The Befana Market, a Beloved Roman Tradition, Is Imperiled
- 6 years ago
The Befana Market, a Beloved Roman Tradition, Is Imperiled
The market at Piazza Navona was known throughout the world." "Now it’s a different Rome, it’s a different piazza," he added.
Now, the Piazza Navona tradition "is dead," declared Sergio Balestrini, whose association has organized
an annual Epiphany parade at the Vatican since 1986 to celebrate the reinstatement of the holiday.
Sales plummeted, he said, because "people got fed up with waiting." Donato Colangelo, a greeter at one of the restaurants
that line the graceful square, said this past week: "It’s a sad sight.
When city officials decided to reboot the market this year, they decreased the number of kiosks by half "to make room for games
and recreational activities for children and respond to the true spirit of this event," according to city documents.
The Befana’s traditional headquarters — a kiosk-filled market in the central Piazza Navona here where vendors hawk trinkets, toys
and sticky sweets — was a beloved annual pilgrimage, a kid-magnet of excitement, fun and sugar highs.
" Ms. Piccirilli said. that My beloved Rome has lost the ability to transmit it’s beauty;
why do we always show something inferior to the possibilities that this city has,
The market at Piazza Navona was known throughout the world." "Now it’s a different Rome, it’s a different piazza," he added.
Now, the Piazza Navona tradition "is dead," declared Sergio Balestrini, whose association has organized
an annual Epiphany parade at the Vatican since 1986 to celebrate the reinstatement of the holiday.
Sales plummeted, he said, because "people got fed up with waiting." Donato Colangelo, a greeter at one of the restaurants
that line the graceful square, said this past week: "It’s a sad sight.
When city officials decided to reboot the market this year, they decreased the number of kiosks by half "to make room for games
and recreational activities for children and respond to the true spirit of this event," according to city documents.
The Befana’s traditional headquarters — a kiosk-filled market in the central Piazza Navona here where vendors hawk trinkets, toys
and sticky sweets — was a beloved annual pilgrimage, a kid-magnet of excitement, fun and sugar highs.
" Ms. Piccirilli said. that My beloved Rome has lost the ability to transmit it’s beauty;
why do we always show something inferior to the possibilities that this city has,