Rome officials on Wednesday
announced a solidarity-filled program to center around the
city's Piazza Navona in celebration of a national holiday on
January 6, which is the day of the Epiphany.
The Epiphany is inspired by the story of the arrival of the
Three Wise Men in Bethlehem with gifts for the newborn Jesus,
and is also known in Italy as La Befana after a legendary old
woman who delivers gifts on her broomstick.
She is said to visit children on the eve of January 6 to
fill their socks with candy and presents if they have been good,
or a lump of coal or dark candy if they have been bad.
This year, 21 organizations and NGOs such as Amnesty
International, Emergency, the Red Crescent, the Red Cross, Slow
Food, lay Catholic group Sant'Egidio and UNICEF will be on hand
at Piazza Navona.
The program that kicks off today through January 6 also
includes puppet shows, clowns, music, dancing, storytelling, and
two concerts courtesy of the Santa Cecilia Orchestra on January
4 and 5.
"Piazza Navona is a place of solidarity this year," said
District President Sabrina Alfonsi.
"The celebration is in line with the times we are living
in, a time of war and in which the Jubilee is taking place in
this city," she said.
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