Christian feast, public holiday in some countries
This article is about the Christian feast day. For other uses, see
Epiphany
.
Epiphany
|
---|
|
Also called
| Baptism of Jesus, Three Kings Day, Denha, Little Christmas, Theophany, Timkat, Reyes
|
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Observed by
| Christians
,
Alawites
[1]
[2]
[3]
|
---|
Type
| Church service
,
winter swimming
,
chalking the door
,
house blessings
,
star singing
|
---|
Significance
| |
---|
Date
| |
---|
Frequency
| Annual
|
---|
Related to
| |
---|
Epiphany
(
?-
PIF
-?-nee
), or
Eid al-Ghitas
(
Arabic
:
??? ???????
),
[4]
also known as "
Theophany
" in
Eastern Christian
tradition,
[5]
is a Christian
feast day
commemorating the
visit of the Magi
, the
baptism of Jesus
, and the
wedding at Cana
.
[6]
In
Western Christianity
, the feast commemorates principally (but not solely) the
visit of the Magi
to the
Christ Child
, and thus Jesus Christ's physical manifestation to the
Gentiles
.
[7]
[8]
It is sometimes called
Three Kings' Day
, and in some traditions celebrated as
Little Christmas
.
[9]
Moreover, the feast of the Epiphany, in some
denominations
, also initiates the liturgical season of
Epiphanytide
.
[10]
[11]
Eastern Christians
, on the other hand, commemorate the
baptism of Jesus
(but it is also called Epiphany) in the
Jordan River
, seen as his manifestation to the world as the
Son of God
.
[6]
The spot marked by
Al-Maghtas
in
Jordan
, adjacent to
Qasr al-Yahud
in the
West Bank
, is considered to be the original site of the baptism of Jesus and the ministry of
John the Baptist
.
[12]
[13]
The traditional date for the feast is January 6. However, since 1970, the celebration is held in some countries on the Sunday after January 1. Those Eastern Churches which are still following the
Julian calendar
observe the feast on what, according to the internationally used
Gregorian calendar
, is January 19,
[14]
because of the current 13-day difference between the Julian and Gregorian calendars.
[15]
The
Alawites
and the
Middle Eastern Christians
also observe the feast on January 19.
[1]
[2]
[3]
In many Western Churches, the
eve of the feast
is celebrated as
Twelfth Night
(Epiphany Eve) on January 5.
[16]
[17]
The Monday after Epiphany is known as
Plough Monday
.
[18]
Popular Epiphany customs include
Epiphany singing
,
chalking the door
,
having one's house blessed
, consuming
Three Kings Cake
,
winter swimming
, as well as attending
church services
.
[19]
It is customary for Christians in many localities to remove their
Christmas decorations
on Epiphany Eve (Twelfth Night),
[20]
although those in other
Christian countries
historically remove them on
Candlemas
, the conclusion of Epiphanytide.
[21]
[22]
[23]
According to one seventeenth-century tradition, it is inauspicious to remove Christmas decorations before Epiphany Eve and those who do not remove them on that date have the opportunity take them down on Candlemas.
[21]
[24]
[25]
Etymology and original word usage
[
edit
]
The word Epiphany is from
Koine Greek
?πιφ?νεια,
epiphaneia
, meaning manifestation or appearance. It is derived from the verb φα?νειν,
phainein
, meaning "to appear".
[26]
In classical Greek it was used for the appearance of dawn, of an enemy in war, but especially of a manifestation of a deity to a worshiper (a
theophany
). In the
Septuagint
the word is used of a manifestation of the God of Israel (
2 Maccabees 15:27
).
[27]
In the New Testament the word is used in
2 Timothy 1:10
to refer either to the birth of Christ or to his appearance after his resurrection, and five times to refer to his
Second Coming
.
[27]
Alternative names for the feast in
Greek
include τα Θεοφ?νια,
ta Theophania
"Theophany" (a neuter plural rather than feminine singular), η Ημ?ρα των Φ?των,
i Imera ton Foton
(modern Greek pronunciation), "The Day of the Lights", and τα Φ?τα,
ta Fota
, "The Lights".
[28]
History
[
edit
]
Epiphany may have originated in the Greek-speaking eastern half of the
Roman Empire
as a feast to honor the
baptism of Jesus
. Around 200,
Clement of Alexandria
wrote:
"But the followers of [the
early Christian Gnostic
religious teacher]
Basilides
celebrate the day of His Baptism too, spending the previous night in readings. And they say that it was the 15th of the month
Tybi
of the 15th year of Tiberius Caesar. And some say that it was observed the 11th of the same month."
?
Clement of Alexandria (ca 200 CE)
The Egyptian dates given correspond to January 6 and 10.
The Basilides were a
Gnostic
sect.
[
citation needed
]
The reference to "readings" suggests that the Basilides were reading the
Gospels
. In ancient
gospel manuscripts
, the text is arranged to indicate passages for liturgical readings. If a congregation began reading
Mark
at the beginning of the year, it might arrive at the story of the Baptism on January 6, thus explaining the date of the feast.
[30]
[31]
If Christians read Mark in the same format the Basilides did, the two groups could have arrived at the January 6 date independently.
[32]
The earliest reference to Epiphany as a Christian feast was in AD 361, by
Ammianus Marcellinus
.
[33]
The holiday is listed twice, which suggests a double feast of baptism and birth.
The
baptism of Jesus
was originally assigned to the same date as the birth because
Luke 3:23
was read to mean that Jesus was exactly 30 when he was baptized; it is said by many
Church Fathers
that Jesus was the age of 30, although not necessarily exactly that age.
[34]
Epiphanius of Salamis
says that January 6 is Christ's "Birthday; that is, His Epiphany" (
hemera genethlion toutestin epiphanion
).
[35]
He also asserts that the
Miracle at Cana
occurred on the same calendar day.
[36]
Epiphanius assigns the Baptism to November 6.
The scope to Epiphany expanded to include the commemoration of his birth; the visit of the
magi
, all of
Jesus' childhood
events, up to and including the Baptism by
John the Baptist
; and even the miracle at the wedding at Cana in
Galilee
.
[37]
In the Latin-speaking West, the holiday emphasized the visit of the magi. The magi represented the non-Jewish peoples of the world, so this was considered a "revelation to the gentiles".
[38]
In this event, Christian writers also inferred a revelation to the
Children of Israel
.
John Chrysostom
identified the significance of the meeting between the magi and
Herod
's court:
"The star had been hidden from them so that, on finding themselves without their guide, they would have no alternative but to consult the Jews. In this way the birth of Jesus would be made known to all."
[39]
In 385, the pilgrim
Egeria
(also known as Silvia) described a celebration in
Jerusalem
and
Bethlehem
, which she called "Epiphany" that commemorated the Nativity.
[40]
Even at this early date, there was an
octave
associated with the feast. The Georgian Chantbook of Jerusalem compiled in the mid 6th century contains hymns for this feast
[41]
that were likely written between the time of Egeria and the turn of the 6th century.
[42]
In a sermon delivered on December 25, 380, St.
Gregory of Nazianzus
referred to the day as "the Theophany" (
ta theophania
, formerly the name of a pagan festival at Delphi),
[43]
saying expressly that it is a day commemorating "the holy nativity of Christ" and told his listeners that they would soon be celebrating the baptism of Christ.
Then, on January 6 and 7, he preached two more sermons,
in which 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.
[46]
At this time, celebration of the two events was beginning to be observed on separate occasions, at least in
Cappadocia
.
[
citation needed
]
Saint
John Cassian
says that even in his time (beginning of the 5th century),
Egyptian
monasteries
celebrated the Nativity and the Baptism together on January 6.
[47]
The
Armenian Apostolic Church
continues to celebrate January 6 as the only commemoration of the Nativity.
[
citation needed
]
Music
[
edit
]
Classical
[
edit
]
Johann Sebastian Bach
composed in Leipzig two
cantatas
for the feast which concluded Christmastide:
Part VI
of his Christmas Oratorio,
Herr, wenn die stolzen Feinde schnauben
, was also designated to be performed during the service for Epiphany.
[50]
In
Ottorino Respighi
's
symphonic tone poem
Roman Festivals
, the final movement is subtitled "Bofana" and takes place during Epiphany.
Carols and hymns
[
edit
]
"
Nun liebe Seel, nun ist es Zeit
" is a German Epiphany hymn by Georg Weissel, first printed in 1642.
Two very familiar
Christmas carols
are associated with the Epiphany holiday: "
As with gladness, men of old
", written by
William Chatterton Dix
in 1860 as a response to the many legends which had grown up surrounding the
Magi
;
[51]
[52]
and "
We Three Kings
of Orient Are", written by the Reverend
John Henry Hopkins Jr.
? then an ordained
deacon
in the Episcopal Church
[53]
? who was instrumental in organizing an elaborate holiday pageant (which featured this hymn) for the students of the General Theological Seminary in New York City in 1857 while serving as the seminary's music director.
Another popular hymn, less known culturally as a carol, is "Songs of thankfulness and praise", with words written by
Christopher Wordsworth
and commonly sung to the tune "St. Edmund" by
Charles Steggall
.
A carol used as an anthem for the Epiphany holiday is "
The Three Kings
".
Date of the celebration
[
edit
]
Until 1955, when
Pope Pius XII
abolished all but three liturgical
octaves
, the
Latin Church
celebrated Epiphany as an eight-day feast, known as the Octave of Epiphany, beginning on January 6 and ending on January 13. The Sunday within that octave had been since 1893 the feast of the
Holy Family
, and Christmastide was reckoned as the twelve days ending on January 5, followed by the January 6?13 octave. The 1969 revision of the
General Roman Calendar
made the date variable to some extent, stating: "The Epiphany of the Lord is celebrated on 6 January, unless, where it is not observed as a
holy day of obligation
, it has been assigned to the Sunday occurring between 2 and 8 January."
[54]
It also made the Feast of the Epiphany part of Christmas Time, which it defined as extending from the First Vespers of Christmas (the evening of December 24) up to and including the Sunday after Epiphany (the Sunday after January 6).
[55]
Lutheran
,
Anglican
, Moravian,
Methodist
and
United Protestant
congregations, along with those of other denominations, may celebrate Epiphany on January 6, on the following Sunday within the Epiphany week (
octave
), or at another time (Epiphany Eve January 5, the nearest Sunday, etc.) as local custom dictates.
[56]
[57]
Prior to 1976, Anglican churches observed an eight-day
octave
, beginning on January 6. Today,
The Epiphany of our Lord
,
[58]
classified as a
Principal Feast
, is observed in some Anglican provinces on January 6 exclusively (e.g., the
Anglican Church of Canada
)
[58]
but in the
Church of England
the celebration is "on 6 January or transferred to the Sunday falling between 2 and 8 January".
[59]
Eastern churches celebrate Epiphany (Theophany) on January 6. Some, as in Greece, employ the modern
Revised Julian calendar
, which until 2800 coincides with the
Gregorian calendar
, the one in use for civil purposes in most countries. Other Eastern churches, as in
Russia
, hold to the older
Julian calendar
for reckoning church dates. In these old-calendar churches Epiphany falls at present on Gregorian January 19 ? which is January 6 in the Julian calendar.
The
Indian Orthodox Church
celebrates the feast of Epiphany,
Denaha
[Syriac term which means rising] on January 6, and the Ethiopian Orthodox Church celebrates on January 19 as the Timkath festival, which was included in the UNESCO heritage list of festivals.
Epiphany season
[
edit
]
In some Churches, the feast of the Epiphany initiates the
Epiphany season
, also known as Epiphanytide.
In
Advent
2000, the
Church of England
,
Mother Church
of the
Anglican Communion
, introduced into its liturgy an optional Epiphany season by approving the
Common Worship
series of services as an alternative to those in the
Book of Common Prayer
, which remains the Church's normative liturgy and in which no such liturgical season appears. An official publication of the Church of England states: "The Christmas season is often celebrated for
twelve days
, ending with the Epiphany. Contemporary use has sought to express an alternative tradition, in which Christmas lasts for a full forty days, ending with the Feast of the Presentation on 2 February."
[60]
It presents the latter part of this period as the Epiphany season, comprising the Sundays of Epiphany and ending "only with the Feast of the Presentation (Candlemas)".
[61]
Another interpretation of "Epiphany season" applies the term to the period from Epiphany to the day before
Ash Wednesday
. Some Methodists in the United States and Singapore follow these liturgies.
[10]
[62]
Lutherans celebrate the last Sunday before Ash Wednesday as the Transfiguration of our Lord, and it has been said that they call the whole period from Epiphany to then as Epiphany season.
[63]
The
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
used the terms "Time after Epiphany" to refer to this period.
[64]
The expression with "after" has been interpreted as making the period in question correspond to that of
Ordinary Time
.
[65]
[66]
The
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
does not celebrate Epiphany or Pentecost as seasons; for this Church, expressions such as "Fifth Sunday after Epiphany" indicate the passing of time, rather than a liturgical season. It instead uses the term "Ordinary Time".
[67]
In the
Catholic Church
, "Christmas Time runs from First Vespers (Evening Prayer I) of the
Nativity of the Lord
up to and including the Sunday after Epiphany or after 6 January";
[55]
and "
Ordinary Time
begins on the Monday which follows the Sunday occurring after 6 January".
[68]
Before the 1969 revision of its liturgy, the Sundays following the Octave of Epiphany or, when this was abolished, following the Feast of the
Baptism of the Lord
, which was instituted to take the place of the
Octave Day
of Epiphany were named as the "Second (etc., up to Sixth) Sunday after Epiphany", as the at least 24 Sundays following
Pentecost Sunday
and
Trinity Sunday
were known as the "Second (etc.) Sunday after Pentecost". (If a year had more than 24 Sundays after Pentecost, up to four unused post-Epiphany Sundays were inserted between the 23rd and the 24th Sunday after Pentecost.) The
Encyclopedia of Catholic Devotions and Practices
, which has received the
imprimatur
of
John Michael D'Arcy
, with reference to Epiphanytide, thus states that "The Epiphany season extends from January 6 to Septuagesima Sunday, and has from one to six Sundays, according to the date of Easter. White is the color for the octave; green is the liturgical color for the season."
[69]
Epiphany by Christian tradition
[
edit
]
Epiphany is celebrated by both the Eastern and Western Churches, but a major difference between them is precisely which events the feast commemorates. For Western Christians, the feast primarily commemorates the coming of the Magi, with only a minor reference to the baptism of Jesus and the miracle at the Wedding at Cana. Eastern churches celebrate the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan. In both traditions, the essence of the feast is the same: the manifestation of Christ to the world (whether as an infant or in the Jordan), and the Mystery of the
Incarnation
. The miracle at the Wedding at Cana is also celebrated during Epiphany as a first manifestation of Christ's public life.
[70]
Western churches
[
edit
]
Even before 354,
[71]
the Western Church had separated the celebration of the Nativity of Christ as the feast of
Christmas
and set its date as December 25; it reserved January 6 as a commemoration of the manifestation of Christ, especially to the Magi, but also at his baptism and at the wedding feast of Cana.
[72]
In 1955 a separate feast of the
Baptism of the Lord
was instituted, thus weakening further the connection in the West between the feast of the Epiphany and the commemoration of the baptism of Christ. However,
Hungarians
, in an apparent reference to baptism, refer to the January 6 celebration as
Vizkereszt
, a term that recalls the words "viz" (water) and "kereszt, kereszt-seg" (baptism).
Liturgical practice in Western churches
[
edit
]
Many in the West, such as adherents of the
Anglican Communion
,
Lutheran Churches
and
Methodist Churches
, observe a twelve-day festival, starting on December 25, and ending on January 5, known as
Christmastide
or
The Twelve Days of Christmas
.
The
Universal Norms on the Liturgical Year and the General Roman Calendar
of the
Roman Catholic Church
determine since 1969 that "Christmas Time runs from First Vespers (Evening Prayer I) of the Nativity of the Lord up to and including the Sunday after Epiphany or after January 6".
[55]
Some regions and especially some communities celebrating the
Tridentine Mass
extend the season to as many as forty days, ending Christmastide traditionally on
Candlemas
(February 2).
On the Feast of the Epiphany in some parts of central Europe the priest, wearing white vestments, blesses Epiphany water,
frankincense
, gold, and chalk. The chalk is used to write the initials of the three
magi
(traditionally,
Caspar
,
Melchior
, and
Balthasar
), over the doors of churches and homes. The initials may also be interpreted as the Latin phrase,
Christus mansionem benedicat
(may Christ bless the house).
According to ancient custom, the priest announced the
date of Easter
on the feast of Epiphany. This tradition dated from a time when calendars were not readily available, and the church needed to publicize the date of
Easter
, since many celebrations of the
liturgical year
depend on it.
[73]
The proclamation may be sung or proclaimed at the
ambo
by a
deacon
,
cantor
, or
reader
either after the reading of the
Gospel
or after the
postcommunion prayer
.
[73]
The
Roman Missal
thus provides a formula with appropriate chant (in the tone of the
Exsultet
) for proclaiming on Epiphany, wherever it is customary to do so, the dates in the calendar for the celebration of
Ash Wednesday
,
Easter Sunday
,
Ascension of Jesus Christ
,
Pentecost
,
the Body and Blood of Christ
, and the First Sunday of
Advent
that will mark the following liturgical year.
[74]
Some western rite churches, such as the Anglican and Lutheran churches, will follow practises similar to the Catholic Church.
Church cantatas for the Feast of Epiphany
were written by Protestant composers such as
Georg Philipp Telemann
,
Christoph Graupner
,
Johann Sebastian Bach
and
Gottfried Heinrich Stolzel
.
[75]
[76]
[77]
[78]
Eastern Orthodox churches
[
edit
]
The name of the feast as celebrated in the Orthodox churches may be rendered in English as the
Theophany
, as closer in form to the
Greek
Θεοφ?νια
("God shining forth" or "divine manifestation"). Here it is one of the
Great Feasts
of the
liturgical year
, being third in rank, behind only
Paskha
(Easter) and
Pentecost
in importance. It is celebrated on January 6 of the calendar that a particular Church uses. On the
Julian calendar
, which some of the Orthodox churches follow, that date corresponds, during the present century, to January 19 on the
Gregorian
or
Revised Julian calendar
. The earliest reference to the feast in the Eastern Church is a remark by
St. Clement of Alexandria
in
Stromateis
, I, xxi, 45:
And there are those who have determined not only the year of our Lord's birth, but also the day… And the followers of
Basilides
hold the day of his baptism as a festival, spending the night before in readings. And they say that it was the fifteenth year of
Tiberius Caesar
, the fifteenth day of the
month of Tubi
; and some that it was the eleventh of the same month.
(11 and 15 of Tubi are January 6 and 10, respectively.)
If this is a reference to a celebration of Christ's birth, as well as of his baptism, on January 6, it corresponds to what continues to be the custom of the
Armenian Apostolic Church
, which celebrates the birth of Jesus on January 6 of the calendar used, calling the feast that of the Nativity and Theophany of Our Lord.
[79]
[80]
Origen
's list of festivals (in
Contra Celsum
, VIII, xxii) omits any reference to Epiphany. The first reference to an ecclesiastical feast of the Epiphany, in
Ammianus Marcellinus
(XXI:ii), is in 361.
In parts of the Eastern Church, January 6 continued for some time as a composite feast that included the Nativity of Jesus: though Constantinople adopted December 25 to commemorate Jesus' birth in the fourth century, in other parts the Nativity of Jesus continued to be celebrated on January 6, a date later devoted exclusively to commemorating his Baptism.
[71]
Today in
Eastern Orthodox
churches, the emphasis at this feast is on the shining forth and revelation of Jesus Christ as the
Messiah
and
Second Person
of the
Trinity
at the time of his baptism. It is also celebrated because, according to tradition, the
baptism of Jesus
in the
Jordan River
by
St. John the Baptist
marked one of only two occasions when all three Persons of the Trinity manifested themselves simultaneously to humanity:
God the Father
by speaking through the clouds,
God the Son
being baptized in the river, and
God the Holy Spirit
in the shape of a dove descending from heaven (the other occasion was the
Transfiguration
on
Mount Tabor
). Thus the holy day is considered to be a Trinitarian feast.
The Orthodox consider Jesus' Baptism to be the first step towards the
Crucifixion
, and there are some parallels in the hymnography used on this day and the hymns chanted on
Good Friday
.
Liturgical practice in Eastern churches
[
edit
]
Forefeast
: The liturgical
Forefeast
of Theophany begins on January 2
[81]
and concludes with the Paramony on January 5.
Paramony
: The
Eve
of the Feast is called
Paramony
(
Greek
:
παραμον?
,
Slavonic
:
navecherie
). Paramony is observed as a strict
fast day
, on which those faithful who are physically able, refrain from food until the first star is observed in the evening, when a meal with wine and oil may be taken. On this day the
Royal Hours
are celebrated, thus tying together this feast with
Nativity
and Good Friday. The Royal Hours are followed by the
Divine Liturgy of St. Basil
which combines
Vespers
with the
Divine Liturgy
. During the Vespers, fifteen
Old Testament
lections
which foreshadow the Baptism of Christ are read, and special
antiphons
are chanted. If the Feast of the Theophany falls on a Sunday or Monday, the Royal Hours are chanted on the previous Friday, and on the Paramony the
Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom
is celebrated in the morning. The fasting is lessened to some degree in this case.
Blessing of Waters
: The Orthodox Churches perform the
Great Blessing of Waters
on Theophany.
[82]
The blessing is normally done twice: once on the Eve of the Feast ? usually at a
Baptismal font
inside the church ? and then again on the day of the feast, outdoors at a body of water. Following the
Divine Liturgy
, the clergy and people go in a
Crucession
(procession with the cross) to the nearest body of water, be it a beach, harbor, quay, river, lake, swimming pool, water depot, etc. (ideally, it should be a body of "living water"). At the end of the ceremony the priest will bless the waters. In the Greek practice, he does this by casting a cross into the water. If swimming is feasible on the spot, any number of volunteers may try to recover the cross. The person who gets the cross first swims back and returns it to the priest, who then delivers a special blessing to the swimmer and their household. Certain such ceremonies have achieved particular prominence, such as the one held annually at
Tarpon Springs
, Florida. In Russia, where the winters are severe, a hole will be cut into the ice so that the waters may be blessed. In such conditions, the cross is not cast into the water, but is held securely by the priest and dipped three times into the water.
The water that is blessed on this day is sometimes known as "Theophany Water", though usually just "holy water", and is taken home by the faithful, and used with prayer as a blessing. People will not only bless themselves and their homes by sprinkling with holy water, but will also drink it. The Orthodox Church teaches that holy water differs from ordinary water by virtue of the incorruptibility bestowed upon it by a blessing that transforms its very nature.
[83]
a miracle attested to as early as
St. John Chrysostom
.
[84]
Theophany is a traditional day for performing
Baptisms
, and this is reflected in the
Divine Liturgy
by singing the baptismal hymn, "As many as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. Alleluia," in place of the
Trisagion
.
House Blessings
: On Theophany the priest will begin making the round of the parishioner's homes to bless them. He will perform a short prayer service in each home, and then go through the entire house, gardens and outside-buildings, blessing them with the newly blessed Theophany Water, while all sing the
Troparion
and
Kontakion
of the feast. This is normally done on Theophany, or at least during the
Afterfeast
, but if the parishioners are numerous, and especially if many live far away from the church, it may take some time to bless each house. Traditionally, these blessings should all be finished before the beginning of
Great Lent
.
Afterfeast
: The Feast of Theophany is followed by an eight-day
Afterfeast
on which the normal fasting laws are suspended. The Saturday and Sunday after Theophany have special readings assigned to them, which relate to the
Temptation of Christ
and to penance and perseverance in the Christian struggle. There is thus a liturgical continuum between the Feast of Theophany and the beginning of Great Lent.
Oriental Orthodox
[
edit
]
In the
Ethiopian Orthodox Church
, the feast is known as
Timkat
and is celebrated on the day that the
Gregorian calendar
calls January 19, but on January 20 in years when
Enkutatash
in the
Ethiopian calendar
falls on Gregorian September 12 (i.e. when the following February in the Gregorian calendar will have 29 days). The celebration of this feast features blessing of water and solemn processions with the sacred
tabot
. A priest carries this to a body of water where it stays overnight, with the
Metsehafe Qeddassie
celebrated in the early morning. Later in the morning, the water is blessed to the accompaniment of the reading of the four Gospel accounts of the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan and the people are sprinkled with or go into the water. The tabot returns in procession to the church.
Among the
Syriac Christians
the feast is called
denho
(up-going), a name to be connected with the notion of rising light expressed in
Luke 1:78
. In the
East Syriac rite
, the season of Epiphany (Epiphanytide) is known as
Denha
.
In the
Armenian Apostolic Church
, January 6 is celebrated as the Nativity (
Soorp Tsnund
) and Theophany of Christ. The feast is preceded by a seven-day fast. On the eve of the feast, the
Divine Liturgy
is celebrated. This liturgy is referred to as the
Chragaluytsi
Patarag
(the Eucharist of the lighting of the lamps) in honor of the manifestation of Jesus as the Son of God. Both the Armenian Apostolic Church's and
Assyrian Church of the East
's liturgy is followed by a blessing of water, during which the cross is immersed in the water, symbolizing Jesus' descent into the Jordan, and holy
myron
(
chrism
) is poured in, symbolic of the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus. The next morning, after the Liturgy, the cross is removed from the vessel of holy water and all come forward to kiss the cross and partake of the blessed water.
National and local customs
[
edit
]
Epiphany is celebrated with a wide array of customs around the world. In some cultures, the greenery and
nativity scenes
put up at Christmas are taken down at Epiphany. In other cultures these remain up until
Candlemas
on February 2. In countries historically shaped by
Western Christianity
(
Roman Catholicism
,
Protestantism
) these customs often involve gift giving, "king cakes" and a celebratory close to the Christmas season. In traditionally
Orthodox
nations, water, baptismal rites and house blessings are typically central to these celebrations.
Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay
[
edit
]
In Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, as in other Latin American countries, the day is called "Dia de Reyes" (The Day of Kings, a reference to the
Biblical Magi
), commemorating the arrival of the Magi to revere Jesus as son of God. The night of January 5 into the morning of January 6 is known as "Noche de Reyes" (The Night of Kings) and children leave their shoes by the door, along with grass and water for the camels. On the morning of January 6, they get up early and rush to see their shoes, where they are expecting to find gifts left by the "Reyes" who, according to tradition, bypass the houses of children who are awake. On January 6, a "Rosca de Reyes" (a ring-shaped Epiphany cake) is eaten and all Christmas decorations are traditionally put away.
Assyrians of the Middle East
Among some Syriac Christian Assyrians in the Middle East, this holiday is celebrated by people of all ages splashing water at each other with buckets or hoses as a symbol of Jesus’s baptism.
Bulgaria
[
edit
]
In Bulgaria, Epiphany is celebrated on January 6 and is known as
Bogoyavlenie
("Manifestation of God"),
Кръщение Господне
(
Krashtenie Gospodne
or "Baptism of the Lord") or
Yordanovden
("Day of Jordan", referring to
the river
). On this day, a wooden cross is thrown by a priest into the sea, river or lake and young men race to retrieve it. As the date is in early January and the waters are close to freezing, this is considered an honorable act and it is said that good health will be bestowed upon the home of the swimmer who is the first to reach the cross.
[85]
In the town of
Kalofer
, a traditional
horo
with drums and
bagpipes
is played in the icy waters of the
Tundzha
river before the throwing of the cross.
[86]
[87]
Benelux
[
edit
]
Speakers of Dutch and Flemish call this day
Driekoningen
(Three kings), while German speakers call it
Dreikonigstag
(Three Kings' Day). In Belgium, Luxembourg, the southern parts of the Netherlands and in neighboring Germany, children in groups of three (symbolizing the Biblical Magi) proceed in costume from house to house while singing songs typical for the occasion, and receiving a coin or some sweets at each door. They may each carry a paper lantern symbolizing the star.
[88]
In the Netherlands (provinces of Brabant and Limburg only),
[89]
these troupes gather for competitions and present their skits/songs for an audience. As in Belgium,
Koningentaart
(Kings' tart), puff pastry with almond filling, is prepared with a black bean hidden inside. Whoever finds the bean in his or her piece is king or queen for the day. A more typically Dutch version is
Koningenbrood
, or Kings' bread. In the north of the Netherlands, the traditions have died out, except for very few places.
[90]
Another
Low Countries
tradition on Epiphany is to open up doors and windows to let good luck in for the coming year.
Brazil
[
edit
]
In Brazil, the day is called "Dia dos Reis" (The Day of Kings) and in the rest of Latin America "Dia de Reyes" commemorating the arrival of the Magi to confirm Jesus as son of God. The night of January 5 into the morning of January 6 is known as "Night of Kings" (also called the Twelfth Night) and is feasted with music, sweets and regional dishes as the last night of Nativity, when Christmas decorations are traditionally put away.
[91]
Chile
[
edit
]
This day is sometimes known as the
Dia de los Tres Reyes Magos
(The day of the Three Royal
Magi
) or
La Pascua de los Negros
(Holy Day of the Black men)
[92]
in Chile, although the latter is rarely heard, because it was the day when slaves were allowed not to work.
Dominican Republic
[
edit
]
In the Dominican Republic, the
Dia de los Tres Reyes Magos
(The day of the Three Royal
Magi
) and in this day children receive gifts on the christmas tree in a similar fashion to Christmas day. On this day public areas are very active with children accompanied by their parents trying out their new toys.
A common practice is to leave toys under the children's beds on January 5, so when they wake up on January 6, they are made to believe the gifts and toys were left from Santa Claus or the Three Kings. however, and particularly in the larger cities and in the North, local traditions are now being observed and intertwined with the greater North American Santa Claus tradition, as well as with other holidays such as Halloween, due to Americanization via film and television, creating an economy of gifting tradition that spans from Christmas Day until January 6.
Egypt
[
edit
]
The feast of the Epiphany is celebrated by the
Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria
, which falls on 11 Tobe of the
Coptic calendar
, as the moment when in the baptism of Jesus the skies opened and God himself revealed to all as father of Jesus and all mankind. It is then a moment of revelation of epiphany. This celebration started to include all the processes of incarnation of Jesus, from his birth on Christmas until his baptism in the river Jordan. For the Coptic Orthodox Church it is also a moment in which the path of Jesus to the Cross begins. Therefore, in many celebrations there are certain similarities with the celebrations of Holy Friday during the time of Easter. Since the Epiphany is one of the seven great feasts of the Coptic Orthodox Church, it is a day of strict fasting, and several religious celebrations are held on this day. The day is related to the blessing of waters that are used all throughout the year in the church celebrations, and it is a privileged day to celebrate baptisms. It is also a day in which many houses are blessed with water. It may take several days for the local priest to bless all the houses of the parishioners that ask for it, and so the blessing of the houses may go into the after-feasts of the Epiphany celebrations. However, it must be done before the beginning of Lent.
[93]
England
[
edit
]
In England, the celebration of the night before Epiphany,
Epiphany Eve
, is known as Twelfth Night (the first night of Christmas is December 25?26, and Twelfth Night is January 5?6), and was a traditional time for
mumming
and the
wassail
. The
Yule log
was left burning until this day, and the charcoal left was kept until the next Christmas to kindle next year's Yule log, as well as to protect the house from fire and lightning.
[94]
In the past, Epiphany was also a day for playing practical jokes, similar to
April Fool's Day
. Today in England, Twelfth Night is still as popular a day for plays as when
Shakespeare
's
Twelfth Night
was first performed in 1601, and annual celebrations involving the
Holly Man
are held in London.
[95]
A traditional dish for Epiphany was Twelfth Cake, a rich, dense, typically English
fruitcake
. As in Europe, whoever found the baked-in bean was king for a day, but uniquely to English tradition other items were sometimes included in the cake. Whoever found the clove was the villain; the twig, the fool; and the rag, the tart.
[
clarification needed
]
Anything spicy or hot, like ginger snaps and spiced ale, was considered proper Twelfth Night fare, recalling the costly spices brought by the Wise Men. Another English Epiphany sweetmeat was the traditional jam tart, made appropriate to the occasion by being fashioned in the form of a six-pointed star symbolising the Star of Bethlehem, and thus called Epiphany tart. The discerning English cook sometimes tried to use thirteen different colored jams on the tart on this day for luck, creating a pastry resembling stained glass.
[96]
Ethiopia and Eritrea
[
edit
]
In the
Ethiopian Orthodox Church
and the
Eritrean Orthodox Church
, the feast is known as
Timkat
and is celebrated on the day that the
Gregorian calendar
calls January 19, but on January 20 in years when
New Year
in the
Ethiopian calendar
falls on Gregorian September 12 (i.e. when the following February in the Gregorian calendar will have 29 days). The celebration of this feast features blessing of water and solemn processions with the sacred
Tabot
.
[97]
Finland
[
edit
]
In Finland, Epiphany is called
loppiainen
, a name which goes back to the 1600s. In the 1500s the Swedish-Finnish
Lutheran
church called Epiphany "Day of the Holy Three Kings", while before this, the older term
Epiphania
was used. In the
Karelian language
Epiphany is called
vierista
, meaning cross, from the
Orthodox
custom of submerging a cross three times to bless water on this day.
[98]
Today, in the
Lutheran
church, Epiphany is a day dedicated to a focus on
missionary
work in addition to the Wise Men narrative. Between 1973 and 1991 Epiphany was observed in Finland on a Saturday each year no earlier than January 6, and no later than January 12. After that time however, the traditional date of January 6 was restored and has since been observed once again as a national public holiday.
The Christmas tree is traditionally taken out of the house on Epiphany. While the term
loppiainen
means "ending [of Christmas time]," in reality, Christmas celebrations in Finland are extended to
Nuutti's
or
St. Canute's
Day on January 13, completing the Scandinavian Twenty Days of Christmas.
Francophone Europe
[
edit
]
In France people share one of two types of king cake. In the northern half of France and Belgium the cake is called a
galette des Rois
,
and is a round, flat, and golden cake made with flake pastry and often filled with
frangipane
, fruit, or chocolate. In the south, in
Provence
, and in the south-west, a crown-shaped cake or
brioche
filled with fruit called a
gateau des Rois
is eaten. In
Romandie
, both types can be found though the latter is more common. Both types of cake contain a charm, usually a porcelain or plastic figurine, called a
feve
(
broad bean
in French).
[99]
The cake is cut by the youngest (and therefore most innocent) person at the table to assure that the recipient of the bean is random. The person who gets the piece of cake with the trinket becomes "king" or "queen" and wears a paper crown provided with the cake. In some regions this person has a choice between offering a beverage to everyone around the table (usually a sparkling wine or champagne), or volunteering to host the next king cake at their home. This can extend the festivities through all of January.
[100]
German-speaking Europe
[
edit
]
January 6 is a public holiday in Austria, three
federal states of Germany
, and three
cantons of Switzerland
, as well as in parts of
Graubunden
.
In the German-speaking lands, groups of young people called
Sternsinger
(
star singers
) travel from door to door. They are dressed as the Biblical Magi, and their leader carries a star, usually of painted wood attached to a broom handle. Often these groups are four girls, or two boys and two girls in order to sing in four-part harmony. They sing traditional songs and newer ones such as "
Stern uber Bethlehem
". They are not necessarily three wise men. German Lutherans often note in a lighthearted fashion that the Bible never specifies that the
Weisen
(
Magi
) were men, or that there were three. The star singers solicit donations for worthy causes, such as efforts to end hunger in Africa, organized jointly by the Catholic and Protestant churches, and they will also be offered treats at the homes they visit.
[101]
The young people then perform the traditional house blessing, by marking the year over the doorway with chalk. In Roman Catholic communities this may even today be a serious spiritual event with the priest present, but among Protestants it is more a tradition, and a part of the German notion of
Gemutlichkeit
. Usually on the Sunday following Epiphany, these donations are brought into churches. Here all of the children who have gone out as star singers, once again in their costumes, form a procession of sometimes dozens of wise men and stars. The German Chancellor and Parliament also receive a visit from the star singers at Epiphany.
[102]
The Three Kings cake is a golden pastry ring filled with orange and spice representing gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Most often found in
Switzerland
, these cakes take the form of
Buchteln
but for Epiphany, studded with citron, and baked as seven large buns in a round rather than square pan, forming a crown. Or they may be made of typical rich Christmas bread dough with cardamom and pearl sugar in the same seven bun crown shape. These varieties are most typically purchased in supermarkets, with the trinket and gold paper crown included.
[103]
As in other countries, the person who receives the piece or bun containing the trinket or whole almond becomes the king or queen for a day. Epiphany is also an especially joyful occasion for the young and young at heart, as this is the day dedicated to
plundern
? that is, when Christmas trees are "plundered" of their cookies and sweets by eager children (and adults) and when
gingerbread
houses, and any other good things left in the house from Christmas, are devoured.
[104]
Lastly, there is a German rhyme saying, or
Bauernregel
, that goes
Ist's bis Dreikonigs kein Winter, kommt keiner dahinter
, meaning "If there hasn't been any winter (weather) until Epiphany, none is coming afterward." Another of these
Bauernregel
(German farmer's rules) for Epiphany states:
Dreikonigsabend hell und klar, verspricht ein gutes Weinjahr
, or "If the eve of Epiphany is bright and clear, it foretells a good wine year."
Greece, Cyprus
[
edit
]
In Greece, Cyprus and the
Greek diaspora
throughout the world, the feast is called the Theophany,
[
citation needed
]
or colloquially
Ph?ta
(
Greek
:
Φ?τα
, "Lights").
[105]
It is the "Great Celebration" or
Theotromi
. In some regions of Macedonia (West) it is the biggest festival of the year. The Baptism of Christ symbolizes the rebirth of man, its importance is such that until the fourth century Christians celebrated New Year on this day. Customs revolve around the
Great Blessing of the Waters
.
[106]
It marks the end of the traditional ban on sailing, as the tumultuous winter seas are cleansed of the mischief-prone
kalikantzaroi
, the goblins that try to torment God-fearing Christians through the festive season. During this ceremony, a cross is thrown into the water, and the men compete to retrieve it for good luck. The
Phota
form the middle of another festive
triduum
, together with Epiphany Eve, when children sing the Epiphany carols, and the great feast of
St. John the Baptist
(January 7 and eve),
[
citation needed
]
when the numerous Johns and Joans celebrate their name-day.
It is a time for sanctification, which in Greece means expiation, purification of the people and protection against the influence of demons. This concept is certainly not strictly Christian, but has roots in ancient worship. In most parts of Greece a ritual called "small sanctification",
Protagiasi
or "Enlightment" is practiced on the eve of Epiphany. The priest goes door to door with the cross and a branch of basil to "sanctify" or "brighten" the rooms by sprinkling them with holy water. The
protagiasi
casts away the goblins ; bonfires are also lit in some places for that purpose. The "Great Blessing" happens in church on the day of the Epiphany.
In the Churches in a special rig embellished upon which brought large pot full of water
[
clarify
]
. Then the "Dive of the Cross" is performed: a cross is throwned by the priest in the sea, a nearby river, a lake or an ancient Roman cistern (as in
Athens
). According to popular belief, this ritual gives the water the power to cleanse and sanitize. In many places, after the dive of the cross, the locals run to the beaches or the shores of rivers or lakes to wash their agricultural tools and even icons. Indeed, according common folk belief, icons lose their original strength and power with the passage of time, but they can be restored by dipping the icons in the water cleansed by the cross. This may be a survival of ancient beliefs. Athenians held a ceremony called "washing": the statue of Athena was carried in procession to the coast of Faliro where it was washed with salt water to cleanse it and renew its sacred powers.
Today, women in many parts repeating this ancient custom of washing the images but combined with other instruments of medieval and ancient magic. As the plate of Mytilene while the divers dive to catch the Cross women at the same time "getting a detaining (= pumpkin) water from 40 waves and then with cotton dipped it clean icons without talking to throughout this process ("dumb water") and then the water is thrown out of the not pressed (in the crucible of the church).
[
clarify
]
[
citation needed
]
Guadeloupe Islands
[
edit
]
Celebrations in Guadeloupe have a different feel from elsewhere in the world. Epiphany here does not mean the last day of Christmas celebrations, but rather the first day of
Kannaval
(
Carnival
), which lasts until the evening before
Ash Wednesday
. Carnival, in turn, ends with the
grand brile Vaval
, the burning of Vaval, the king of the
Kannaval
, amidst the cries and wails of the crowd.
[107]
Hungary
[
edit
]
On this day, the Christmas trees are taken down. Nowadays, the traditions associated with the holiday are being followed in fewer and fewer villages. Many traditions and superstition are associated with this day. During house blessings (called
koleda
), it was common to write GMB on the wall (a monogram made out of the names of the
3 Kings
) next to the year to protect them against witches hex or
lightnings
. The preachers were given a bowl of corn, a bowl of peas, a pig's foot to eat and gifted them a bag of plums, nuts, flour, salo and sausages. With the holywater they blessed their kids, house and animals and their dead (sprinkled on coffins). There were places where people attributed magical powers to simple brooks, like in Jaszdozsa, where they cut a hole in the Tarna (today: Trnava) and people splashed each other with the icy water to be healthy.
Csillagenek (Star singing)
and
Csillagozas
were both common. The children doing the Csillagenek prepared costumes and mechanically-moved stars, and it wasn't only performed by boys. This was accomponied by
Haromkiralyjaras
where next to the singing they also performed the story of the Biblical Magi and the Story of Herod. As with most Hungarian holidays, there were also superstitions connected to Epiphany (
Vizkereszt
): for example, in
Jozseffalva, Bukovina
, it was believed that if you braid that day the sausages will become longer next year.
[108]
India
[
edit
]
In parts of southern India, Epiphany is called the Three Kings Festival and is celebrated in front of the local church like a fair. This day marks the close of the Advent and Christmas season and people remove the cribs and nativity sets at home. In
Goa
Epiphany may be locally known by its
Portuguese
name
Festa dos Reis
. In the village of Reis Magos, in Goa, there is a fort called Reis Magos (Wise Men) or Tres Reis Magos for Biblical Magi. Celebrations include a widely attended procession, with boys arrayed as the Magi, leading to the Franciscan Chapel of the Magi near the Goan capital of
Panjim
.
[109]
Other popular Epiphany processions are held in
Chandor
. Here three young boys in regal robes and splendid crowns descend the nearby hill of Our Lady of Mercy on horseback towards the main church where a three-hour festival Mass is celebrated. The route before them is decorated with streamers, palm leaves and balloons with the smallest children present lining the way, shouting greetings to the Kings. The Kings are traditionally chosen, one each, from Chandor's three hamlets of Kott, Cavorim and Gurdolim, whose residents helped build the Chandor church in 1645.
In the past the kings were chosen only from among high-
caste
families, but since 1946 the celebration has been open to all. Participation is still expensive as it involves getting a horse, costumes, and providing a lavish buffet to the community afterwards, in all totaling some 100,000
rupees
(about US$2,250) per king. This is undertaken gladly since having son serve as a king is considered a great honor and a blessing on the family.
[110]
Cansaulim
in South Goa is similarly famous for its Three Kings festival, which draws tourists from around the state and India. Three boys are selected from the three neighboring villages of Quelim, Cansaulim and Arrosim to present the gifts of
gold
,
frankincense
and
myrrh
in a procession. Only a native of these villages may serve as king; outsiders are barred from the role. Throughout the year, excitement runs high in the villages to see who will be chosen. The boys selected are meticulously groomed, and must grow their hair long in time for the festival. The procession involves the three kings wearing jeweled red
velvet
robes and crowns, riding white horses decked with flowers and fine cloth, and they are shaded by colorful
parasols
, with a retinue of hundreds.
[111]
[112]
The procession ends at the local church built in 1581, and in its central window a large white star hangs, and colored banners stream out across the square from those around it. Inside, the church will have been decorated with
garlands
. After presenting their gifts and reverencing the altar and Nativity scene, the kings take special seats of honor and assist at the High Mass.
[113]
The
Saint Thomas Christians
of
Kerala State
, Epiphany is known by its Syriac name
Denha
. Saint Thomas Christians, like other Eastern Christians, celebrate
Denha
as a great feast to commemorate the Baptism of Jesus in the river Jordan. The liturgical season
Denhakalam
("Weeks of Epiphany") commemorates the second revelation at the Baptism and the subsequent public life of Jesus.
Denha
is celebrated on January 6 by the
Syro-Malabar Church
in two ways ?
Pindiperunnal
("
Plantain
trunk feast") and
Rakkuliperunal
("Feast with a night bath").
[114]
Ireland
[
edit
]
The Irish call the day the Feast of the Epiphany or traditionally
Little Christmas
or "Women's Christmas" (Irish:
Nollaig na mBan
). On Nollaig na mBan, women traditionally rested and celebrated for themselves after the cooking and work of the Christmas holidays. The custom was for women to gather on this day for a special meal, but on the occasion of Epiphany accompanied by wine, to honor the Miracle at the
Wedding at Cana
.
[
citation needed
]
Today, women may dine at a restaurant or gather in a
pub
in the evening. They may also receive gifts from children, grandchildren or other family members on this day. Other Epiphany customs, which symbolize the end of the
Christmas season
, are popular in Ireland, such as the burning the sprigs of Christmas
holly
in the fireplace which have been used as decorations during the past twelve days.
[115]
[116]
In Ireland, certain traditions celebrate Epiphany to conclude the Twelfth Night of Christmas, and Christmas decorations should not be removed before this day.
[116]
The Epiphany celebration serves as the initial setting for ? and anchors the action, theme, and climax of ?
James Joyce
's short story "
The Dead
" in his 1914 collection
Dubliners
.
Italy
[
edit
]
In Italy, Epiphany is a national holiday and is associated with the figure of the
Befana
(the name being a corruption of the word
Epifania
), a broomstick-riding old woman who, on the night between January 5 and 6, brings gifts to children or a lump of "coal" (really black candy) for the times they have not been good during the year. The legend told of her is that, having missed her opportunity to bring a gift to the child Jesus together with the Biblical Magi, she now brings gifts to other children on that night.
[117]
[118]
However, in some parts of today's Italian state, different traditions exist, and instead of the
Befana
it is the three Magi who bring gifts. in
Sardinia
, for example, where local traditions and customs of the Hispanic period coexist, the tradition of the
Biblical Magi
(in
Sardinian language
,
Sa Pasca de is Tres Reis
) bringing gifts to children is very present.
Jordan
[
edit
]
Thousands of
Jordanian Christians
, tourists and pilgrims flock to
Al-Maghtas
site on the
east bank
of the
Jordan River
in January every year to mark Epiphany, where large masses and celebrations are held.
[119]
"Al-Maghtas", meaning "baptism" or "immersion" in Arabic, is an archaeological
World Heritage
site in
Jordan
, officially known as "Baptism Site "Bethany Beyond the Jordan" (Al-Maghtas)". It is considered to be the original location of the
Baptism of Jesus
and the ministry of
John the Baptist
and has been venerated as such since at least the
Byzantine
period.
[12]
- John 1:28
:
These things took place in
Bethany
beyond the Jordan, where
John
was baptising
.
The site has then seen several archaeological digs, four papal visits and state visits and attracts tourists and pilgrimage activity.
[119]
Approximately 81,000 people visited the site in 2016, mostly European, American and Arab tourists.
[120]
Latvia
[
edit
]
Epiphany is known in Latvia as
Trijkungu diena
(Three Kings Day) by Catholics or
Zvaigznes diena
(Star Day) by Lutherans after the custom of star singing, and the Star of
Bethlehem
which led the Magi to the Christ Child.
[121]
In the past bright stars of fabric were sewn onto the background of dark colored quilts, representing the night sky. Epiphany was a day of enjoyment, spent in horse-drawn open
sleighs
, and these quilts would then be taken along to cover the laps of the merry riders.
[122]
If Epiphany Day was bright and mild and the sun "warmed the horses' backs" it was said that the coming year would bring only peace. If the night before Epiphany saw clear starry skies, it meant Latvia could expect a fine harvest in the coming Summer.
Weaving
and wood-cutting were "bad luck", giving both men and women a proper holiday, and if a dog was heard barking on Epiphany one ought to look for his or her future spouse in that same direction. Special three-corner apple cakes are eaten on this day, and as in other countries, star singing, visiting and house blessings have long been popular.
[123]
Lebanon
[
edit
]
Epiphany, celebrated on January 6, is the feast for the Roman Church that commemorates the visit of the Wise Men, the magi. However, in the Maronite Church, in accordance with the ancient tradition, it represents the public announcement of Jesus' mission when he was baptized in the Jordan by John the Forerunner, also known as "John the Baptist". On the occasion, Lebanese Christians pray for their deceased.
[124]
It is celebrated by attending church most often to the midnight mass by the
maronites
. The reason why it is at midnight is because the Christ will be passing to bless homes, also Lebanese Christians who gathered for the mass congratulate each other on that day by saying: "El Deyim Deyim" (
Arabic
:
???? ????
) which translates as "The permanent is permanent". They also mix dough made out of water and flour only and it rises outdoors with no yeast by being blessed.
[124]
North Macedonia
[
edit
]
Epiphany in North Macedonia is known as Vodici (Водици).
[125]
On this day the priest throws a wooden cross into the water, to symbolize the baptism of Christ.
[
citation needed
]
Men jump into the cold water to retrieve the cross, and whoever retrieves it is believed to be blessed during the whole year.
[
citation needed
]
These are very festive gatherings with many spectacles attending the sites. Special food jelly from pork and beef meat and bones called "pacha" (пача) or "pivtii" (пивтии) is prepared the day before, but served on the day after Epiphany, together with warm local
brandy
,
rakija
(раки?а).
[126]
Epiphany is a non-working day for the Orthodox believers in North Macedonia.
[127]
Malta
[
edit
]
In Malta, Epiphany is commonly known as
It-Tre Re
(The Three Kings). Until the 1980s, January 6 was a public holiday, but today the Maltese celebrate Epiphany on the first Sunday of the year. Children and students still take January 6 as a school holiday and Christmas decorations are lit up through this day on most public streets. The Maltese also have a long-standing custom of presenting concerts in honor of Epiphany, including the prestigious annual Epiphany Concert organized by the Malta Council for Culture and Arts, performed by the
National Orchestra
. In 2010, the Epiphany Concert which used to be held before a select audience, was opened to the general public following a decision by the
President
. The Ministry of Education and Culture therefore moved from the venue from the
Palace
to the historic Sacra Infermeria, also known as the Mediterranean Conference Centre.
[128]
Qagħaq tal-Għasel
or
tal-Qastanija
(Maltese honey rings) are typically served at Epiphany in Malta.
Mexico
[
edit
]
The evening of January 5 marks the
Twelfth Night
of Christmas and is when the figurines of the three Biblical Magi are added to the nativity scene. Traditionally in Mexico, as with many other Latin American countries, Santa Claus does not hold the cachet that he does in the United States. Rather, it is the Magi who are the bearers of gifts, who leave presents in or near the shoes of small children.
[129]
Mexican families also commemorate the date by eating
Rosca de reyes
. In modern Mexico however, and particularly in the larger cities and in the North, local traditions are now being observed and intertwined with the greater North American Santa Claus tradition, as well as with other holidays such as Halloween, due to Americanization via film and television, creating an economy of gifting tradition that spans from Christmas Day until January 6.
Peru
[
edit
]
Peru shares Epiphany customs with Spain and the rest of Latin America. Peruvian national lore holds that
Francisco Pizarro
was the first to call
Lima
"Ciudad de los Reyes" (City of the Kings) because the date of the Epiphany coincided with the day he and his two companions searched for, and found, an ideal location for a new capital. Even more popular in Peru than gift giving is the custom of the
Bajada de Reyes
when parties are held in honor of the taking down of family and public nativity scenes, and carefully putting them away until the next
Christmas
.
[130]
Philippines
[
edit
]
In the Philippines, Epiphany is known as "Three Kings' Day" and
Pasko ng Matatanda
("Feast of the Elderly"), and marks the official close of the country's
Christmas season
. As a day of feasting, some
Filipinos
celebrate with gift-giving and greet each other "Happy Three Kings!".
[131]
Poland
[
edit
]
In Poland, Epiphany, or
Trzech Kroli
(Three Kings) is celebrated in grand fashion, with huge parades held welcoming the Wise Men, often riding on
camels
or other animals from the zoo, in
Warsaw
,
Pozna?
[132]
and over 2,000 other cities. The Wise Men pass out sweets, children process in
renaissance
wear, carols are sung, and living nativity scenes are enacted, all similar to celebrations in Italy or Spain, pointing to the country's Catholic heritage. Children may also dress in colors signifying Europe, Asia, and Africa (the supposed homes of the Wise Men) and at the end of the parade route, church leaders often preach on the spiritual significance of the Epiphany. In 2011, by an act of Parliament, Epiphany was restored as an official non-working national public holiday in Poland for the first time since it was canceled under
communism
fifty years earlier.
[133]
Poles though take small boxes containing
chalk
, a gold ring,
incense
and a piece of
amber
, in memory of the gifts of the Magi, to church to be blessed. Once at home, they inscribe "K+M+B+" and the year with the blessed chalk above every door in the house, according to tradition, to provide protection against illness and misfortune for those within. The letters, with a cross after each one, are said to stand either for the traditionally applied names of the Three Kings in Polish ? Kacper, Melchior and Baltazar ? or for a Latin inscription meaning "Christ bless this house." They remain above the doors all year until they are inadvertently dusted off or replaced by new markings the next year.
[134]
On January 6, as in much of Europe, a Polish style Three Kings cake is served with a coin or
almond
baked inside. The one who gets it is king or queen for the day, signified by wearing the paper crown that decorates the cake. According to Polish tradition this person will be lucky in the coming year. Recipes vary by region. Some serve a French-type
puff pastry
cake with
almond paste
filling, others favor a
sponge cake
with almond cream filling, and yet others enjoy a light
fruitcake
.
[135]
Epiphany in Poland also signals the beginning of
zapusty
or
carnival
time, when
p?czki
(
doughnuts
) and
chrust
(
Angel wings
) are served.
[136]
Portugal
[
edit
]
In Portugal, Epiphany, January 6, is called
dia dos Reis
(Day of the Kings), during which the traditional
Bolo Rei
(King cake) is baked and eaten. Plays and pageants are popular on this day, and parents often hold parties for their children. Epiphany is also a time when the traditional Portuguese dances known as
Mouriscadas
and
Paulitos
are performed. The latter is an elaborate stick dance. The dancers, who are usually men but may be dressed as women, manipulate sticks or staves (in imitation swords) in two opposing lines.
[137]
It is a tradition too in Portugal for people to gather in small groups and to go from house to house to sing the
Reis
(meaning "Kings") which are traditional songs about the life of Jesus. The singers also bring greetings to the owners of the house. After singing for a while outside, they are invited in, and the owners of the house offer them sweets,
liqueurs
, and other Epiphany delicacies. These
Reis
usually begin on Epiphany eve and last until January 20.
[138]
Portuguese village of
Vale de Salgueiro
encourages children, some as young as five, to smoke in a tradition that does not have clear roots.
[139]
[140]
Romania and Moldova
[
edit
]
In Romania and Moldova, Epiphany is called
Boboteaza
. In south-eastern Romania, following religious services, men participate in winter horse races. Before the race, the men line up with their horses before the priest, who will bless them by sprinkling them with green branches that have been dipped into Epiphany holy water. Sometimes people desire to have this blessing for themselves as well. Winning the Epiphany race is a great honor for both horse and rider, while the post-race celebrations, win or not, are highly festive. As in other
Eastern Orthodox
heritage countries, water rites play a special role on this day.
[141]
A unique piece of Romanian folk wisdom holds that if a girl slips on ice ? or, better yet, falls into water ? on Epiphany, she will surely marry before the year is out.
[142]
In
Transylvania
(
Erdely
/
Siebenburgen
),
Lutheran
and
Reformed
Christians of
Hungarian
and
Saxon
descent celebrate Epiphany with star singing and house blessing, as in
Central Europe
. The star singing custom had long ago spread throughout Romania and the Republic of Moldova. Here the star, called
Steaua
, today resembles a stained-glass lantern and features an Orthodox icon at its center, a tradition pointing to the blending of both East and West which characterizes the two nations on the river
Prut
.
[143]
Russia
[
edit
]
The Epiphany, celebrated in Russia on January 19, marks the baptism of Jesus in the
Eastern Orthodox Church
. As elsewhere in the Orthodox world, the Russian Church conducts the rite of the Great Blessing of the Waters, also known as "the Great Sanctification of the Water" on that day (or the eve before).
[144]
The priest-led procession could simply proceed to the
font
,
[144]
but traditionally the worshipers would go to a nearby lake or river.
Historical records indicate that the blessing of the waters events took place at the courts of
Moscow Czars
since no later than 1525. According to historians, the blessing of the waters procession was the most magnificent of the annual Czar's court's ceremonies, comparable only to such special events as royal coronations and weddings. After a
divine liturgy
in the
Kremlin
's
Dormition Cathedral
, the procession, led by the Czar and the
Patriarch of Moscow
would proceed to the frozen
Moskva River
. An ice-hole would have been made in the ice, called
Iordan'
(in memory of the Jordan River), over which a small
gazebo
would have been erected and decorated with holy icons, one of which would depict the
Baptism of Christ
. The Patriarch would immerse his cross into the river's water; and sprinkle the Czar, his
boyars
, and the banners of Czar's army's regiments with the holy water. A load of
holy water
would then be brought back to the Kremlin, to be used in blessing the Czar's palace.
[145]
On a smaller scale, similar events would take place in the parishes throughout the nation.
Believing that on this day water becomes holy and is imbued with special powers, Russians cut holes called
Iordan'
in the ice of lakes and rivers, often in the shape of the cross, to bathe in the freezing water.
[146]
This practice is said to be popularized comparatively recently; it was fairly uncommon in the czarist days, but has flourished since the 1990s.
[147]
Participants in the ritual may dip themselves under the water three times, honoring the
Holy Trinity
, to symbolically wash away their sins from the past year, and to experience a sense of spiritual rebirth. Orthodox priests are on hand to bless the water, and rescuers are on hand to monitor the safety of the swimmers in the ice-cold water. Others limit their participation in the Epiphany rites to those conducted inside churches, where priests perform the Great Blessing of Waters, both on Epiphany Eve and Epiphany (Theophany) proper. The water is then distributed to attendees who may store it to use in times of illness, to bless themselves, family members, and their homes, or to drink. Some Russians think any water ? even from the taps on the kitchen sink ? poured or bottled on Epiphany becomes holy water, since all the water in the world is blessed this day. In the more mild climate of the southern city of
Sochi
meanwhile, where air and water temperatures both hover in the low to mid 10-degree Celsius range (50 degrees Fahrenheit) in January, thousands of people jump into the
Black Sea
at midnight each year on Epiphany and begin to swim in celebration of the feast.
[
citation needed
]
Slovenia
[
edit
]
In Slovenia, especially in the Western part of the country, during the first day of the year and on Epiphany, children go from house to house because villagers will give them almonds, dried figs, nuts, cookies or other good things that they have at home.
[148]
Spain
[
edit
]
In Spain and some Latin American countries, Epiphany day is called
El Dia de Reyes
[149]
i.e., the day when a group of Kings or Magi, as related in the second chapter of the
Gospel of Matthew
, arrived to worship and bring three gifts to the baby Jesus after following a star in the heavens. In Spanish tradition on January 6, three of the Kings: Melchior, Gaspar, and Balthazar, representing Arabia, the Orient, and Africa, arrived on horse, camel and elephant, bringing respectively gold, frankincense and myrrh to the baby Jesus. Before going to bed on the eve of January 6, children polish their shoes and leave them ready for the Kings' presents to be put in them. The next morning presents will
appear
under their shoes, or if the children are deemed to have misbehaved during the year, coal (usually a lump of hard sugar candy dyed black, called Carbon Dulce).
[150]
Most towns in Spain arrange colorful parades representing the arrival of the
Reyes Magos
to town so children can see them on their camels or carriages before they go to bed. The oldest of these parades is held in
Alcoy
,
Alicante
(
Valencian Community
) which has hosted an annual parade since 1885.
[151]
Sweet wine, nibbles, fruit and milk are left for the Kings and their camels. In Spain, children typically receive presents on this day, rather than on Christmas, though this tradition has changed lately, and children now receive presents on both days. The Epiphany bread/cake is known as
Roscon
,
[152]
Tortell de Reis
in Catalan, and in Mexico as
Rosca de reyes
.
[153]
Sweden
[
edit
]
Epiphany is a
public holiday in Sweden
, where it is known as
trettondedag jul
("Thirteenth Day Yule"), as January 6 is the thirteenth day after Christmas Eve, the main day on which Christmas is celebrated in Sweden. However, the end of the Christmas celebration is on January 13,
St. Knut's Day
, more commonly known as "Twentieth Day Yule" (or "Twentieth Day Knut").
United States
[
edit
]
In
Louisiana
, Epiphany is the beginning of the
Carnival
season, during which it is customary to bake
King Cakes
, similar to the Rosca mentioned above. It is round in shape, filled with cinnamon, glazed white, and coated in traditional carnival color sanding sugar. The person 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", and many may be consumed during this period. The Carnival season begins on King's Day (Epiphany), and there are many traditions associated with that day in Louisiana and along the Catholic coasts of
Mississippi
,
Alabama
, and
Florida
. King cakes are first sold then, Carnival
krewes
begin having their balls on that date, and the first
New Orleans
krewe parades in street cars that night.
In
Puerto Rico
, Epiphany is an important festive holiday, and is commonly referred as
Dia de Los Tres Reyes Magos
or
Three Kings' Day
. It is traditional for children to fill a box with fresh grass or hay and put it underneath their bed, for the Wise Men's horses or camels, depending on the household. Sometimes, the grass is cut fresh by the children on January 5. Many artisans make commemorative traditional figures of the Magi on horseback. The Three Wise Men of Puerto Rico, according to local tradition, arrive on horseback instead of camels, as in other countries where the custom is also ingrained. The Three Wise Men will then take the grass to feed the horses and will leave gifts under the bed as a reward. In other households, the grass is "eaten" by the Magi's transport bedside to "strengthen them for the long night's journey", while the presents are delivered by the Magi as they did for child Jesus. These traditions are analogous to the customs of children leaving mince pies and sherry out for
Father Christmas
in Western Europe or leaving milk and cookies for
Santa Claus
like the rest of the United States. On the day before the feast (January 5), the "Rosario de Reyes" or "Promesa de Reyes" is celebrated with songs (locally called "aguinaldos") thanking or asking the Kings for their blessing, usually before a little table with figures of the Nativity and the Kings or with the Kings alone and their camels or horses. However, recently public concerts have also become popular.
[154]
This celebration is often accompanied with a chicken soup ("asopa'o"), snacks, and drinks.
In
Colonial Virginia
, Epiphany, or 12th Night, was an occasion of great merriment, and was considered especially appropriate as a date for balls and dancing, as well as for weddings. On 12th Night, Great Cake was prepared, consisting in two giant layers of fruitcake, coated and filled with
royal icing
. Custom dictated that the youngest child present cut and serve the cake and whoever found the bean or prize in the Twelfth Night cake was crowned "King of the Bean" similar to the European king cake custom.
[
citation needed
]
In
Erie, Pennsylvania
, as part of an Epiphany party a king is hidden in a cake, and whichever child finds the king in the cake is crowned king for the day.
[155]
Tarpon Springs, Florida
, is known for elaborate religious ceremonies related to the
Greek Orthodox Church
, the most notable being the Epiphany celebration. The
Metropolitan
of Atlanta usually presides over the blessings, sometimes joined by the
Archbishop of America
. The blessings conclude with the ceremonial throwing of a wooden cross into the city's Spring Bayou, and boys ages 16 to 18 diving in to retrieve it. Whoever recovers the cross is said to be blessed for a full year. Following the blessings, the celebration moves to the Sponge Docks where food and music are made part of the festivities.
[156]
Tarpon Springs has given itself the nickname Epiphany City.
[157]
The celebration attracts Greek Americans from across the country,
[156]
and the city's population is known to triple in size for that day.
[158]
In
Manitou Springs, Colorado
, Epiphany is marked by the Great Fruitcake Toss.
Fruitcakes
are thrown, participants dress as kings, fools, etc., and competitions are held for the farthest throw, the most creative projectile device, etc. As with customs in other countries, the fruitcake toss is a sort of festive symbolic leave-taking of the Christmas holidays until next year, but with humorous twist, since fruitcake is considered with a certain degree of derision in most of the United States, and is the source of many jokes.
[159]
[160]
Wales
[
edit
]
On January 6, the Feast of the Epiphany has long been an important celebration in Wales, known there as
Ystwyll
. In
Glamorganshire
, a huge loaf or cake was prepared, which was then divided up into three parts to represent
Christ
, the
Virgin Mary
and the Biblical Magi. A large company of neighbours was invited to be present at the dividing of the cake in which rings were concealed. Whoever discovered a ring in his piece of cake (or bread) was elected as King or Queen and presided over the day's festivities. January 6 was the
old-calendar
Christmas Day and many of the festivities connected with it lasted well over a century after the
new calendar
was introduced in 1752.
[
citation needed
]
Wales shares other Twelfth Night customs with its neighbor, England, including the
Yule log
, and the
wassail
to wish farmers a good harvest in the coming year, but here the Yule log's ashes were saved then buried along with the seeds planted in the ensuing spring to ensure a good harvest, while the wassail bowl was taken to the house of newlyweds or to a family which had recently come to live in the district and songs sung outside the house door. Those inside the house would recite or sing special verses, to be answered by the revelers outside.
Another Welsh custom associated with Epiphany was the Hunting of the Wren. A group of young men would go out into the countryside to capture a
wren
(the smallest bird in the British Isles after the goldcrest/firecrest). The bird would then be placed in a small, decorated cage and carried around from house to house and shown in exchange for money or gifts of food and drink. (If a wren could not be found then a
sparrow
would have to undergo the ritual.)
[161]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
"Ba?kan Sava?'tan Kıddes Bayramı mesajı"
.
Antakya Gazetesi - Toplumcu Halk Gazetesi
(in Turkish). January 19, 2024
. Retrieved
January 25,
2024
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a
b
Sa?altıcı, Umit (January 20, 2023).
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.
Samanda? Ayna Haber
(in Turkish)
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January 25,
2024
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a
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"Bugun, Kıddes Bayramı"
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Makary, Marina (January 17, 2023).
"Why do Coptic Christians in Egypt Eat Taro on Feast of the Epiphany?"
.
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2024
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"The Byzantine Blessing of Water on the Vigil of the Epiphany"
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a
b
"The Origins and Spirituality of the Epiphany"
. Catholicireland.net. February 14, 1969. Archived from
the original
on November 27, 2011
. Retrieved
December 22,
2011
.
- ^
Packer, George Nichols (1893).
Our Calendar
. Union and Advertiser Co. p. 110.
The length of Christmastide or season is twelve days, lasting from the 25th of December to Epiphany. Epiphany (Greek
Epiphania
,
Theophania
or
Christophania
), is a festival in commemoration of the manifestation of Jesus Christ to the world as the Son of God, and referring to the appearance of the star which announced our Saviour's birth to the Gentiles, and the visit of the Magi, or Wise Men of the East to the infant Jesus. This festival is held on the 6th of January invariably, consequently is not a moveable feast, though the length of Epiphany-tide depends upon the date of Easter.
- ^
"Epiphany and Epiphanytide"
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The Parish of St Clement and St James
.
The Church of England
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on July 14, 2018
. Retrieved
December 15,
2014
.
The current pattern in the Anglican Church is to have an extended Epiphany season (called Epiphanytide). This is why Nativity scenes are sometimes kept in churches throughout January. Epiphanytide: Rather confusingly, however, the other two main 'manifestations' marked in Epiphanytide concern Jesus as an adult: his baptism in the River Jordan, when the Holy Spirit descends on him in the form of a dove (on the Sunday after Epiphany), and his first sign: the turning of water into wine at the marriage feast in Cana in Galilee. This latter event ? the third 'epiphany' of the season ? is only to be found in John's gospel.
- ^
Heiligman, Deborah (2007).
Celebrate Christmas
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ISBN
9781426301223
.
At the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas comes a special day called the Epiphany, or Three Kings Day. This holiday, which falls on January 6th, is celebrated as the day when the three wise men, also called the three kings, first saw baby Jesus and gave him gifts.
- ^
a
b
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Christian Advocate
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7
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...in Methodist usage the Epiphany Season includes all the Sundays between that date and Ash Wednesday, which for 1964 will be February 12, the beginning of Lent.
- ^
The Church Eclectic
. Vol. XXV. The Young Churchman Co. 1898. p. 1089.
The Provincial Synod established in 1883 the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Church of England in Canada, framed largely upon the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the American Church. No concerted action had been taken by the Church in Canada till the formation of this society but by the regular issuing of appeals from the Board of Management each year, at Ascensiontide for Domestic, and at Epiphanytide for Foreign Missions, a certain amount of interest in the great question of missions has been created.
- ^
a
b
"Evaluations of Nominations of Cultural and Mixed Properties to the World Heritage List: ICOMOS Report"
(PDF)
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the original
on March 27, 2016
. Retrieved
January 2,
2015
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We prefer, like good Anglicans, to go with the logic of the liturgy and regard January 5th as the Twelfth Day of Christmas and the night that ends that day as Twelfth Night. That does make Twelfth Night the Eve of the Epiphany, which means that, liturgically, a new feast has already begun.
- ^
Funk, Tim (December 25, 2009). "Presbyterians bring Twelfth Night".
The Charlotte Observer
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Christmas was a day to go to church ? the simpler the service, the better, Todd says ? and maybe have a quiet dinner with family. It was a slower time in the agricultural year, so there was an opportunity for some leisure. As long as you didn't overdo it. But even Scots-Irish Presbyterians had to have a little fun sometimes. The occasion to let go was Twelfth Night on Jan. 5 or 6. For Christians, it marks the arrival in Bethlehem of the Magi, or Three Wise Men.
- ^
"The Bridge"
Archived
December 28, 2013, at the
Wayback Machine
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Polon, Linda; Cantwell, Aileen (1983).
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ISBN
9781410361349
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Twelfth Night saw people feasting and taking down Christmas decorations. The king cake is traditionally served in France and England on the Twelfth Night to commemorate the journey of the Magi to visit the Christ child.
- ^
a
b
McGregor, Kate (November 30, 2023).
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AOL
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According to the tradition of the 12 days of Christmas (explained above), January 6 is the earliest you should be taking down your Christmas tree. According to the legend, bad luck will befall those who stop the Christmas cheer any earlier.
- ^
Edworthy, Niall (2008).
The Curious World of Christmas
.
Penguin Group
. p. 83.
ISBN
9780399534577
.
The time-honoured epoch for taking down Christmas decorations from Church and house in Candlemas Day, February 2nd. Terribly withered they are by that time. Candlemas in old times represented the end of the Christmas holidays, which, when "fine old leisure" reigned, were far longer than they are now.
- ^
Roud, Steve (2008).
The English Year
. Penguin Books Limited. p. 690.
ISBN
9780141919270
.
As indicated in Herrick's poem, quoted above, in the mid seventeenth century Christmas decorations were expected to stay in place until Candlemas (2 February), and this remained the norm until the nineteenth century.
- ^
Groome, Imogen (December 31, 2016).
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.
Metro
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January 7,
2017
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Twelfth Night 2017 is on Thursday 5 January, which is when we're meant to put away our Christmas decorations or there'll be bad luck in the year ahead. If you miss the date, some believe it's necessary to keep decorations up until Candlemas on 2 February ? or you'll definitely have a rubbish year.
- ^
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.
BBC
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2014
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Any Christmas decorations not taken down by Twelfth Night (January 5th) should be left up until Candlemas Day and then taken down.
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In the secondary arrangement of Mark which is found in the non-B manuscripts, the Roman Year was followed. This arrangement would be the most natural way of explaining the origin of January 6 as a festival of the Baptism of Jesus.
- ^
Carrington, "The 'heretical' festival of 'Epiphany' became a universal festival throughout the whole Christian world, commemorating both the Baptism and the Nativity of Jesus. It is hard to explain this as a world-wide imitation of the Basilides; it is quite easy to explain if the 48 (49)-lection arrangement of Mark was used as a Calendar fairly widely at one time." (p. 54).
- ^
Ammianus Marcellinus, XXI, ii
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Epiphanius,
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Patrologia Graecae
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)
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Epiphanius
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Pokhilko, Nicholas.
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The birth of Christ, the story of the Magi, Christ's baptism, His divine manifestation, miracle at Cana, and the feeding of the crowds formed the festival of Epiphany on January 6 as indicated in earlier Alexandrian and Syrian traditions.
- ^
Keener,
Matthew
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St John Chrysostom.
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{{
cite book
}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
link
)
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Liddell & Scott
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"CHURCH FATHERS: Oration 38 (Gregory Nazianzen)"
.
www.newadvent.org
.
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St. John Cassian,
Conferences
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Sources
[
edit
]
- Epiphanius,
Panarion
, li, 27, in
Migne
,
Patrologia Graecae
(P.G.), XLI, 936 (where it is called by its Latin name:
Adversus Haereses
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"Epiphany"
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Catholic Encyclopedia
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- Migne, Jacques-Paul (1858).
Patrologiae cursus completus, series graeca
. Vol. 2.
Further reading
[
edit
]
External links
[
edit
]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to
Epiphany
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Look up
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