Epiphany

Epiphany, (from Greek epiphaneia, “manifestation”), 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. Epiphany is one of the three principal and oldest festival days of the Christian church (the other two are Easter and Christmas). Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Anglicans, and other Western churches observe the feast on January 6, while some Eastern Orthodox churches celebrate Theophany on January 19, since their Christmas Eve falls on January 6.

History

The festival originated in the Eastern church, where it at first commemorated three manifestations of Christ: his birth, his baptism, and his first miracle at Cana (John 2:1). In the latter half of the 4th century Eastern and Western churches adopted each other’s Incarnation festival, thus establishing the 12-day celebration from Christmas to Epiphany. By 354 Christ’s birth was being celebrated on December 25 (Christmas) in Rome, which later began celebrating Epiphany on January 6. In the Western church the festival primarily commemorates the visit by the Magi to the infant Jesus, which is seen as evidence that Christ, the Jewish Messiah, came also for the salvation of Gentiles. In the East it primarily commemorates the baptism of Jesus and celebrates the revelation that the incarnate Christ was both fully God and fully human. The Eastern feast thus includes special liturgical ceremonies of the blessing of waters and the ministration of baptism.

Traditions

In the West the time between December 25 and January 6 is known as the Twelve Days of Christmas, and the evening preceding Epiphany is called Twelfth Night. On Twelfth Night (January 5) many families leave out hay, carrots, and water for the Magi’s camels, and on the next day children awake to find small gifts in their shoes in honor of the Magi’s gifts to the infant Jesus. Epiphany is celebrated with special pastries, known as king cake, in many countries, and the holiday also has a number of traditions involving water as a reflection of Jesus’ baptism, including the blessing of houses with holy water. Given that the day marks the formal end of the Christmas season, some people and churches do not take down their crèches and Christmas trees until after Epiphany.

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Ethiopian Orthodox Christians celebrate Epiphany, or Timket, with a major festival that begins the night before, on Ketera (January 18). In honor of Christ’s baptism, celebrants escort a replica of the Ark of the Covenant, a tabot, to a local body of water with great ceremony. The night is spent in prayer and hymn services. The following morning the congregation is blessed with holy water, and the tabot is brought back to its church in a colorful procession.