Okla-homey
1/6/2006, 08:42 AM
January 6....The Feast of Epiphany
http://img495.imageshack.us/img495/8982/epiph32qv.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
In western Christian tradition, January 6 is celebrated as Epiphany. It goes by other names in various church traditions. In Hispanic and Latin culture, as well as some places in Europe, it is known as Three Kings’ Day (Span: el Dia de los Tres Reyes, la Fiesta de Reyes, or el Dia de los Reyes Magos; Dutch: Driekoningendag).
Epiphany is the culmination of the Christmas Season and the Twelve Days of Christmas, which are usually counted from December 25th until January 5th. In most traditions, the day before Epiphany is the Twelfth Day of Christmas, the evening of which is called Twelfth Night.
http://img370.imageshack.us/img370/4774/12days25ke.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
This is an occasion for feasting in some cultures, including the baking of a special King's Cake as part of the festivities of Epiphany (a King's Cake is part of the observance of Mardi Gras in French Catholic culture of the Southern USA). The King's Cake usually has a tiny figure of an infant symbolic of the infant Jesus baked inside, thought to bode good fortune to the person who finds it in his or her piece of cake.
http://img495.imageshack.us/img495/4219/epihspain2ne.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
An Epiphany King Cake...without the mardi gras colors of green, purple and gold of course.
In traditional Christian churches Christmas, as well as Easter, is celebrated as a period of time, a season of the church year, rather than just a day. The Season of Christmas begins with the First Sunday of Advent, marked by expectation and anticipation, and concludes with Epiphany, which looks ahead to the mission of the church to the world in light of the Nativity.
The one or two Sundays between Christmas Day and Epiphany are sometimes called Christmastide.
http://img495.imageshack.us/img495/8417/epiphi2gx.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
The term epiphany means "to show" or "to make known" or even "to reveal." In Western churches, it remembers the coming of the wise men bringing gifts to visit the Christ child, who by so doing "reveal" Jesus to the world as Lord and King.
In some Central and South American countries influenced by Catholic tradition, Three Kings’ Day, or the night before, is the time for opening Christmas presents. In some eastern churches, Epiphany or the Theophany commemorates Jesus’ baptism, with the visit of the Magi linked to Christmas.
http://img495.imageshack.us/img495/8055/epiphany3tp.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
14th c. painting in cathedral of Barcelona
As with most aspects of the Christian liturgical calendar, Epiphany has theological significance as a teaching tool in the church. The "Wise Men" or "Magi" who brought gifts to the infant Jesus were the first Gentiles to acknowledge Jesus as "King" and so were the first to "show" or "reveal" Jesus to a wider world as the incarnate Christ.
One more thing, these men weren't merely Gentiles (non-Jews,) they were more like "wizard wannabes." These "wise men," or "magi" from the east who were occultists, came to worship the newborn King. Think about it, the name "magi is derived from the same root word that forms the word "magic." These guys were sorcerers who observed the stars and who knows what else. Nevertheless, they recognized the babe's divinity and felt compelled to find and worship him and bring gifts.
This act of worship by the Magi, which corresponded to Simeon’s blessing that this child Jesus would be "a light for revelation to the Gentiles" (Luke 2:32), was one of the first indications that Jesus came for all people, of all nations, of all races, and that the work of God in the world would not be limited to only a few.
At your corrsepondents home, we'll pack away the nativity scene today. its the last bit of Christmastide left in the house and we think it appropriate to leave it up until Epiphany.
http://img342.imageshack.us/img342/8146/insane7zo0yj.jpg
http://img495.imageshack.us/img495/8982/epiph32qv.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
In western Christian tradition, January 6 is celebrated as Epiphany. It goes by other names in various church traditions. In Hispanic and Latin culture, as well as some places in Europe, it is known as Three Kings’ Day (Span: el Dia de los Tres Reyes, la Fiesta de Reyes, or el Dia de los Reyes Magos; Dutch: Driekoningendag).
Epiphany is the culmination of the Christmas Season and the Twelve Days of Christmas, which are usually counted from December 25th until January 5th. In most traditions, the day before Epiphany is the Twelfth Day of Christmas, the evening of which is called Twelfth Night.
http://img370.imageshack.us/img370/4774/12days25ke.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
This is an occasion for feasting in some cultures, including the baking of a special King's Cake as part of the festivities of Epiphany (a King's Cake is part of the observance of Mardi Gras in French Catholic culture of the Southern USA). The King's Cake usually has a tiny figure of an infant symbolic of the infant Jesus baked inside, thought to bode good fortune to the person who finds it in his or her piece of cake.
http://img495.imageshack.us/img495/4219/epihspain2ne.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
An Epiphany King Cake...without the mardi gras colors of green, purple and gold of course.
In traditional Christian churches Christmas, as well as Easter, is celebrated as a period of time, a season of the church year, rather than just a day. The Season of Christmas begins with the First Sunday of Advent, marked by expectation and anticipation, and concludes with Epiphany, which looks ahead to the mission of the church to the world in light of the Nativity.
The one or two Sundays between Christmas Day and Epiphany are sometimes called Christmastide.
http://img495.imageshack.us/img495/8417/epiphi2gx.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
The term epiphany means "to show" or "to make known" or even "to reveal." In Western churches, it remembers the coming of the wise men bringing gifts to visit the Christ child, who by so doing "reveal" Jesus to the world as Lord and King.
In some Central and South American countries influenced by Catholic tradition, Three Kings’ Day, or the night before, is the time for opening Christmas presents. In some eastern churches, Epiphany or the Theophany commemorates Jesus’ baptism, with the visit of the Magi linked to Christmas.
http://img495.imageshack.us/img495/8055/epiphany3tp.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
14th c. painting in cathedral of Barcelona
As with most aspects of the Christian liturgical calendar, Epiphany has theological significance as a teaching tool in the church. The "Wise Men" or "Magi" who brought gifts to the infant Jesus were the first Gentiles to acknowledge Jesus as "King" and so were the first to "show" or "reveal" Jesus to a wider world as the incarnate Christ.
One more thing, these men weren't merely Gentiles (non-Jews,) they were more like "wizard wannabes." These "wise men," or "magi" from the east who were occultists, came to worship the newborn King. Think about it, the name "magi is derived from the same root word that forms the word "magic." These guys were sorcerers who observed the stars and who knows what else. Nevertheless, they recognized the babe's divinity and felt compelled to find and worship him and bring gifts.
This act of worship by the Magi, which corresponded to Simeon’s blessing that this child Jesus would be "a light for revelation to the Gentiles" (Luke 2:32), was one of the first indications that Jesus came for all people, of all nations, of all races, and that the work of God in the world would not be limited to only a few.
At your corrsepondents home, we'll pack away the nativity scene today. its the last bit of Christmastide left in the house and we think it appropriate to leave it up until Epiphany.
http://img342.imageshack.us/img342/8146/insane7zo0yj.jpg