Epiphany – 𝐀𝐗𝐈𝐒 ֎ 𝐌𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐈

Marian & "Dame Bianche" appearances

Published on: December 8 2020 Last updated on: December 12 2021 Written by: Marco Maculotti Categorized into: Anthropology, Christianity, Esotericism, folklore, History, History of Religions

The analysis of the archetypal aspect of the Marian Apparitions beyond the Catholic dogmas allows us to highlight some unexpected and recurring characteristics that seem not to present a solution of continuity with the pre-Christian cults.

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The archaic substratum of the end of year celebrations: the traditional significance of the 12 days between Christmas and the Epiphany

Published on: December 29 2016 Last updated on: 14 September 2020 Written by: Marco Maculotti Categorized into: Anthropology, Esotericism, folklore, Middle Ages, Mito, Shamanism, History of Religions

di Marco Maculotti
article originally published on Atrium on 21/12/2016,
here revised and expanded

Here we aim to deepen the folkloric beliefs that have led to the configuration of two figures intimately connected to the liturgical-profane calendar of Europe in recent centuries. The two figures that interest us are those of Santa Claus (Italianized in Santa Claus) and of the Befana, figures that - as we will see - owe their origin and their symbolism to an archaic substratum, anthropologically recognizable in all those practices and beliefs (myths and rites) of the volk European (or rather eurasian), which elsewhere we have defined as "cosmic-agrarian cults" [cf. Cosmic-agrarian cults of ancient Eurasia].

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