The feast of Epiphany in the Catholic Church is traditionally celebrated on January 6th, though it is such an important feast that the Church celebrated it as a whole on Sunday, January 4th. Epiphany is the 12th day of Christmas. The song "Twelve Days of Christmas" was written in England as a double-meaning, secretive way of passing along the faith to children during the time when Catholicism was outlawed in the land (1558-1829.)
Epiphany celebrates the manifestation or revelation of God in human form - the person of Jesus. The Roman church commemorates the visitation of the Magi (three kings or wise sages) to the infant Jesus. This is the day of recognition that the whole world, beyond the Jewish people, would come to know Jesus as their Lord and Messiah.
The magi brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh as gifts to the child, Jesus. In the Western Church some households celebrate this feast by getting water, gold, frankincense and chalk blessed at church. The chalk is used to write the initials of the three magi over the doors of churches and homes. The letters, CMB, stand for Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar, the three magi, but also Christus mansionem benedicat, which translates as "may Christ bless the house."
Finally the ancient custom on solemnly announcing the date of Easter and the church year occurs on the feast of Epiphany. This was done in a time when reading and writing was not widespread. It set the celebrations of the liturgical years once the priests determined the date of Easter.
Let us pray:
Father, you revealed your Son to the nations by the guidance of a star. Lead us to your glory in heaven by the light of faith. Your light is strong; your love is near; draw us beyond the limits which this world imposes, to the life where your Spirit makes all life complete. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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