The Epiphany of the Lord
In Epiphania Domini
On the sixth of January the Church keeps the Epiphany, the manifestation of Christ to the nations, commemorating the adoration of the Magi, the Baptism in the Jordan, and the first miracle at Cana.
The Epiphany, kept on the sixth of January, is among the most ancient and most solemn feasts of the Christian year. The word Epiphany means “manifestation” or “showing forth,” and on this day the Church celebrates the revealing of the Saviour to the world. In the West the feast is associated above all with the coming of the Magi, the wise men from the East who, led by a star, came to Bethlehem to adore the new-born King and to offer Him gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:1–12).
Three mysteries in one feast
From early times the liturgy has gathered three manifestations of the Lord into this single feast. The Magi, who were Gentiles, were the first-fruits of the nations called to faith, and their adoration reveals Christ as the Saviour not of Israel only but of all peoples. The Baptism of the Lord in the Jordan, when the voice of the Father was heard and the Spirit descended as a dove, manifested Jesus as the beloved Son. And at the marriage feast of Cana He manifested His glory by the first of His miracles, turning water into wine. The antiphon of the feast sings of all three: the Church adores Christ shown forth as King to the Magi, as God at the Jordan, and as Lord at Cana.
The gifts of the Magi
The Fathers of the Church saw deep meaning in the gifts brought by the wise men. Gold was offered to a King, frankincense to God, and myrrh — used in burial — to one who was to die for the world. In coming from afar to seek and adore the Child, the Magi stand for all who, guided by the light of faith, set out to find Christ. Their journey teaches that God draws to Himself those who seek Him with sincere hearts, and that the true homage owed to the King of kings is adoration.
A feast of light
The Epiphany has always been a feast of joy and light, ranking among the greatest solemnities of the year. In many places it is the custom on this day to announce the date of Easter and the movable feasts of the coming year, and to bless homes, marking the doors with blessed chalk in memory of the Magi. The Church invites the faithful to rejoice that the light of Christ has shone upon the nations, and to walk by that same light toward the Lord who has been made manifest.
The Collect
O God, who on this day didst manifest thine only-begotten Son to the Gentiles, the star being their guide: mercifully grant; that we who know thee now by faith, may be brought to the contemplation of the beauty of thy Majesty.
Deus, qui hodíerna die Unigénitum tuum géntibus, stella duce, revelásti: concede propítius; ut, qui iam te ex fide cognóvimus, usque ad contemplandam spéciem tuæ celsitúdinis perducámur.
Patronage
The Epiphany is observed throughout the universal Church; in many countries it is kept as a holy day and is the traditional occasion for the blessing of homes and the announcement of the year’s movable feasts.
In the Modern Calendar
In the modern calendar, the Epiphany remains a solemnity on 6 January, though in some regions it is transferred to the Sunday between 2 and 8 January; the Baptism of the Lord is kept as a separate feast on the following Sunday.
Common Questions
When is the Epiphany?
It is kept on 6 January as a First Class feast in the 1962 Roman Missal. Where it is not a holy day of obligation, its solemnity is sometimes observed on a nearby Sunday.
What does Epiphany mean?
The word means “manifestation” or “showing forth.” The feast celebrates the manifestation of Christ to the world, especially to the Magi, who were the first of the Gentiles to adore Him.
Who were the Magi?
They were wise men from the East who, guided by a star, came to Bethlehem to worship the new-born King and offered Him gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The Church honours them as the first-fruits of the nations called to faith in Christ.
See where this feast falls in the Church’s year on the liturgical calendar, or find a Traditional Latin Mass near you.
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