth Night" in the UK, traditionally marked the end of the Christmas period and the last chance for “merry-making”. The Yule log, lit on Christmas day, remained lit until Twelfth Night to bring good fortune for the coming year. The tradition of removing Christmas decorations on Twelfth Night stems from an ancient belief that tree-spirits lived in the holly and ivy used to decorate houses at Christmas. Greenery was brought inside to protect the tree-spirits from harsh Winters but it was feared that failing to release them on this day would delay the return of Spring and lead to hardship. The days leading up to Twelfth Night were celebrated in medieval times as a "festival of fools". Practical jokes included hiding live birds in empty pies to startle guests (referenced in the nursery rhyme "Sing A Song of Sixpence"). Traditional Twelfth Night food included spiced ale and Twelfth Night cake, a rich fruitcake containing various items. Getting a bean would make you the King or Queen, a clove made you the villain, a twig for the fool and a rag labelled you a girl of ill repute. Twelfth Night itself was a traditional day for plays ("mummings"). It is thought that Shakespeare's play was named so as it was first performed for Twelfth Night celebrations in 1601.  © EFE In Spain Epiphany in Spain is known as Día de los Reyes Magos, which translates as Day of the Kings in commemoration of Melchor, Kaspar and Balthasar, the three kings (wise men) who journeyed to find and worship the new born Jesus. Just as the three wise men brought their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to Jesus, children in Spain will write and send a letter to the three Kings during the days leading up to Epiphany. On the eve of Epiphany many Spanish towns will host a celebratory procession in which the Kings display the gifts they will bring to the children over the course of the night. In households across Spain, families will leave food and drink to refresh the Kings during the long night, as well as water for their camels and one shoe for each person in the house. The following day, those children who have been well behaved throughout the year will find that the food has been eaten and that a small gift has been left in their shoe. Epiphany in Spain also brings the tradition of families and friends sharing roscón de Reyes , a sweet, donut shaped bread decorated with candied fruit and containing small gifts and a bean. According to tradition, whoever finds the bean in their roscón will have to pay for the cake the following year. In Germany The most popular tradition of the country’s Epiphany celebrations is that of Drei-König-Singens (Three-Kings-Singing). Each January an estimated 500,000 children dress as the three kings and, armed with a star, walk from house to house singing carols and reciting poems whilst collecting money for charitable causes. The carol singers will then bless each house by chalking the traditional blessing of “K M B" (signifying the names of the three wise men, Kaspar, Melchior, and Balthasar ) on the front door or its frame. This traditional blessing is said to protect the house and its inhabitants against misfortune and bring them God’s blessing.  © Joep Eijkens - www.cubra.nl In Netherlans and Flanders On January 6, children in the South Netherlands and Flanders will dress as Kings and walk from door to door in groups of three, singing songs for spare change or sweets.
Late in the afternoon, as the sunlight fades, the children will wrap themselves in a “royal” outfit of dresses and rags. The children will wear homemade crowns and carry lampions (brightly coloured lamps) often in the shape of the Christmas star .
Medieval traditions
According to journalist Paul Spapens, an authority on Dutch and Flemish culture, this tradition dates back to the Middle Ages. During harsh Winter months, when food was often in short supply among the poor, Epiphany was deemed as a day in which the less fortunate were permitted to go from house to house for extra food. The traditional song, still sung by children to this day, included some rather bizarre words roughly translating as:
Three kings, three kings
give me a new hat,
My old one is worn out,
my mother may not know,
my father has the money
counted down on the counter.
In fact the song’s origin is actually a 17th century song of derision that tells of a group of town clerks in Den Bosch, who attended a Town Hall ceremony on January 6th and received the gift of a new hat from the Magistrate.
Singing competitions & festive celebrations
The mid 19th century saw the growing popularity of Epiphany celebrations for children (kinderfeest). To this day, several towns will commemorate Epiphany with organised events such as singing competitions and prizes for the best dressed Kings. For example, this tradition has taken place in Tilburg since 1937, when the first Epiphany contest was held in honour of Princess Juliana and Prince Bernard who were due to marry the following day, on January 7.
Each year on the nearest Sunday to January 6, Den Bosch hosts a parade for the three Kings. Seated on camels, the Kings are welcomed by shepherds and shepherdesses, medieval guardsmen ( schuttersgilde) and hundreds of children with illuminated lampions. Traditionally, the parade also features sheep, sheep dogs and horses and will end in the Market square, drowned by the ringing bells of St. John's Cathedral, where a celebration awaits. |
