Yesterday, you may have eaten a Dreikenigsküeche, a king’s cake. No, not the epaulet of the Saint-Cyriens, come on! The kings’ cake !
There you go. And maybe you even found the bean? But where does this tradition come from? A priori, the Romans, who celebrated the Saturnalia, with a beautiful cake, already there, the youngest spun under the table to distribute the portions randomly. The galette des rois, very round, nicely golden, has also been a symbol of the sun for centuries, since the days have lengthened more notably since yesterday. We are closer to paganism than to Christianity there. Or ?
In Alsace, it was customary for the children of the parish, led by three of them dressed as Three Kings and wearing a crown, to go in procession through the streets of the village. From house to house, they gave a small show recalling the adoration of the Magi before the Newborn Christ by offering their protection to the inhabitants in exchange for food, sweets or a few coins. It was a little Halloween before the hour.
If their request is met, they write “* C + M + B +” as well as the year above the door. These initials can be those of the Three Kings (Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar), but can also be read as the acrostic of “Christus Mansionem Benedicat”, “Christ bless this house”. Woe to him who refuses the gift! He is loudly sent to the devil, with loud rattles. I am not talking to you about the reputation with the neighbors.
And you can still read these letters and inscriptions on the beams of many half-timbered houses in Alsace.