Epiphany
The Feast of the Epiphany, one of seven principal feasts, is usually celebrated on the 6th Day of January, on the first day following the 12 Days of Christmas that started on the 25th of January. Some parishes move the celebration to the following Sunday. Additionally, Epiphany is the name of the season of the church year that starts on 6 January and goes until Shrove Tuesday (also known as Fat Tuesday) which falls on 24 February in 2009. The day after Shrove Tuesday is Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the penitential season of Lent. And that is why Mardi Gras (or Carnival in some places) occurs when it does.
The three big events we remember in Epiphany are the visit of the wise men, the flight of Mary & Joseph with baby Jesus to Egypt to escape the threat to Jesus' young life from King Herod, and Jesus' Baptism by John in the River Jordan. Epiphany therefore is a popular time for baptisms to occur. One important note: While the number of wise men is traditionally thought to be three, because of the three gifts: gold, frankincense, & myrrh, Scripture never gives a number to the company of wise men, who most likely traveled with quite an entourage, considering the valuable gifts they brought with them.
A special prayer, called a collect, and then the reading from Saint Matthew's Gospel about the visit of the wise men follows.
O God, who revealed Your only Son to the Gentiles by the leading of a star, mercifully grant that we, who know You now by faith, may after this life enjoy the splendour of Your gracious Godhead, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen [from the Anglican Cycle of Prayer 2009]
In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed His star at its rising, and have come to pay Him homage." When King Herod heard this, he was frighted, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:
'And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.'"
Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star appeared. Then he sent them to Bethelhem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found Him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay Him homage." When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary His mother; and they knelt down and paid Him homage. Then opening their treasure chests, they offered Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.
[The Gospel according to Saint Matthew Chapter 2, Verses 1-12 NRSV]
The liturgical colour of Epiphany is green, representing our enternal life in Christ.
