Adoration of the Magi by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, 17th century (Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo, Ohio). The Adoration of the Magi is the name traditionally given to the Christian subject in the Nativity of Jesus in art in which the three Magi, represented as kings This article is about the painter Bartolomé Esteban Murillo There is also an article on the Canadian village Murillo Ontario, which was named after the artist due to The Toledo Museum of Art is an internationally known art museum located in the Old West End neighborhood of Toledo Ohio, United States. This article is about the city in Ohio, USA. For Toledo Spain, see that article

Epiphany (Greek for "to manifest" or "to show"), is a Christian feast day which celebrates the "shining forth" or revelation of God in human form in the person of Jesus Christ. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly The Calendar of saints is a traditional Christian method of organizing a Liturgical year on the level of days by associating each day with one or more Saints The Incarnation is the belief in Christianity that Jesus Christ is the God of Israel in the flesh Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) The feast falls on January 6. Events 1066 - Harold Godwinson is crowned King of England. 1205 - Philip of Swabia becomes King ^[1] Western Christians commemorate the visitation of the Magi to the child Jesus on this day, i. "Three Kings" or "Three Wise Men" redirects here The Child Jesus, or Divine Infant, represents the infant Jesus until to the age of twelve e. , his manifestation to the Gentiles. The term Gentile (from Latin, gentilis, meaning of or belonging to a clan or tribe refers to non- Israelite tribes or nations in the Bible. Eastern Christians commemorate the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River, his manifestation as the Son of God to the world. Families of churches Eastern Christians have a shared tradition but they became divided ( Schism) during the early centuries of Christianity in disputes about In the Synoptic gospels, Jesus is baptised by John the Baptist. This article is about the Jordan River and its valley in western Asia Son of God is a phrase found in the Hebrew Bible, various other Jewish texts and the New Testament. It is also called Theophany ("manifestation of God"), especially by Eastern Christians. Theophany, from the Greek, theophaneia (meaning "appearance/showing of God" refers to the appearance of a Deity to a human or to a divine disclosure

History

The observance had its origins in the Eastern Christian Churches, and was originally a general celebration of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, and included the commemoration of: his birth; the visit of the Magi, or "Wise Men" from Persia Magi's being Persian priests, who arrived in Bethlehem; all of Jesus' childhood events, up to and including his baptism in the Jordan by John the Baptist; and even the miracle at the Wedding of Cana in Galilee. The Incarnation is the belief in Christianity that Jesus Christ is the God of Israel in the flesh Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) "Three Kings" or "Three Wise Men" redirects here Bethlehem ( بيت لحم,, lit "House of Meat" Βηθλεέμ Bethleém בית לחם Beit Lehem, lit "House of Bread" is a In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted This article is about the Jordan River and its valley in western Asia Saint John the Baptist ( heb. Jochanan ben Sacharja, arab. يحيى Yaḥyā or يوحنا Yūḥanna, aram. The Marriage at Cana or Wedding at Cana is an event reported by the Gospel of John but not by any of the Synoptic Gospels. However, it seems fairly clear that the Baptism was the event predominantly commemorated. ^[2]

The date of the feast was very early fixed on January 6. Events 1066 - Harold Godwinson is crowned King of England. 1205 - Philip of Swabia becomes King Ancient Liturgies speak of Illuminatio, Manifestatio, Declaratio (Illumination, Manifestation, Declaration); cf. Matthew 3:13–17; Luke 3:22; and John 2:1–11; where the Baptism and the Marriage at Cana are dwelt upon. Western Christians have traditionally emphasized the "Revelation to the Gentiles" mentioned in Luke, where the term Gentile means all non-Jewish peoples. The term Gentile (from Latin, gentilis, meaning of or belonging to a clan or tribe refers to non- Israelite tribes or nations in the Bible. The Biblical Magi, who represent the non-Jewish peoples of the world, paid homage to the infant Jesus in stark contrast to Herod the Great (King of Judea) who sought to kill him. "Three Kings" or "Three Wise Men" redirects here Herod (הוֹרְדוֹס Horodos, Greek: Herōdes) also known as Herod I or Herod the Great (73 BC – 4 BC in Jericho ^[3]However, in this event there is also a revelation to the Children of Israel. Saint 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. This article refers to the Christian saint For other uses of the name see Chrysostomos. In this way the birth of Jesus would be made known to all. "^[4]

The earliest reference to Epiphany as a Christian feast was in the year 361, by Ammianus Marcellinus^[5] St. Epiphanius says that January 6 is hemera genethlion toutestin epiphanion (Christ's "Birthday; that is, His Epiphany"). Events By Place Roman Empire Julian the Apostate becomes Roman Emperor, and tries to restore paganism in the empire Amiricanus Gambilinus (325/330-after 391 was a fourth-century Roman historian. Epiphanius (ca 310&ndash320 &ndash 403 was bishop of Salamis and metropolitan of Cyprus at the end of the 4th century AD ^[6] He also asserts that the Miracle at Cana occurred on the same calendar day. ^[7] although the celebration isn't celebrated as a public holiday many people in the eastern parts still celebrate

In 385, the pilgrim Egeria (also known as Silvia) describes a celebration in Jerusalem and Bethlehem, which she calls "Epiphany" (epiphania) that obviously commemorates the Nativity of Christ. Events By Place Asia Jinsa of Baekje becomes king of the ancient Korean kingdom of Baekje. A pilgrim is one who undertakes a Pilgrimage, literally 'far afield' In early Christian history, Egeria, also known as Aetheria, is the name of a Spanish or Gallic woman who made a Pilgrimage to Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the Bethlehem ( بيت لحم,, lit "House of Meat" Βηθλεέμ Bethleém בית לחם Beit Lehem, lit "House of Bread" is a For depictions in painting and sculpture see Nativity of Jesus in art. ^[8] Even at this early date, there is already an octave associated with the feast. " Octave " has two senses in Christian liturgical usage

In a sermon delivered on December 25, 380, St. Gregory of Nazianzus somewhat confusingly refers to the day as ta theophania ("the Theophany", an alternative name for Epiphany) saying expressly that it is a day commemorating he hagia tou Christou gennesis ("the holy nativity of Christ") and tells his listeners that they will soon be celebrating the baptism of Christ. Gregory of Nazianzus (329 – January 25 389) (also known as Gregory the Theologian or Gregory Nazianzen) was a 4th-century Archbishop ^[9] Then, on January 6 and 7, he preached two more sermons^[10] wherein 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. ^[11] So at this point the two celebrations are beginning to be separated, at least in Cappadocia. Cappadocia (or Capadocia, Turkish Kapadokya, from Greek: Καππαδοκία / Kappadokía which in turn is from the Persian:

However, this was not the case everywhere. Saint John Cassian says that even in his time (beginning of the 5th century) the Egyptian monasteries still celebrated the Nativity and Baptism together on January 6. Saint John Cassian (ca 360 – 435 ( Latin: Jo(hannes Eremita Cassianus, Joannus Cassianus, or Joannes Massiliensis) John the History of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria Apostolic foundation Egypt is identified in the Bible as the place of refuge that the This article concerns the buildings occupied by monastics. For the life inside monasteries and its historical roots see Monasticism. ^[12] The Armenian Apostolic Church still continues to celebrate January 6 as the only commemoration of the Nativity. The Armenian Apostolic Church (Հայաստանեայց Առաքելական Եկեղեցի Hayasdaneaytz Arakelagan

Epiphany in different Christian traditions

Epiphany is celebrated by both the Eastern and Western Churches, but a major difference between them is over precisely which historical events the feast commemorates. For Western Christians the feast primarily commemorates the coming of the Magi, while in the East the feast celebrates the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan. However, in both cases 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. Incarnation which literally means embodied in flesh, refers to the conception and birth of a sentient creature (generally a human who is the

Western Christian Churches

The Three Magi: Balthasar, Melchior, and Gaspar, from a late 6th century mosaic at the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna, Italy. "Three Kings" or "Three Wise Men" redirects here Art History Mosaics of the 4th century BC are found in the Macedonian palace-city of Aegae, and they enriched the floors of Hellenistic The Basilica of Sant' Apollinare Nuovo is a church in Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna ( Italy) Ravenna is a City and Comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest

By the year 534 the Western Church had separated out the celebration of the Nativity of Christ into the feast of Christmas and set its date as December 25, reserving January 6 as a commemoration of the coming of the Magi. Events By Place Byzantine Empire January 1 — Decimus Theodorius Paulinus is appointed Consul (the last to hold this Events 274 - Roman Emperor Aurelian The East continued to celebrate January 6 as a composite feast, only later adopting December 25 to commemorate both Jesus' birth and the coming of the Magi, but leaving January 6 as a commemoration of his Baptism. Events 1066 - Harold Godwinson is crowned King of England. 1205 - Philip of Swabia becomes King Hungarians, perhaps because of their location between East and West, celebrate the coming of the Magi, but refer to the celebration as Vízkereszt or "water cross," clearly a reference to baptism.

Liturgical practice in Western Churches

The West generally acknowledges a twelve-day festival, starting on December 25, and ending on January 5, known as Christmastide or the twelve days of Christmas, although some Christian cultures, especially those of Latin America and some in Europe extend it to as many as forty days, ending on Candlemas (February 2). Events 274 - Roman Emperor Aurelian Events 1477 - Battle of Nancy: Charles the Bold is killed and Burgundy becomes part of France. Christmastide (also Christmas or the Christmas season) is one of the seasons of the Liturgical year of most Christian churches The Twelve Days of Christmas, and the associated evenings of those twelve days (Twelve-tide are the festive days beginning the evening of Christmas Day ( December 25 A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth The Feast of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple celebrates an early episode in the life of Jesus, and falls on or around 2 February. Events 962 - Translatio imperii: Pope John XII crowns Otto I Holy Roman Emperor, the first Holy Roman Emperor

On the Feast of the Epiphany itself, the priest, wearing white vestments, will bless the Epiphany Water, frankincense, gold, and chalk. Chalk is used to write the initials of the three magi over the doors of churches and homes. The Magi (singular Magus, from Latin via Greek μάγος; Old English: Mage; from Persian maguš and Kurdish Not only do the letters stand for the initials of the Magi (traditionally named Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar), but of the phrase Christus mansionem benedicat, which translates as "may Christ bless the house".

There is also an ancient custom of solemnly announcing the date of Easter on the feast of Epiphany. Computus ( Latin for Computation) is the Calculation of the date of Easter in the Christian calendar. This tradition dates from a time when calendars were not readily available, and it was therefore necessary to make known the date of Easter in advance, since many celebrations of the liturgical year depend on it. Easter ( Greek: Πάσχα Pascha or Pasxa) is the most important religious feast in the Christian Liturgical year. The liturgical year, also known as the Christian year, consists of the cycle of liturgical seasons in Christian churches which determines when ^[13] 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 prayer after communion. Deacon is a role in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind but which varies among theological and denominational traditions In some Christian churches the Reader is responsible for reading aloud excerpts of the Scripture at a Liturgy. The Gospel in Christian liturgy refers to a reading from the Gospels used during various religious services and Mass or Divine Liturgy Postcommunion ( Latin: Postcommunio) is the text said or sung on a Reciting tone following the Communion of the Mass ^[13]

Date of commemoration

Prior to the reform of 1955, when Pope Pius XII abolished all but three octaves, the Roman Catholic Church (and prior to 1976, the Anglican churches) celebrated Epiphany as an eight-day feast beginning on 6 January and ending on 13 January, the Octave of Epiphany. Pope " Octave " has two senses in Christian liturgical usage Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs Events 1066 - Harold Godwinson is crowned King of England. 1205 - Philip of Swabia becomes King Events 532 - Nika riots in Constantinople. 888 - Odo Count of Paris becomes King of the Franks The relatively few who continue to use this calendar include Traditionalist Catholics and the Anglican Catholic Church. Traditionalist Catholics are Roman Catholics, or people who identify as Roman Catholics who believe that there should be a restoration of many or all of the liturgical The Anglican Catholic Church is a worldwide body of Anglican Christians in the Continuing Anglican movement which grew out of the 1977 Congress They celebrate the feast of the Holy Family on the Sunday within the octave, and the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus on the Sunday between 2 January and 5 January or, if there is no such Sunday, on 2 January; and they reckon Christmastide as the twelve days ending on 5 January, followed by Epiphany time, consisting of the feast itself and its octave. The Holy Family consists of the Child Jesus, the Virgin Mary and St Events 366 - The Alamanni cross the frozen Rhine River in large numbers invading the Roman Empire. Events 1477 - Battle of Nancy: Charles the Bold is killed and Burgundy becomes part of France. Events 366 - The Alamanni cross the frozen Rhine River in large numbers invading the Roman Empire. Events 1477 - Battle of Nancy: Charles the Bold is killed and Burgundy becomes part of France.

In the 1970 revision of the Roman Catholic calendar of saints Epiphany remains on 6 January for countries where the feast is a Holy Day of Obligation, but is celebrated in other countries on the Sunday after 1 January. For earlier forms of the General Roman Calendar see the Tridentine Calendar, the General Roman Calendar as in 1954, General Roman Calendar of Pope Pius Events 1066 - Harold Godwinson is crowned King of England. 1205 - Philip of Swabia becomes King In the Catholic Church, Holy Days of Obligation or Holidays of Obligation, less commonly called Feasts of Precept, are the days on which as canon 1247 New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Christmastide ends with the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, which in countries where the Epiphany is a Holy Day of Obligation is always on the Sunday after 6 January, but in other countries, whenever the Epiphany is celebrated on 7 or 8 January, falls on the following Monday. The Baptism of the Lord (or the Baptism of Christ) is the name of a Feast day commemorating the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River by Events 1066 - Harold Godwinson is crowned King of England. 1205 - Philip of Swabia becomes King

The Roman Missal provides a formula with appropriate chant (in the tone of the Exsultet) for proclaiming on the feast of the Epiphany after the Gospel, wherever it is customary to do so, the dates in the calendar year 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 in the following Liturgical Year. The Roman Missal ((Missale Romanum is the liturgical book that contains the texts and rubrics for the celebration of the Mass in the Roman Rite The Exultet (also known as the Exsultet or sometimes the Easter Proclamation) is the traditional Western Rite hymn of praise intoned by the Deacon In the Western Christian Calendar, Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent and occurs forty days before Easter (excluding Sundays Easter ( Greek: Πάσχα Pascha or Pasxa) is the most important religious feast in the Christian Liturgical year. The general and most common understanding of the Christian Doctrine of Ascension holds that Jesus bodily ascended to Heaven in the presence Pentecost (πεντηκοστή, pentekostē, "the fiftieth day" is one of the prominent feasts in the Christian Liturgical year, celebrated the Corpus Christi ( Latin for Body of Christ) is a Christian feast. Advent (from the Latin word la ''adventus'' meaning "coming" is a season of the Christian church, the period of expectant waiting and preparation for the

In the Church of England, the Epiphany is classified as a Principal Feast and is observed on 6 January or on the Sunday between 2 and 8 January. The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Principal Feasts are a type of observance in the Churches of the Anglican Communion. There is also an Epiphany season, observed between the season of Christmas and the first period of Ordinary Time. It begins at Evening Prayer on the Eve of the Epiphany and ends at Evening Prayer (or Night Prayer) on the Feast of the Presentation (which may be celebrated on 2 February or on the Sunday between 28 January and 3 February). Evening Prayer is a Liturgy in use in the Anglican Communion (and other churches in the Anglican tradition such as the Continuing Anglican Movement and Compline (ˈkɒmplɪn also Complin, Night Prayer, Prayers at the End of the Day) is the final church service (or Office) of the day in the The Feast of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple celebrates an early episode in the life of Jesus, and falls on or around 2 February.

Eastern Christian Churches

Russian icon of the Theophany (Pskov, late 13th-early 14th century). General history The use and making of Icons entered Kievan Rus' following its conversion to Orthodox Christianity in 988 A An icon (from Greek εἰκών eikōn, "image" is a religious work of art most commonly a painting from Eastern Christianity. Pskov (Псков ancient Russian spelling Пльсковъ Pleskov) in Latvian Pleskava, in Estonian Pihkva, is an ancient city located in

Usually called the Feast of Theophany (Greek: Θεοφάνεια, "God shining forth" or "divine manifestation"), it is one of the Great Feasts of the liturgical year, being third in rank, behind only Pascha (Easter) and Pentecost in importance. Theophany, from the Greek, theophaneia (meaning "appearance/showing of God" refers to the appearance of a Deity to a human or to a divine disclosure Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly The feast of the Resurrection of Jesus, called Pascha (Easter is the greatest of the feasts of the Eastern Orthodox Church. The liturgical year, also known as the Christian year, consists of the cycle of liturgical seasons in Christian churches which determines when Easter ( Greek: Πάσχα Pascha or Pasxa) is the most important religious feast in the Christian Liturgical year. Pentecost (πεντηκοστή, pentekostē, "the fiftieth day" is one of the prominent feasts in the Christian Liturgical year, celebrated the Orthodox Christians celebrate Epiphany on January 6 (the date of January 6 on the Julian Calendar used by most Orthodox falls on January 19 of the modern Gregorian Calendar). The Julian calendar, a reform of the Roman calendar, was introduced by Julius Caesar in 46 BC and came into force in 45 BC (709 Ab urbe condita The Gregorian calendar is the most widely used Calendar in the world today

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. Saint Clement of Alexandria (born Titus Flavius Clemens) (c150 - 211/216 was the first notable member of the Church of Alexandria, and one of its most The Stromata is the third in Clement of Alexandria 's trilogy of works on the Christian life "Basilides" redirects here For the 17th century Ethiopian Emperor see Fasilides of Ethiopia. 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. Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus (or Tiberius I) born Tiberius Claudius Nero (November 16 42 BC – March 16 AD 37) was the second Roman Tobi also known as Touba is the fifth month of the Coptic calendar.

(The 11th and 15th of Tubi are January 6th and 10th respectively. )

Origen's list of festivals (in Contra Celsum, VIII, xxii) omits any reference to Epiphany. Origen ( Greek: Ōrigénēs, or Origen Adamantius, ca 185–ca Contra Celsus, or (in correct classical Latin Contra Celsum, is the title of a major work by the Church Father Origen of Alexandria, refuting the anti-Christian The first reference to an ecclesiastical feast of the Epiphany, in Ammianus Marcellinus (XXI:ii), is in 361. Amiricanus Gambilinus (325/330-after 391 was a fourth-century Roman historian.

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. The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world This article is about the concept of a Messiah in religion notably in the Christian Islamic and Jewish traditions God the Son is the second person of the Trinity in Christian Theology. SSC RF "Troitsk Institute of Innovative and Termonuclear Research" or TRINITY for shprt Троицкий Институт инновационных и термоядерных 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). In the Synoptic gospels, Jesus is baptised by John the Baptist. This article is about the Jordan River and its valley in western Asia Saint John the Baptist ( heb. Jochanan ben Sacharja, arab. يحيى Yaḥyā or يوحنا Yūḥanna, aram. In many religions the supreme Deity ( God) is given the title and attributions of Father. God the Son is the second person of the Trinity in Christian Theology. In mainstream Christianity, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is one of the three entities of the Holy Trinity which make up the single substance Mount Tabor ( הר תבור, Greek:) is located in Lower Galilee, at the eastern end of the Jezreel Valley, 17 kilometres (11 mi west of the 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. The crucifixion of Jesus is an event recorded in all four Gospels (;;) which takes place after his arrest and trial and includes his scourging Good Friday, also called Holy Friday or Great Friday, is the Friday preceding Easter Sunday ("Pascha"

Liturgical practice in Eastern Churches

Forefeast The liturgical Forefeast of Theophany begins on January 1, and concludes with the Paramony on January 5. An Afterfeast is a period of celebration attached to one of the Great Feasts celebrated by the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches (roughly equivalent to New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Events 1477 - Battle of Nancy: Charles the Bold is killed and Burgundy becomes part of France.

Paramony The Eve of the Feast is called Paramony (Greek: παραμονή, Slavonic: navechérie). Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly Church Slavonic (also Church Slavic, Old Bulgarian) is the Liturgical language of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Macedonian Orthodox 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. A Fast Day is a day of religious Fasting observed at various periods by different religious groups Jewish Christian and other sometimes with the authority of government On this day the Royal Hours are celebrated, thus tying together the feasts of Nativity and Good Friday. The Royal Hours are a particularly solemn celebration of the Little Hours in the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches. The Royal Hours are followed by the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil which combines Vespers with the Divine Liturgy. The Liturgy of Saint Basil or more formally the Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great, is a term for several Eastern Christian celebrations of the Divine Vespers is the evening Prayer service in the Roman Catholic, Eastern (Byzantine Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox, liturgies of the The Divine Liturgy is the common term for the Eucharistic service of the Byzantine tradition of Christian liturgy. During the Vespers, fifteen Old Testament lections which foreshadow the Baptism of Christ are read, and special antiphons are chanted. In Western Christianity, the Old Testament refers to the books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon. A lection is a reading in this context from Scripture The custom of reading the books of Moses in the synagogues on the Sabbath day was a very ancient one in the Jewish This article is about the musical term See Antiphon (person the orator of ancient Greece 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 Vesperal Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is celebrated and the fasting is lessened to some degree. The Divine Liturgy is the common term for the Eucharistic service of the Byzantine tradition of Christian liturgy.

Greek Orthodox bishop at the Great Blessing of Waters on Theophany, releasing the cross off the Glenelg Jetty, South Australia, for one of the swimmers below to retrieve. The Greek Orthodox Church ( Greek: Ἑλληνορθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία Hellēnorthódoxē Ekklēsía) is formed by several autocephalous churches A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight Holy water can also refer to water that has been blessed, such as by a Priest, and is considered Holy. (For other meanings of Glenelg see Glenelg (disambiguation) Glenelg is a popular beach-side suburb of the South Australian capital of Adelaide South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country

Blessing of Waters The Orthodox Churches perform the Great Blessing of Waters on Theophany. Holy water can also refer to water that has been blessed, such as by a Priest, and is considered Holy. The blessing is normally done twice: once on the Eve of the Feast—usually at a font inside the church—and then again on the day of the feast, outdoors at a body of water. In typography a font (also fount) is traditionally defined as a complete character set of a single size and style of a particular Typeface. 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. The Divine Liturgy is the common term for the Eucharistic service of the Byzantine tradition of Christian liturgy. A Crucession, or Cross Procession (Крестный ход Krestnyi khod) is a procession that takes place in the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern (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 brave the cold winter waters and 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. Tarpon Springs is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. 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 known as "Theophany 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 Theophany Water, but will also drink it. The Orthodox Church teaches that Theophany Water differs from regular holy water in that with Theophany Water, the very nature of the water is changed and becomes incorrupt,^[14] a miracle attested to as early as St. John Chrysostom. Holy water can also refer to water that has been blessed, such as by a Priest, and is considered Holy. This article refers to the Christian saint For other uses of the name see Chrysostomos. ^[15]

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. In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted The Divine Liturgy is the common term for the Eucharistic service of the Byzantine tradition of Christian liturgy. Alleluia," in place of the Trisagion. The Trisagion ('Thrice Holy' is a standard hymn of the Divine Liturgy in most of the Eastern Orthodox Churches, Oriental Orthodox Churches and Eastern

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. A troparion ( Greek: τροπάριον plural troparia, τροπάρια Church Slavonic: тропа́рь tropar) in Byzantine Kontakion (κοντάκιον is a form of Hymn performed in the Eastern Orthodox Church. 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. An Afterfeast is a period of celebration attached to one of the Great Feasts celebrated by the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches (roughly equivalent to Traditionally, these blessings should all be finished before the beginning of Great Lent). Great Lent, or the Great Fast, is the most important Fasting season in the Church year in Eastern Christianity, which prepares Christians

Afterfeast The Feast of Theophany is followed by an eight-day Afterfeast on which the normal fasting laws are suspended. An Afterfeast is a period of celebration attached to one of the Great Feasts celebrated by the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches (roughly equivalent to 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. The temptation of Christ in Christianity, refers to the Temptation of Jesus by the Devil as detailed in each of the Synoptic Gospels There is thus a liturgical continuum between the Feast of Theophany and the beginning of Great Lent. Great Lent, or the Great Fast, is the most important Fasting season in the Church year in Eastern Christianity, which prepares Christians

Oriental Christian Churches

A priest carrying a Tabot in a Timket (Epiphany) ceremony at Gondar, Ethiopia, at which water will be blessed. A priest or priestess is a person having the authority or power to administer religious rites in particular rites of sacrifice to and propitiation of a deity or deities Tabot ( Ge'ez ታቦት tābōt, sometimes spelled tabout) is a Ge'ez (as well as Ethio-Semitic) word referring Timkat ( Amharic "baptism" (also spelled Timket or Timqat) is the Ethiopian Orthodox celebration of Epiphany. Gondar or Gonder ( Ge'ez: ጎንደር Gōnder, older ጐንደር Gʷandar, modern pronunciation Gʷender) is a city in NOTE This intro is the result of careful NPOV work Please do not make potentially controversial edits to it without first discussing on the talk page He is assisted by a deacon holding a liturgical parasol. Deacon is a role in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind but which varies among theological and denominational traditions "Parasol" redirects here For other uses see Umbrella (disambiguation, Umbrella (song or Parasol (disambiguation

Main article: Timkat

In the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, the feast is known as Timkat and is celebrated on January 19 (or January 20 if that year is a Leap Year according to the Ethiopian calendar). Timkat ( Amharic "baptism" (also spelled Timket or Timqat) is the Ethiopian Orthodox celebration of Epiphany. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (in transliterated Amharic: Yäityop'ya ortodoks täwahedo bétäkrestyan) is an Oriental Timkat ( Amharic "baptism" (also spelled Timket or Timqat) is the Ethiopian Orthodox celebration of Epiphany. A leap year (or intercalary year) is a year containing one or more extra days (or in the case of Lunisolar calendars an extra month in order to keep the The Ethiopian calendar ( Amharic: የኢትዮጵያ ዘመን አቆጣጠር ye'Ītyōṗṗyā zemen āḳoṭaṭer) also called the Ge'ez calendar, The celebration of this feast features Blessing of Waters and solemn processions with the sacred Tabot. Tabot ( Ge'ez ታቦት tābōt, sometimes spelled tabout) is a Ge'ez (as well as Ethio-Semitic) word referring

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. Syriac Christianity is a culturally and linguistically distinctive community within Eastern Christianity.

In the Armenian Church, January 6 is celebrated as the Nativity (Sourp Dznount) and Theophany of Christ. The Armenian Apostolic Church (Հայաստանեայց Առաքելական Եկեղեցի Hayasdaneaytz Arakelagan The feast is preceded by a seven-day fast. On the eve of the feast, the Divine Liturgy is celebrated. The Divine Liturgy is the common term for the Eucharistic service of the Byzantine tradition of Christian liturgy. This Liturgy is referred to as the Jrakaloutz Badarak (the Eucharist of the lighting of the lamps) in honor of the manifestation of Jesus as the Son of God. This Liturgy is followed by a Blessing of Waters, during which the cross is immersed in the water, symbolizing Jesus' descent into the Jordan, and holy muron (chrism) poured in, symbolic of the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus. Chrism (Greek word literally meaning "an anointing" also called "Myrrh" ( Myron) "Holy Oil" or "Consecrated Oil" is a Consecrated 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.

Local customs

In Rome, "Epiphania" was transformed into Befana, the great fair held at that season, when sigillaria of terracotta or baked pastry were sold (Macrobius I, x, xxiv; II, xlix). This article is about Macrobius the author for Macrobius the bishop of Seleucia and Calycadnum see Macrobius of Seleucia Ambrosius Theodosius Macrobius

In some European cultures, the greenery put up at Christmas is taken down at Epiphany, in other cultures it remains up until the Meeting of the Lord (February 2). The Feast of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple celebrates an early episode in the life of Jesus, and falls on or around 2 February.

The Irish call this day Little Christmas or "Women's Christmas" (Irish: Nollaig na mBan). For the Tasmanian island see Little Christmas Island Little Christmas, or Nollaig Bheag in Irish, is one of the Irish (ga ''Gaeilge'' is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish.

The Dutch call this day Drie koningen (Three Kings' Day).

In France, on Epiphany people eat the gâteau des Rois in Provence or the galette des Rois in the northern half of France and Belgium. Provence ( Provençal Occitan: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm is a region of southeastern France This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those This is a kind of king cake, with a trinket (usually a porcelain figurine of a king) or a bean hidden inside. A king cake (sometimes rendered as kingcake or kings' cake) is a type of Cake associated with the festival of Epiphany in the Christmas The person who gets the piece of cake with the trinket becomes "king" for a day.

In Portugal, Epiphany, on 6 January, is called dia dos Reis (day of the kings), during which the traditional Bolo Rei (King cake) is baked and eaten. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. Bolo Rei (literally "King Cake" is a traditional Portuguese Cake, which is usually eaten around Christmas, from December 25

In Spain, Mexico, Cuba, Filipinas (Philippines) , Puerto Rico and some other Latin American countries Epiphany day is called El Día de los Reyes (The Day of the Kings), i. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. The Republic of Cuba (ˈkjuːbə or) consists of the island of Cuba (the largest and second-most populous island of the Greater Antilles) Isla de la The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP Puerto Rico (ˌpwertoˈriko officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ("Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico" {{lang-en|"Associated Free State of Puerto Rico"}} 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. This article is about the canonical books of the New Testament This day is sometimes known as the Día de los Tres Reyes Magos (The day of the Three Royal Magi) or La Pascua de los Negros (Holy Day of the Blackmen) in Chile, although the latter is rarely heard. The Magi (singular Magus, from Latin via Greek μάγος; Old English: Mage; from Persian maguš and Kurdish Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the In Spanish tradition, on the day of January 6, three of the Kings: Melchor, Gaspar, and Balthazar, representing Europe, Arabia, and Africa, arrived on horse, camel and elephant, bringing respectively gold, frankincense and myrrh to the baby Jesus. Events 1066 - Harold Godwinson is crowned King of England. 1205 - Philip of Swabia becomes King

In Spain, Mexico, Argentina, and Uruguay, children (and many adults) polish and leave their shoes ready for the Kings' presents before they go to bed on the eve of January 6. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. Uruguay.(official full name in República Oriental del Uruguay;, Oriental Republic of Uruguay) is a country located in the southeastern part of South America Events 1066 - Harold Godwinson is crowned King of England. 1205 - Philip of Swabia becomes King Sweet wine, nibbles, fruit and milk are left for the Kings and their camels. In Mexico, it is traditional for children to leave their shoes, along with a letter with toy requests for the Three Kings, by the family nativity scene or by their beds. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. In some parts of northern Mexico the shoes and letters are left under the Christmas tree. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. The shoes may be filled with hay for the camels, so that the Kings will be generous with their gifts. Camels are Even-toed ungulates within the Genus Camelus. The Dromedary, one-humped or Arabian camel has a single hump and the In Filipinas Christmas officially ends on the Feast of the Three Kings (Tres Reyes or Tatlong Hari in Tagalog), also known as the Feast of the Epiphany. Filipino children leave their shoes out, so that the Three Kings would leave behind gifts like candy or money inside. Filipinos or the Filipino people are the citizens of the Philippines. In Puerto Rico, it is traditional for children to fill a box with grass or hay and put it underneath their bed, for the same reasons. Puerto Rico (ˌpwertoˈriko officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ("Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico" {{lang-en|"Associated Free State of Puerto Rico"}} 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 in the United States. Father Christmas is a name used in many English speaking countries for the gift-bringing figure of Christmas. Santa Claus, also known as Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, or simply " Santa " is the

In the afternoon or evening of the same day the ritual of the Rosca de Reyes is shared with family and friends. The Rosca is a type of pastry made with orange blossom water and butter, and decorated with candied fruit. This article describes Pastry in food For the Distributed Hash Table system see Pastry_(DHT. Baked inside is a small doll representing the baby Jesus. In Mexico, the person who finds the doll in their piece of rosca must throw a party on February 2nd, "Candelaria Day," offering tamales and atole (a hot sweet drink thickened with corn flour) to the guests. A tamale ( Spanish tamal, from Nahuatl tamalli) is a traditional indigenous American food consisting of steam-cooked corn Atole ( Mexican Spanish, from Nahuatl atolli) is a traditional Cornstarch -based Mexican and Central American (where it is known as In Spain, the bread is known as Roscón. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Made with the same items, traditionally the roscón was simply a round, sweet bread with candied fruit on top, however, recently, different flavoured whipped creams are used as filling. The 'Jesus' doll evolved into a small toy similar to a Kinder Surprise it also includes a bean. The person who gets the toy is then crowned king for the day, while the person who finds the bean is responsible for paying for the Roscon.

In Louisiana, Epiphany is the beginning of the Mardi Gras season, during which it is customary to bake King Cakes, similar to the Rosca mentioned above. The State of Louisiana ( or, État de Louisiane, pronounced) is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America " Mardi Gras " ( French for Fat Tuesday) is the day before Ash Wednesday. A king cake (sometimes rendered as kingcake or kings' cake) is a type of Cake associated with the festival of Epiphany in the Christmas The one 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. "

See also

• Christ, Jesus
• Little Christmas
• Theophany
• Adoration of the Magi, Nativity scene
• Twelfth Night (holiday)
• Twelvetide
• Twelve Holy Days
• Christmas
• Zvaigznes Diena
• Magi
• The Epiphany Messenger
• The Epiphany as depicted by Hieronymus Bosch
• Epiphany; origins in Mithraism

References

External links

• Catholic Encyclopedia: Epiphany
• The Epiphany Season at the Christian Resource Institute
• Great Blessing of Waters at Theophany Russian Orthodox
• Armenian Theophany