HISTORY OF EPIPHANY
January 6 is known in the Christian calendar as Epiphany. It is sometimes called the “Twelfth Night” being the 12th Day of Christmas. It signifies the event of the Magi, or Wise Men visiting the baby Jesus, and is known in certain Latin cultures as Three Kings Day. In the Eastern (Orthodox and Oriental) churches it is known as the Feast of Theophany (God Manifest), commemorating Jesus’ baptism — recounted in all four Gospels — with the attendant appearance of the Holy Spirit as a dove and the voice of God the Father. This date is also tied to Jesus’ miracle of changing the water to wine at the Wedding of Cana.
So, the 12 Days of Christmas don’t end at Christmas, Advent does. Instead, the 12 days start with Christmas, and end with Epiphany, sometimes called Christmastide. The “season” of Epiphany lasts from January 6 through the day before Lent. Some Latin American and European cultures extend this season to February 2, or Candlemas.
Epiphany is a Greek word that means manifestation, appearance, or showing forth. Historically, Epiphany began in the eastern Church as the celebration of the nativity of Jesus Christ. As the celebration of Christmas spread eastward, Epiphany changed to its present meaning. It is ironic that in years when Chanukah overlaps Christmastide, that Epiphany is so close to Chanukah. We recall that the villain in the Chanukah history was Antiochus Epiphanes IV, or “Antiochus, God made manifest.”
In the Western churches (Protestants, Catholics, and Anglicans) Epiphany commemorates the “adoration” of the Christ Child by the Magi as they presented their gifts, thereby “revealing” Jesus to the world as Lord and King. In some traditions, the “Twelfth Night” party on January 5 is followed by the exchange of gifts on January 6th. The Russian church’s Christmas, or “Feast of the Nativity,” is celebrated on January 7. Those Eastern Orthodox churches which hold to the older Julian Calendar rather than the Gregorian Calendar observe the Julian January 6 on January 19 in our current calendar.
Today is Paramony, the Eve of the Feast of Epiphany.
Bill Petro, your friendly neighborhood historian
www.billpetro.com
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Here is the chief hymn (troparion) of Theophany:
When Thou, O Lord, wast baptized in the Jordan
the worship of the Trinity was made manifest!
For the voice of the Father bare witness to Thee,
calling Thee his Beloved Son.
And the Spirit, in the form of a dove,
confirmed the truthfulness of his Word.
O Christ our God, who hast revealed Thyself
and hast enlightened the world, glory to Thee
John, thanks. You never cease to amaze me!
Hi,
In France we celebrate the Epiphany on the first Sunday of January by sharing a cake (either a round brioche or a flat almond pastry) which contains a little symbol. Who gets the “feve” becomes king for the day and wears a golden paper crown.
In Italy they have a custom with a witch giving candies or pieces of coal to the children. Candy for the nice kids, coal for the naughty.
Take care,
-karim