Rachel Evans
The last day of Christmas in the Catholic Church is a moveable date, depending on the year and the location. In the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, the Epiphany celebrates the revelation that Jesus was the Son of God to the Three Wise Men, and it falls on January 6. However, in the US, the celebration of Epiphany is moved to the Sunday after January 1, which can be as early as January 2. The Catholic Christmas season, therefore, ends on the day of the Epiphany or the following day, with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. In 2024, the Catholic Christmas season ended on January 5, and in 2025, it will end on January 12. The last day of Christmas is also known as Twelfth Night, and Candlemas, or the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, is celebrated on February 2.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 25th December to 5th January |
| Number of days | 12 days |
| First day | Nativity of the Lord |
| Second day | Feast of St. Stephen |
| Third day | Feast of St. John the Evangelist |
| Fourth day | Feast of the Holy Innocents |
| Eighth day | New Year's Day, Feast of the Circumcision |
| Twelfth day | Epiphany Eve |
| Last day | Epiphany, Feast of the Baptism of the Lord |
| Candlemas | 2nd February |
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What You'll Learn
The 12 days of Christmas
The earliest known publication of the song's lyrics was in an illustrated children's book, "Mirth Without Mischief", published in London in 1780. The book was followed by a broadsheet by Angus of Newcastle, dated to the late eighteenth or early nineteenth century. The best-known melody for the song is derived from a 1909 arrangement of a traditional folk melody by English composer Frederic Austin.
Over the years, there have been various interpretations and adaptations of the song. Some have suggested that the lyrics contain coded references to Christianity, with the gifts representing key elements of the faith. However, this theory has been refuted by experts who argue that the song was originally secular and that any coded messages are derived from this original secular version.
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Epiphany
The Feast of the Epiphany, or Theophany in the East, is a Christian festival that falls on the twelfth day after Christmas, 6 January. In the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, Epiphany celebrates the revelation that Jesus was the Son of God. It commemorates the visit of the Three Wise Men to the infant Jesus, and their presentation of gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The Eastern rites of the Catholic Church, on the other hand, focus on the manifestation of Jesus' divinity during his baptism in the River Jordan.
The date of Epiphany is not always fixed. In the United States, for instance, Epiphany is celebrated on the Sunday after 6 January. This is because, in the Novus Ordo, the feast is moved to the Sunday between 2 and 8 January. In 2025, American Catholics will observe Epiphany on 5 January, the Sunday after 1 January.
The day before Epiphany is known as Twelfth Night, and the season of Epiphanytide commences on the evening of this day. In the Catholic Church, the season of Epiphany lasts eight days, from 6 to 13 January. This period was previously known as the Octave of the Epiphany until 1955. The final day of Epiphany is the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, commemorating Jesus' baptism.
The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, or Candlemas, is celebrated on 2 February. On this day, Catholics bring candles to church to be blessed, and they light these candles during prayer and difficult times as a symbol of Jesus Christ, the Light of the World. Candlemas is considered the last day of the Christmas season, marking the end of the liturgical echoes of Christmas.
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Candlemas
On Candlemas, Christians, especially Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and some mainline Protestant denominations, take candles to their local church to be blessed. These blessed candles represent Jesus Christ, referred to as the "Light of the World", and are lit during prayer or difficult times. The term "Candlemas" is derived from "candela", meaning candle, and it is also known as the Festival of Light.
The festival marks the day when Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the temple for the rites of purification and dedication forty days after his birth, as prescribed by the Torah. According to the Book of Leviticus, a new mother was considered "unclean" for seven days after giving birth to a boy. On the eighth day, the boy was circumcised, and the mother remained at home for a further 33 days for purification. After 40 days, Mary and Joseph presented themselves at the temple with offerings for the rite of purification.
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Christmas Day
In the Catholic Church, the Christmas season begins on Christmas Day. However, the liturgical Christmas season begins on Christmas Eve with the celebration of the Nativity of the Lord. The Christmas season ends on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. In the United States, the Catholic Christmas season ends on the Sunday after the Epiphany, which falls on January 6.
The 12 days of Christmas fall between two major Christian feasts: the Nativity on Christmas Day and the Epiphany. The 12 days include the Octave of Christmas and four additional celebratory days. The second day of Christmas is the Feast of St. Stephen, the third day is the Feast of St. John the Evangelist, and the fourth is the Feast of the Holy Innocents.
The Octave, or eighth day after Christmas, is New Year's Day and the Feast of the Circumcision, the day Jesus was circumcised according to Jewish tradition. The 12 days of Christmas are likely an adaptation of pre-Christian winter festivals in northern Europe, such as Yule.
In the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Greek Catholic Churches, Christmas is the fourth most important feast. The day after Christmas, these churches celebrate the Synaxis of the Theotokos.
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The Octave
The 12 days of Christmas are likely an adaptation of pre-Christian winter festivals of northern Europe, such as Yule. These celebrations helped ancient Europeans get through the longest nights of winter. The 12 days also probably had pre-Christian roots, although the term was likely adapted to fit the Church calendar in celebration of the Nativity. Tradition holds that it took the Three Kings, or Magi, twelve days to journey to baby Jesus.
In the Roman Rite of the Roman Catholic Church, the Octave is the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. The day is also the Feast of the Circumcision of Christ in some denominations, such as Lutheranism and Anglicanism. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, as well as in the Greek Catholic Churches and Byzantine-Rite Lutheran Churches, Christmas is the fourth most important feast.
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Frequently asked questions
The last day of Christmas for Catholics is the Feast of the Epiphany, which falls on January 6. This day commemorates the revelation that Jesus was the Son of God to the Three Wise Men and is also known as Three Kings' Day.
The Christmas season for Catholics, also known as Christmastide, begins on Christmas Day, December 25, and concludes on the Feast of the Epiphany, January 6. This season includes both the 12 days of Christmas and the season of Epiphany, which lasts eight days from January 6 to January 13.
The 12 days of Christmas are the days between Christmas Day and the Epiphany. These days are filled with celebrations and feasts, including the Feast of St. Stephen, the Feast of St. John the Evangelist, and the Feast of the Holy Innocents.
In the Catholic Church, Epiphany celebrates the revelation that Jesus was the Son of God to the Three Wise Men. It also commemorates Jesus' baptism in the Jordan River and the wedding at Cana.
On the last day of Christmas, Catholics may attend a church service or Mass. They also exchange gifts, symbolizing the presentation of gifts by the Three Wise Men to the infant Jesus.
