Epiphany

Epiphany History

Epiphany commemorates principally the visit of the Magi, or Wise Men, to the baby Jesus, signifying the revelation of Christ to the Gentiles. The festival celebrates the manifestation of the divine nature of Jesus – his baptism in the Jordan and his first miracle at Cana. The observance has three significant aspects: the Adoration of the Magi or Three Kings' Day, the Baptism of Christ, and the Wedding at Cana, each highlighting different aspects of Christ's life.

Tracing back to the traditions of the early Church, the Ephiphany is one of the oldest Christian feasts. In the United Kingdom, the feast has been observed since the end of the 2nd century, originally as part of the celebration of the nativity. The day carries great significance as it marks the arrival of the 'Star of Bethlehem', thus symbolizing Christ's physical manifestation to the Gentiles. The Twelfth Night, a cultural festival marking the eve of Epiphany, is particularly noted for its customs of merrymaking and festivity in British culture.

Church services for Epiphany often include the "Blessing of the Waters", where water is blessed in remembrance of Jesus's baptism. Many families arrange Nativity scenes in their homes, with the figures of the Wise Men added on this day. Twelfth Night festivities associated with Epiphany include public parades featuring costumed "kings" and the tradition of the 'Twelfth Cake'. Epiphany occurs on the 6th of January each year in the United Kingdom, signifying the close of the Christmas festive season.

Top facts about Epiphany

• Epiphany Day is celebrated as a public holiday in Sweden, Finland and Iceland. Denmark and Norway do not have the day off, but do hold special mass and church services. The day is also a holiday throughout much of Eastern Europe.
• In some Eastern Orthodox Christian communities, Epiphany is celebrated by a procession to the nearest river, lake, or pond. The priest blesses the water and he throws a cross in the waves. People dive into the water to retrieve the cross, and the one who finds it is thought to be particularly blessed in the New Year.
• During the Victorian era, it was traditional to remove Christmas decorations on Epiphany – a tradition that persists to this day. It is often considered unlucky to leave the decorations up after this date.
• Carol singing, or "wassailing," was a part of the Epiphany celebration in England. A traditional English carol for this holiday is We Three Kings, which tells the story of the Magi’s journey.

In the News and Trending in the UK for Epiphany

Top things to do for Epiphany

• Take down any decorations, you should have taken these down on Knut’s Day, the day before Epiphany, but if you’ve been too busy eating, today is the day to get them down.
• In some Western churches, church members share king cake, similar to the pastry served on Mardi Gras in New Orleans. A coin or bean is cooked into the cake, and whoever receives them gets to wear a crown for a day.
• In the UK, it is customary to take down Christmas decorations on Twelfth Night, marking the end of the Christmas season. Many believe it is bad luck to leave them up longer than this date.
• Wassailing is another tradition observed on Epiphany Eve (January 5th). It involves singing and toasting the apple trees in the orchards to encourage a good harvest. This practice is mainly seen in cider-producing regions like Somerset.