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Epiphany (Greek: επιφάνεια, "appearance" or "manifestation") is a Christian feast intended to celebrate the "shining forth" or revelation of God to mankind in human form, in the person of Jesus. The feast is also called Twelfth Day, as it is the twelfth day after Christmas.

History

The observance had its origins in the Eastern Christian churches, and was originally a general celebration of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, and included the commemoration of: his birth; the visit of the Magi, or "Wise Men", who arrived in Bethlehem; all of Jesus' childhood events, up to and including his baptism in the Jordan by John the Baptist; and even the miracle at the Wedding of Cana in Galilee. However, it seems fairly clear that the Baptism was the event predominantly commemorated.

The date of the feast was very early fixed on January 6. Ancient Liturgies speak of Illuminatio, Manifestatio, Declaratio (Lighting, Manifestation, Declaration); cf. Matthew 3:13–17; Luke 3:22; and John 2:1–11; where the Baptism and the Marriage at Cana are dwelt upon. Christian Churches have traditionally emphasized the "Revelation to the Gentiles" mentioned in Luke, where the term Gentile means all non-Jewish peoples. The Biblical Magi represent the non-Jewish peoples of the world.

The earliest reference to Epiphany as a Christian feast was in the year 361, by Ammianus Marcellinus St. Epiphanius says that the January 6 is hemera genethlion toutestin epiphanion (Christ's "Birthday; that is, His Epiphany"). He also asserts that the miracle at Cana occurred on the same calendar day.

In 385, the pilgrim Egeria (Silvia) describes a celebration in Jerusalem and Bethlehem on January 6 that obviously commemorates the Nativity of Christ. Even at this early date, there is already an octave associated with the feast.

In a sermon delivered on December 25, 380, St. Gregory of Nazianzus somewhat confusingly refers to the day as ta theophania ("the Theophany", an alternative name for Epiphany) saying expressly that it is a day commmemorating he hagia tou Christou gennesis ("the holy nativity of Christ") and tells his listeners that they will soon be celebrating the baptism of Christ. Then, on January 6 and 7, he preached two more sermons wherein he declared that the celebration of the birth of Christ and the visitation of the Magi had already taken place, and that they would now commemorate his Baptism. So at this point the two celebrations are beginning to be separated, at least in Cappadocia.

However, this was not the case everywhere. Saint John Cassian says that even in his time (beginning of the 5th century) the Egyptian monasteries still celebrated the Nativity and Baptism together on January 6. The Armenian Apostolic Church still continues to celebrate January 6 as the only commemoration of the Nativity.

THIS IS SO GAY

Local Customs

In Rome, "Epiphania" was transformed into Befana, the great fair held at that season, when sigillaria of terracotta or baked pastry were sold (Macrobius I, x, xxiv; II, xlix).

In some European cultures, the greenery put up at Christmas is taken down at Epiphany, in other cultures it remains up until the Meeting of the Lord (February 2).

The Irish call this day Little Christmas or "Women's Christmas" (Irish: Nollaig na mBan).

The Dutch call this day Driekoningendag (Three Kings' Day).

In France, on Epiphany people eat the gâteau des Rois in Provence or the galette des Rois in the northern half of France and Belgium. This is a kind of king cake, with a trinket or a bean hidden inside. The person who gets the piece of cake with the trinket becomes king for a year.

In Spain, Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico and some other Latin American countries Epiphany day is called El Día de los Reyes (The Day of the Kings). The day when a group of Kings or Magi of the Bible arrived to worship and bring three gifts to the baby Jesus after following a star in the heavens. This day is sometimes known as the Día de los Tres Reyes Magos (The day of the Three Royal Magi) or La Pascua de los Negros (Holy Day of the Blackmen) in Chile, although the latter is rarely heard. In Spanish tradition, on the day of January 6th, three of the Kings: Melchor, Caspar, and Balthazar, representing Europe, Arabia, and Africa, arrived on horse, camel and elephant, bringing respectively gold, frankincense and myrrh to the baby Jesus.

In Spain, Argentina, and Uruguay, children (and many adults) polish and leave their shoes ready for the Kings' presents before they go to bed on 5 January. Sweet wine, nibbles, fruit and milk are left for the Kings and their camels. In Mexico, it is traditional for children to leave their shoes on the eve of January 6 by the family nativity scene or by their beds. Also a letter with toy requests is left and sometimes the shoes are filled with hay for the camels, so that the Kings will be generous with their gifts. In Puerto Rico, it is traditional for children to fill a box with grass or hay and put it underneath their bed, for the same reasons. In some parts of northern Mexico the shoes are left under the Christmas tree with a letter to the Three Kings. This is analogous to children leaving mince pies or cookies and milk out for Father Christmas in Western Europe.

In the afternoon or evening of the same day the ritual of the Rosca de Reyes is shared with family and friends. The Rosca is a type of sweet-bread made with orange blossom water and butter, and decorated with candied fruit. Baked inside is a small doll representing the baby Jesus. The person who finds the doll in his piece of rosca must throw a party on February 2nd, "Candelaria Day," offering tamales and atole (a hot sweet drink thickened with corn flour) to the guests. In Spain, the bread is known as Roscón; made with the same items, traditionally the roscón was simply a round sweetbread with candied fruit on top, however, recently, different flavoured whipped creams are used as filling. The 'Jesus' doll evolved into a small toy similar to a Kinder Surprise it also includes a bean. The person who gets the toy is then crowned king for the day, while the person who finds the bean is responsible for paying for the Roscon.

In Louisiana, Epiphany is the beginning of the Mardi Gras season, during which it is customary to bake King Cakes, similar to the Rosca mentioned above. The one who finds the doll (or bean) must provide the next king cake. The interval between Epiphany and Mardi Gras is sometimes known as "king cake season."

References

This article does not cite any sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Epiphany" holiday – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (November 2006) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

1. Cyril Martindale, The Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 5 (Robert Appleton Company, New York 1905), s.v., Epiphany.
2. Ammianus Marcellinus, XXI, ii.
3. Epiphanius, Haer., li, 27, in P.G., XLI, 936
4. Ibid., chapters xxviii and xxix P.G., XLI, 940 sq.
5. Perigrin. Silviae, ed. Geyer, c.xxvi.
6. St. Gregory Nazianzus, Oration xxxviii in Patrologia Graecae (P.G.), XXXVI. 312
7. Ibid., Orations xxxix and xl P.G., loc. cit.
8. Ibid. col. 349.
9. St. John Cassian, Conferences, X, 2, in P.L., XLIX; 820

See also

• Christ, Jesus
• Little Christmas
• Theophany
• Adoration of the Magi, Nativity scene
• Twelfth Night (holiday)
• Twelvetide
• Twelve Holy Days
• Christmas
• Zvaigznes Diena
• Magi
• The Epiphany Messenger
• The Epiphany as depicted by Hieronymus Bosch
• Epiphany; origins in Mithraism

External links

• Christian Realization
• Catholic Encyclopedia: Epiphany
• The Epiphany Season at the Christian Resource Institute
• Great Blessing of Waters at Theophany Russian Orthodox

• Articles lacking sources from November 2006
• Liturgical calendar
• Christmas-linked holidays
• Christian festivals
• January observances