This Day in History Is the Epiphany: January 6 is Epiphany, a significant feast that marks the arrival of the Magi for Western Christians and Jesus' birth, baptism by John, and first miracle for Eastern Orthodox Christians.
The Christian holiday of Epiphany, also known as Feast of the Epiphany, Theophany, or Three Kings' Day (from the Greek epiphaneia, "manifestation"), commemorates Jesus Christ's first appearance to the Gentiles, represented by the Magi, as well as the appearance of his divinity at his baptism in the Jordan River and his first miracle at Cana in Galilee. Epiphany is one of the Christian church's three primary and earliest festival days, along with Easter and Christmas. The feast is observed on January 6 by Western churches like the Roman Catholic Church, Lutheran Church, and Anglican Church, while Epiphany is observed on January 19 by some Eastern Orthodox churches because Christmas Eve falls on January 6.
The Eastern church is where the festival got its start, and at first it included a celebration of Christ's birth. By the year 354 in Rome, the celebration of Christ's birth on December 25 (Christmas) had begun, and in the fourth century, the church in Rome began to observe Epiphany on January 6. In the Western church, the festival is mostly about the Magi's visit to Jesus, which is seen as proof that Christ, the Jewish Messiah, came to save Gentiles as well. It is primarily observed in the East to commemorate Jesus' baptism and the revelation that the incarnate Christ was both fully God and fully man.
Twelfth Night is the name given to the night before Epiphany in the West. The Twelve Days of Christmas are the days from December 25 to January 6. In many countries, Epiphany is celebrated with special pastries, and children frequently receive small gifts in their shoes to honor the Magi's gifts to Jesus. As a reminder of Jesus' baptism, the holiday also features a number of customs that involve the blessing of homes with holy water.
On Ketera (January 18), Ethiopian Orthodox Christians hold a major festival to commemorate Epiphany, or Timket. Celebrants escort a tabot-like replica of the Ark of the Covenant to a local body of water with great ceremony to commemorate Christ's baptism. Prayer and hymn services are held throughout the night. The tabot is returned to its church in a colorful procession after being blessed with holy water the following morning.
Pentecost, also known as Whitsunday (Pentecost comes from the Greek word for "50th day"), is a major Christian festival observed on the Sunday following the 50th day of Easter. It marks the beginning of the Christian church's mission to the world and commemorates the Holy Spirit's descent on the Apostles and other disciples following Jesus Christ's Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Ascension (Acts of the Apostles, chapter 2).
The Jewish holiday of Pentecost, also known as Shavuot, was originally celebrated to give thanks for the first fruits of the wheat harvest, but it later came to be associated with remembering the Law that God gave Moses on Mount Sinai. Therefore, the belief that the gift of the Holy Spirit to Jesus' followers was the firstfruits of a new dispensation that fulfilled and succeeded the old dispensation of the Law was related to the church's transformation of the Jewish feast into a Christian festival.
It is unknown when the festival was first observed by Christians, but it is mentioned in the Eastern church's Epistola Apostolorum from the second century. It was mentioned by Origen, a theologian and head of the Alexandrian catechetical school, and Tertullian, a Christian priest and Carthaginian writer, in the third century.
Christians in the early church referred to the entire 50-day period beginning with Easter as Pentecost frequently. The Paschal season began on Easter and ended on Pentecost, when baptisms were performed. In the end, Pentecost became a more popular time to baptize people in northern Europe than Easter. In England, the day was called White Sunday (Whitsunday) because the newly baptized people wore special white clothes. The official name of the holiday, Whitsunday, was used in The First Prayer Book of Edward VI in 1549, and it has been used in Anglican churches ever since. During Pentecost, priests in Catholic and other Western churches frequently don red vestments to represent the "tongues of fire" that fell on the disciples from the Holy Spirit; In some traditions, congregation members also wear red, and the altar's frontal cloth is frequently red.
In the New Testament, agape (Greek: agap) refers to both the fatherly love of God for humans and the human love of God in return. The highest form of love in Scripture is the transcendent agape love, which is contrasted with philia, or brotherly love, and eros, or erotic love. Agape is the term used to describe the love that prompted God to send his only son to save the world in John 3:16, a verse that is frequently referred to as a summary of the Gospel message. Because the unselfish love that God and humans share is reflected in one's own love for others, the term has to include love for other people. Also see charity.
According to Jude 1:12, the Church Fathers used the word "agape" to refer to both a meal of fellowship and a rite performed with bread and wine for the poor. It is still unclear how the Lord's Supper, the Eucharist, and the agape rite were historically connected. The agape, according to some scholars, was a variant of the Lord's Supper, with the Eucharist serving as the sacramental component. Others believe that agape refers to a meal of fellowship held in imitation of Jesus' and his disciples' gatherings; It is believed that the Eucharist was initially part of this meal until it was eventually completely removed from it.
The Christian feast of St. Michael the Archangel, Michaelmas, is observed on September 29 in Western churches. Since St. Michael was traditionally regarded as the commander in chief of the heavenly armies, his feast day eventually included a ceremony to honor all angels. Michaelmas is now more commonly observed as the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, the archangels, in the Roman Catholic Church. The proper name for it in the Anglican Church is the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels. The Eastern Orthodox Church celebrates the archangels on November 8 instead of Michaelmas.
Beginning in the Eastern Church in the fourth century, the veneration of St. Michael—typically regarded as the greatest of the archangels and a formidable defender of the church against Satan—had spread to Western Christianity by the fifth century. The dedication of a sanctuary to St. Michael at Monte Gargano in Italy in the sixth century is celebrated on the feast day of May 8. Originally, Michaelmas was observed as a Holy Day of Obligation; however, this requirement was gradually removed.
Michaelmas was a significant religious holiday in the Middle Ages, and numerous popular customs developed around the day, which in most of western Europe coincided with the harvest. On Michaelmas, it was customary to consume goose in England in order to safeguard against future financial hardship. In Ireland, finding a wedding ring in a Michaelmas pie meant getting married soon.
One of two widely observed holidays in honor of two Christian saints is St. Stephen's Day, also known as Boxing Day, Wren Day, or Constitution Day. St. Stephen, a Christian deacon in Jerusalem who was known for his service to the poor and status as the first Christian martyr (he was stoned to death in AD 36), is remembered on December 26 in many countries. In Hungary, August 20 is celebrated in honor of King Stephen of Hungary, who brought Christianity to the country in the year 1000 and was made a saint in 1083 for his efforts. St. Stephen's Day is celebrated on December 26, 2022, Monday.
Boxing Day is a common name for the 26th of December holiday in the United Kingdom and some Commonwealth nations. It gets its name from the custom of giving small gifts to housekeepers on that day in appreciation for their work throughout the year. In the past, children would kill a wren and take it door to door to ask for money in exchange for a wren's feather, which people believed brought good luck. This is why the holiday in Ireland is sometimes referred to as "Wren Day." On St. Stephen's Day, many countries continue the custom of going house to house, particularly in Scandinavia, where friends and parties are held.
St. Stephen's Day is observed on August 20 in Hungary to commemorate the transfer of the saint's relics to Buda, which is now part of Budapest and is considered sacred by Hungarian Catholics. On that day in 1949, the communist government of the country issued a new constitution with the intention of changing the Christian-themed holiday into a political one, which they renamed Constitution Day. However, the holiday was once again observed as St. Stephen's Day in Hungary after the communist regime's fall. The case containing the relics of St. Stephen's right hand is carried in processions through Budapest's streets as part of one ritual. Fireworks and parades are two examples of more recent celebrations.
What is ecstatic?
Epiphany is a Christian holiday that primarily honors John the Baptist's baptism of Jesus and the Magi's visit to the infant. The baptism of Jesus, which is typically referred to as Theophany in Eastern traditions, is regarded as the manifestation of Christ as fully human and fully divine. Western traditions focus on the visit of the Magi, which is regarded as the first sign that Christ is the savior of Jews and Gentiles. One of the church's oldest and most significant feasts is Epiphany.
When is Christmas?
Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Anglicans, and Christians from other Western traditions observe Epiphany on January 6. Since Christmas Eve falls on January 6, Eastern customs that adhere to the Julian calendar rather than the Gregorian calendar celebrate the Epiphany on January 19.
What is the celebration of Epiphany?
Children often receive small gifts in their shoes in honor of the Magi's gifts to the baby Jesus, and special pastries are served on Epiphany in many nations. During Epiphany, baptism is common in Eastern traditions, and holy water may be used to bless homes.
What is Epiphany's origin story?
The Eastern church was the first to celebrate Epiphany, which initially included a celebration of Jesus' birth. By 354 E, Rome was celebrating Jesus' birth on December 25, and the church in Rome started celebrating Epiphany separately on January 6.
What does it mean to be called Epiphany?
The term "Epiphany" originates from the Greek word "epiphaneia," which means "appearance" or "manifestation." It is used to describe the public display of Jesus Christ to the world. The Feast of Epiphany, Theophany, and Three Kings' Day are other names for the holiday.
Why is January 6 known as the "Epiphany" day?
Because it commemorates the way a star led the Magi, also known as the Three Kings or the Wise Men, to the newborn Jesus after he was born, it is a significant day for many Christians. The word "epiphany" comes from the Greek word for "to reveal," which refers to the moment when the infant Jesus was "revealed" to the world.
Is epiphany an emotion?
Epiphany (Feeling) from the MDPI Encyclopedia. An epiphany is an experience of a sudden and striking realization. The word "epiphany" comes from the ancient Greek and means "manifestation, striking appearance."
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