If a congregation began reading Mark at the beginning of the year, it might arrive at the story of the Baptism on January 6, thus explaining the date of the feast. In ancient gospel manuscripts, the text is arranged to indicate passages for liturgical readings. The reference to "readings" suggests that the Basilides were reading the Gospels. The Basilides were a Gnostic sect.Īdoration of the Magi by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, 17th century And some say that it was observed the 11th of the same month." The Egyptian dates given correspond to January 6 and 10. And they say that it was the 15th of the month Tybi of the 15th year of Tiberius Caesar. Around 200, Clement of Alexandria wrote that, "But the followers of Basilides celebrate the day of His Baptism too, spending the previous night in readings. History Įpiphany may have originated in the Greek-speaking eastern half of the Roman Empire as a feast to honor the baptism of Jesus. Īlternative names for the feast in Greek include τα Θεοφάνεια, ta Theopháneia "Theophany" (a neuter plural rather than feminine singular), η Ημέρα των Φώτων, i Iméra ton Fóton (modern Greek pronunciation), "The Day of the Lights", and τα Φώτα, ta Fóta, "The Lights". In the New Testament the word is used in 2 Timothy 1:10 to refer either to the birth of Christ or to his appearance after his resurrection, and five times to refer to his Second Coming. In the Septuagint the word is used of a manifestation of the God of Israel ( 2 Maccabees 15:27). In classical Greek it was used for the appearance of dawn, of an enemy in war, but especially of a manifestation of a deity to a worshiper (a theophany). It is derived from the verb φαίνειν, phainein, meaning "to appear". The word Epiphany is from Koine Greek ἐπιφάνεια, epipháneia, meaning manifestation or appearance. According to the first tradition, those who fail to remember to remove their Christmas decorations on Epiphany Eve must leave them untouched until Candlemas, the second opportunity to remove them failure to observe this custom is considered inauspicious.
It is customary for Christians in many localities to remove their Christmas decorations on Epiphany Eve (Twelfth Night), although those in other Christian countries historically remove them on Candlemas, the conclusion of Epiphanytide. Popular Epiphany customs include Epiphany singing, chalking the door, having one's house blessed, consuming Three Kings Cake, winter swimming, as well as attending church services. The Monday after Epiphany is known as Plough Monday. In many Western Churches, the eve of the feast is celebrated as Twelfth Night (Epiphany Eve). Those Eastern Churches which are still following the Julian calendar observe the feast on what, according to the internationally used Gregorian calendar, is January 19, because of the current 13-day difference between the Julian and Gregorian calendars. However, since 1970, the celebration is held in some countries on the Sunday after January 1. The traditional date for the feast is January 6. The spot marked by Al-Maghtas in Jordan, adjacent to Qasr al-Yahud in the West Bank, is considered to be the original site of the baptism of Jesus and the ministry of John the Baptist. Įastern Christians, on the other hand, commemorate the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River, seen as his manifestation to the world as the Son of God. Moreover, the feast of the Epiphany, in some denominations, also initiates the liturgical season of Epiphanytide. It is sometimes called Three Kings' Day, and in some traditions celebrated as Little Christmas. In Western Christianity, the feast commemorates principally (but not solely) the visit of the Magi to the Christ Child, and thus Jesus Christ's physical manifestation to the Gentiles. Epiphany ( / ə ˈ p ɪ f ə n i/ ə- PIF-ə-nee), also known as " Theophany" in Eastern Christian tradition, is a Christian feast day commemorating the visit of the Magi, the baptism of Jesus, and the wedding at Cana.
0 kommentar(er)
