Epiphany
Many Christians around the world
annually celebrate Epiphany on
January. It is a public holiday in many
countries and marks two events in
Jesus Christ’s life, according to the
Christian Bible. The first event was
when the three wise men, or kings,
visited infant Jesus. The second
event was when St John the Baptist
baptized Jesus.
The three wise men's (or kings') visit
to baby Jesus Christ is remembered
on Epiphany.
Celebrating Epiphany Around the
World
January 12 days after Christmas,
marks not only the end of the
Christmas holidays but also the
start of the Carnival season, which
climaxes with the different cultures
around the world. In some European
countries, such as the Czech
Republic and Slovakia, children dress
as the three kings and visit houses. In
their roles as the kings, or wise men,
they sing about the Jesus’ birth and
pay homage to the “king of kings”.
They are rewarded with praise and
cookies.
Dia de los Reyes Magos is the Latin
American celebration of Epiphany.
In many Latin American countries, it
is the three wise men and not Santa
Claus who bring gifts for children.
Children write letters to the wise men
tell ing them how good they were and
what gifts they want. In France, Le
Jour des Rois (the Day of Kings),
sometimes called the Fête des Rois,
is celebrated with parties for children
and adults. The galette des rois, or
“cake of kings”, highlights these
celebrations. This cake is round and
flat, cut into the pantry, covered with
a white napkin and carried into a
dining room.
Children in Spain fill their shoes with
straw or grain for the three kings’
horses to eat and place them on
balconies or by the front door on
Epiphany Eve. The next day they find
cookies, sweets or gifts in their place.
The “three kings” make an entry in
many cities in Spain on Epiphany
Eve, accompanied by military bands
and drummers in medieval dress.
What's Open or Closed?
Epiphany is a public holiday in
countries such as Austria, Colombia,
Croatia, Cyprus, Poland, Ethiopia
(but on different date that varies
annually),
parts
of
Germany,
Greece, Italy, Slovakia, Spain,
and Uruguay. It is not a public
holiday
in Australia, Canada, the
United Kingdom and the United
States (except the US Virgin Islands
where it is a public holiday).
About Epiphany
Epiphany or the Feast of the Epiphany
it means “manifestation” or “showing
forth”. It is also called Theophany
(“manifestation of God”), especially
by Eastern Christians. Epiphany
refers not only to the day itself but
to the church season that follows it
– a season that has a varied length
because it ends when Lent begins,
and this depends on the date of
Easter.
It commemorates the first two
occasions on which Jesus’ divinity,
according to Christian belief, was
manifested: when the three kings
(also known as wise men or Magi)
visited infant Jesus in Bethlehem,
and when John the Baptist baptized
him in the River Jordan. The Eastern
Orthodox churches focus on Jesus’
baptism.
Epiphany is one of the oldest Christian
feasts. It was celebrated since the
44
end of the second century, before the
Christmas holiday was established.
Like other Christian seasons, the
church appropriated Epiphany from
an old pagan festival. As early as
1996 BCE, the Egyptians celebrated
the winter solstice (which then
occurred on January 6) with a tribute
to Aeon, the Virgin. It is important to
note that the holiday was established
prior to the Gregorian calendar’s
introduction.
Symbols
Various paintings, artworks and
sketches show the three wise men
and Jesus. Some paintings artworks
show the three wise men on the way
to Bethlehem or adoring baby Jesus.
The kings are important because
their visit illustrates that Jesus was
the king of all kings who came for the
Jews and the Gentiles.
The star that guides the wise men to
Christ also symbolizes Epiphany, as
well as the three gifts they gave to
Jesus:
•Gold (fit for a king).
•Frankincense (used to worship at a
temple).
•Myrrh (used for embalming, as well
as a salve for irritations such as
diaper rash).
Many Orthodox churches consider
Jesus’ baptism to be the first step
towards the crucifixion. The liturgical
color for the Epiphany season is
white.
Quick Facts
Epiphany is a Christian holiday
celebrated globally on January each
year. It commemorates two events
recorded in the Bible: the three wise
men’s visit to baby Jesus; and Jesus’
baptism.