Epiphany is a Christian holiday celebrating the visit of the Three Kings to baby Jesus, often celebrated more vigorously than Christmas in some countries. Traditions include giving wives and mothers a day off work, leaving shoes for gifts, eating king’s cake, and blessing water. It is also associated with Christ’s appearance to St. Paul and is seen by some as a non-commercialized celebration.
Epiphany is a Christian holiday commonly associated with the visit of the Three Kings to the infant Christ. It is also the twelfth day of Christmas, as popularized by the song. In essence, Christmas doesn’t end for many Christians until the revelation of Christ. In some Christian denominations, this holiday does not end until the beginning of Lent.
In some countries, Epiphany is celebrated more vigorously than Christmas. For example, Ireland celebrates Epiphany or Little Christmas by giving wives and mothers a day off work on January 6th. This is particularly popular in Cork, where women often leave the house for the day, while husbands take care of the children and do household chores.
In many Latin American families, children leave their shoes with pieces of hay for camels ridden by kings. They are often given gifts on Epiphany, or the Day of Kings, and the gifts are thought to be best if hay is left for the Kings’ mounts.
The French often celebrate this feast by eating the king’s cake or the gâteau des Rois. Often a bean or a small toy is placed in the cake. The person who gets the slice with the hidden object is said to enjoy good luck for the year.
Eastern Orthodox Churches find the Epiphany particularly relevant as a revelation of Christ. A church celebration may include the blessing of the waters. You visit the closest stretch of water, pray and throw a crucifix into the water. If weather conditions permit, swimmers can attempt to recover the cross.
Epiphany is also associated with the appearance of Christ to St. Paul. In this way, it is used in the sense of having a revelation from the Greek root. Christ’s appearance to Paul radically changed Paul’s life and transformed him into an especially greedy Christian who worked very hard to convert his brethren.
Some Christians find Epiphany to be the last vestige of the non-commercialized holiday. They prefer to enjoy a truly religion based Christian celebration and not in retail stores. Many choose to celebrate it with a special family reunion that does not include gifts, to separate the “God and Mammon” service. Christ explains in his teaching that serving wealth, mammon, means one cannot dedicate oneself to God.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
