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Epiphany is a Christian feast day that commemorates the manifestation of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, represented by the Magi, and the manifestation of his divinity, as it occurred at his baptism in the Jordan River and at his first miracle, at Cana in Galilee. It is one of the oldest Christian feasts, celebrated by Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Anglicans, and Christians of other Western traditions on January 6th, and by Eastern Orthodox churches on January 19th. The feast originated in the Eastern Church, where it included a commemoration of Christ's birth, and was later adopted by the Western Church, where it came to focus primarily on the visitation of the Magi.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 6 January (traditional date), or the Sunday between 2 and 8 January |
| History | Originated in the Eastern Church, first mentioned by Clement of Alexandria around 215 AD. |
| Observance | Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Anglicans, and Christians of other Western traditions. |
| Purpose | Commemorating the visit of the Magi (Three Wise Men) to the baby Jesus, and the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist. |
| Customs | Special pastries, small gifts for children, King Cakes, parades, house blessings, processions, carols, nativity scenes. |
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What You'll Learn
- Epiphany is a Christian holiday commemorating the first manifestation of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles
- The holiday is celebrated on January 6 by Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Anglicans, and Christians of other Western traditions
- The word 'epiphany' comes from the Greek 'epiphaneia' meaning 'manifestation'
- In the Latin rite of the Catholic Church, Epiphany celebrates the revelation that Jesus was the Son of God
- In the Eastern rites of the Catholic Church, Epiphany is known as Theophany and commemorates the manifestation of Jesus' divinity at his baptism
Epiphany is a Christian holiday commemorating the first manifestation of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles
Epiphany is a Christian feast day that falls on January 6, commemorating the first manifestation of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, represented by the Magi. It is one of the oldest and most important Christian feasts, celebrated by Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Anglicans, and Christians of other Western traditions.
The word "epiphany" comes from the Greek "epiphaneia", meaning manifestation, and refers to the manifestation of Christ to the world, whether as an infant or during his baptism in the Jordan River. In Western traditions, Epiphany primarily commemorates the visit of the Magi to the baby Jesus, also known as the Three Kings or the Wise Men, and their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. This is considered the first manifestation of Christ as the saviour of both Gentiles and Jews.
In Eastern traditions, which usually call the holiday Theophany, the focus is on the baptism of Jesus, seen as the manifestation of Christ as both fully human and fully divine. Theophany is derived from the Greek "theophaneia", meaning "God shining forth" or "divine manifestation". The Eastern traditions also include the celebration of the miracle at the Wedding at Cana, considered the first manifestation of Christ's public life.
The feast of Epiphany is celebrated with various customs around the world. In many countries, special pastries are enjoyed, and children often receive small gifts in their shoes, honouring the gifts brought to Jesus by the Magi. In Poland, huge parades are held to welcome the Wise Men, with children participating in Renaissance wear and nativity scenes. In Ireland, Catholics celebrate "Women's Christmas", where women rest from housework and celebrate with a special meal.
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The holiday is celebrated on January 6 by Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Anglicans, and Christians of other Western traditions
Epiphany is a Christian holiday commemorating the first manifestation of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, represented by the Magi, and the manifestation of his divinity, as it occurred at his baptism in the Jordan River and at his first miracle, at Cana in Galilee. It is one of the oldest festival days of the Christian church.
In the early Church, Christians, particularly those in the East, celebrated the advent of Christ on January 6 by commemorating Nativity, Visitation of the Magi, Baptism of Christ, and the Wedding of Cana all in one feast of the Epiphany. By the fourth century, both Christmas and Epiphany had been set as separate feasts in some dioceses. At the Council of Tours in 567, the Church set both Christmas Day and Epiphany as feast days on December 25 and January 6, respectively, and named the 12 days between the feasts as the Christmas season. Over time, the Western Church separated the remaining feasts into their own celebrations, leaving the celebration of the Epiphany to commemorate primarily the visitation of the Magi to see the newborn Christ on January 6.
In many countries, Epiphany is celebrated with special pastries, and children often receive small gifts in their shoes in honour of the Magi’s gifts to the baby Jesus. The holiday also has a number of traditions involving water as a reflection of Jesus’ baptism, including the blessing of houses with holy water.
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The word 'epiphany' comes from the Greek 'epiphaneia' meaning 'manifestation'
The word "epiphany" comes from the Greek "epiphaneia", meaning "manifestation", and is used to describe a Christian holiday commemorating the first manifestation of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, represented by the Magi, and the manifestation of his divinity, as it occurred at his baptism in the Jordan River and at his first miracle at Cana in Galilee. The holiday is observed on January 6 by Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Anglicans, and Christians of other Western traditions.
In the early Church, Christians, particularly those in the East, celebrated the advent of Christ on January 6 by commemorating the Nativity, Visitation of the Magi, Baptism of Christ, and the Wedding of Cana all in one feast of the Epiphany. By the fourth century, both Christmas and Epiphany had been set as separate feasts in some dioceses. The festival originated in the Eastern church, where it at first included a commemoration of Christ's birth.
The word "epiphany" originally referred to insight through the divine. Today, this concept is more often used without such connotations, but a popular implication remains that the epiphany is supernatural, as the discovery seems to come suddenly from the outside. The word's secular usage may owe much of its popularity to Irish novelist James Joyce. The Joycean epiphany has been defined as "a sudden spiritual manifestation, whether from some object, scene, event, or memorable phase of the mind – the manifestation being out of proportion to the significance or strictly logical relevance of whatever produces it".
Epiphany is a solemnity or major feast celebrated on January 6, though – since the reform of the liturgical calendar – it is now marked by many Catholic churches on the Sunday between January 2 and 8. In the West, the evening preceding Epiphany is called Twelfth Night. The time between December 25 and January 6 is known as the Twelve Days of Christmas. In the Latin rite of the Catholic Church, Epiphany celebrates the revelation that Jesus was the Son of God. It focuses primarily on this revelation to the Three Wise Men, but it also focuses on his baptism in the Jordan and at the wedding at Cana.
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In the Latin rite of the Catholic Church, Epiphany celebrates the revelation that Jesus was the Son of God
Epiphany is a Christian holiday commemorating the first manifestation of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, represented by the Magi, and the manifestation of his divinity, as it occurred at his baptism in the Jordan River and at his first miracle at Cana in Galilee. It is one of the oldest festival days of the Christian church, celebrated by Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Anglicans, and Christians of other Western traditions.
The word "epiphany" comes from the Greek "epiphaneia", meaning "manifestation". The holiday is observed on January 6 by Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Anglicans, and Christians of other Western traditions. In the Eastern rites of the Catholic Church, Epiphany is known as Theophany, which celebrates the manifestation of Jesus' divinity at his baptism in the River Jordan. The traditional date for the feast is January 6, but in the United States, it is moved to the Sunday between January 2 and January 8.
The feast of Epiphany is older than the feast of Christmas and has its own season, lasting until February 2. In the early Church, Christians, particularly those in the East, celebrated the advent of Christ on January 6 by commemorating the Nativity, Visitation of the Magi, Baptism of Christ, and the Wedding of Cana all in one feast of the Epiphany. By the fourth century, both Christmas and Epiphany had been set as separate feasts in some dioceses. At the Council of Tours in 567, the Church set both Christmas Day and Epiphany as feast days on December 25 and January 6, respectively, naming the 12 days between the feasts as the Christmas season.
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In the Eastern rites of the Catholic Church, Epiphany is known as Theophany and commemorates the manifestation of Jesus' divinity at his baptism
Epiphany is a Christian feast day that falls on January 6. It is one of the oldest and most important feasts in the Christian calendar. In the Latin rite of the Catholic Church, it celebrates the revelation of Jesus as the Son of God to the Three Wise Men or the Three Kings. It also commemorates his baptism in the Jordan River and his first miracle at Cana in Galilee.
In the Eastern rites of the Catholic Church, Epiphany is known as Theophany. Theophany celebrates the manifestation of Jesus' divinity at his baptism in the River Jordan by John the Baptist. The word "Theophany" comes from the Greek "Theos", meaning "God", and "Epiphany" from the Greek "epiphaneia", meaning "manifestation". Theophany, therefore, refers to the "manifestation of God". This is also known as the doctrine of the Trinity and is what identifies all Christians as "Christian". Theophany is associated with spiritual enlightenment, the renewal of all creation, and the sanctification of the Jordan water, which is the water used for baptism and salvation.
The feast of Epiphany or Theophany is an ancient tradition, dating back to at least the 2nd century and possibly earlier. By the 4th century, it was being celebrated as a separate feast day from Christmas in some dioceses. The date of January 6 was set at the Council of Tours in 567. In the Eastern rites, the feast day is always celebrated on January 6, whereas in the West, it is now often celebrated on the Sunday between January 2 and January 8.
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Frequently asked questions
Epiphany is a Christian holiday commemorating the first manifestation of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, represented by the Magi, and the manifestation of his divinity, as it occurred at his baptism in the Jordan River and at his first miracle, at Cana in Galilee.
The traditional date for the feast is 6 January, though in the United States and some other countries, it is moved to the Sunday between 2 and 8 January.
Catholics celebrate Epiphany with a King Cake—a sweet cake that sometimes contains an object like a figurine or a lone nut. In some locations, the lucky recipient of this prize gets special treatment for the day. In Poland, Epiphany is marked by taking chalk, along with gold, incense, and amber, to be blessed at Mass.
