by Riccardo, age 7, asks La Befana did the Three Wise Men ask you to come see baby Jesus?, about the Arno River, and Florence’s role in the Renaissance
Dear La Befana,
My name is Riccardo and I am 7 years old. I live in Florence, Italy, where every January sixth my whole street waits for the old woman on the broomstick, and I always leave my stocking hanging by the window just in case.
First, did the Three Wise Men ask you to come see baby Jesus?
Second, a geography question: what river runs through Florence?
Third, a school question about my country: why is Florence considered the birthplace of the Renaissance?
I left you panettone and a glass of milk.
Love, Riccardo, age 7, Florence, Italy, Florence, Italy
From the Desk of La Befana
Dear Riccardo, thank you for the treat, it was wonderful. Now, your questions.
Did the Three Wise Men ask you to come see baby Jesus?
According to the old story, yes, they stopped and asked for directions, and though I never quite finished the journey with them, I have been flying around delivering gifts every January ever since, hoping to make up for it.
What river runs through Florence?
The Arno River winds right through Florence, beneath the famous Ponte Vecchio bridge lined with little shops, and the whole city glows warmly along its banks on a clear winter night.
Why is Florence considered the birthplace of the Renaissance?
Florence became the center of a great flowering of art, science, and learning starting in the 1300s and 1400s, called the Renaissance, home to artists like Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci and powerful patrons like the Medici family. That burst of creativity helped shape art and thinking across the rest of Europe for centuries afterward.
Buona Epifania, Riccardo.
Ho ho ho, La Befana
