ITALIAN HOLYDAYS: From the immaculate Conception to the
 Epiphany, the fusion of sacred and profane during Christmas
 by Giusy Ando' is a national holiday because lost paradise. ies, Napoli (Naples) is where, These miniature Bethle-
 When the air is filled with it is the day of the Immacu- December 8 is also the even today, the tradition of hems decorate almost all the
 the smell of December, Italy late Conception. During this beginning of the Advent cal- the nativity is still strong and churches and homes in Italy.
 immerses itself in its tradi- occasion, Italians celebrate endar, the wait for Christmas. alive. In the narrow streets of S. When the Italian families build
 tions. From the apparition of the encounter between the Families typically gather to- Gregorio Armeno, in the center the nativity on December 8,
 the archangel Gabriel to the Madonna and the archangel gether at home to decorate the of the city, a great number of they do not put the Baby Jesus
 Christmas tree and build the workshops and stands display, down in the manger, because
 nativity. Italy has a long tradi- especially during Christmas, he will beborn onlyfew weeks
 tion related to the nativity. In their small masterpieces. They later, and they do not place the
 fact, the legend says that Saint are hand-painted shepherd three Wise Men near the cave,
 Francesco, patron of Italy, was boys, angels with a luxuriant because they are still far away,
 the first one who arranged a head of curly hair, and Wise following the Comet.
 living nativity, the night be- Men adorned with precious The Christmas tree, instead,
 tween the 24 and the 25 of. cloths. These beautiful little is a more recent tradition and
 December 1223 in Greccio, in statues, unique and original, is more closely connected to
 the snow-covered mountains are usually placed inside re- German folklore. In 1521 in Al-
 and hills of the Holy Valley, alistic scenarios, embellished sace, an edict was issued and
 in Italy. with streamlets and with small it permitted the local people to
 Among all the Italian cit- crackling fires. (Continued on page 9)


 IldF- P>y/ -lida
 Via Etnea, Catania's main street best wishes

 for a
 prosperous (

 New Year!


 BETTY REED
 State Representative 59




 One of the many historical buidings ofVia Etnea,
 Cantania's main street, looks festive.
 Virgin- Mary to the arrival of the Gabriel, who came from heaven
 three Wise Men in front of the to inform the young girl about
 Baby Jesus' cave, Italy rejoices the forthcoming happy event:
 in its Christmas holidays. Dur- the birth of Jesus. The Holy
 ing the month of December Scriptures tell that the concep-
 it's time to celebrate Advent, tion of the son of God occurred
 Christmas and the New Year in the guise of a golden light
 in a perfect fusion of sacred coming from the sky. This
 and profane, tradition and in- light became incarnated in the
 novation. J Virgin's womb and its destiny
 For Italians, December 8 was to return to the world the


 Holiday


 Greetings


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Page 8. eptipn. /Fiphy, Deppubpy 22, 2006