Little Christmas

Rosetta Vercellino has been La Befana for about twenty-five years

Epiphany is Little Christmas, and people celebrate, and choose certain celebrations to commemorate and enjoy. Italians have Befana (the Housewife), Befana is a diminutive of Epiphania, which is the form to name a female child (it is a stretch for 'Tiffany'). Befana was so busy doing chores in Bethlehem when the Magi came, she missed seeing Jesus. So she says, "I sweep, I clean, I cook, I bake, I wash, I iron, I sweep, and I missed seeing Jesus. So now I look for him every year". Epiphany Sunday Befana came to Holy Rosary Pico Italia Cleveland. She tells her story, especially to children, but others too.  

This was originally a Roman tradition, but it has spread across Italy. La Befanas sometime gather together. She is sometimes called the Christmas witch.

Some of the actors in St. Casimir's drama company waiting in the narthex: angels, shepherds, kings, Mary and Joseph—the usual crowd, but without the livestock.

St. Casimir's is a fine place to celebrate a Pasterka (Shepherds' Mass) for the greater Polish community, and that of all Christians. This is traditionally the Mass on Christmas Eve. In the last few years, there has been attempt to have one on Epiphany in the daytime collectively for several Polish parishes in Cleveland and Lorain.