Posted on 01/06/2006 1:04:10 AM PST by La Enchiladita
In western Christian tradition, January 6 is celebrated as Epiphany. It goes by other names in various church traditions. In Hispanic and Latin culture, as well as some places in Europe, it is known as Three Kings’ Day ... Because of differences in church calendars, mainly between the Eastern Orthodox and the western Catholic and Protestant traditions, both Christmas and Epiphany have been observed at different times in the past. Today, most of the Eastern Orthodox traditions follow the western church calendar. ...
Epiphany is the climax of the Christmas Season and the Twelve Days of Christmas, which are usually counted from December 25th until January 5th. In most traditions, the day before Epiphany is the Twelfth Day of Christmas, the evening of which is called Twelfth Night. This is an occasion for feasting in some cultures, including the baking of a special King's Cake as part of the festivities of Epiphany (a King's Cake is part of the observance of Mardi Gras in French Catholic culture of the Southern USA). In some church traditions, January 5th is considered the Eleventh Day of Christmas, while the evening is still counted as the Twelfth Night, the beginning of the Twelfth day of Christmas the following day. In these traditions the Twelfth Day of Christmas is January 6th, the Epiphany.
(Excerpt) Read more at cresourcei.org ...
I have never heard such things. Perhaps this shows my closeness to non-denominational and Baptist churches?
Epiphany is from the liturgical churches, you probably wouldn't be exposed to it in a Baptist church. It is the reason, tho, that there were parties and merriment in Europe for Twelve Days of Christmas -- and why the Puritans left.
I, for one, love Epiphany, because -- instead of celebrating Christmas Day and then you are done, take the tree down, take the decs down, throw the chocolates out -- you continue to celebrate the season of Christmas.
We have recently instituted an Epiphany Party on the weekend following the 6th. We leave the tree up, have one last celebration of Christmas before starting the new year. People seem to love it. There is so much pre-Christmas and so little after the day. I did finally write out a page explaining the history and customs of Epiphany, to send with the invitations. The unchurched were clueless.
One thing I learned -- the Volga Germans (my great-grandmother) called the time from Christmas to Epiphany 'the time between the years (zwischen die Jahren).' After Epiphany was when the new year began.
Wonderful! Thank you!
Ping to the topic and post#4
What was that disruption about?!
Some kid was trying to get a head start on the rest. LOL! My wife and kids are there right now and called to make sure I had it on. Glad I could share the link before it was too late.
Ping to post #4.
Where exactly are they?
I loved seeing the dove in the tree "overseeing" the rites.
Are you listening to the live feed right now? He has secret service as a head of State.
It appears a beautiful day in Tarpon Springs.
Little Christmas or Nollaig Bheag in the Irish language, is one of the traditional names in Ireland and Italy for January 6, more commonly known as the Epiphany. It is so called because it was, until the adoption of the Gregorian calendar, the day on which Christmas Day was celebrated. It is the traditional end of the Christmas season and the last day of the Christmas holidays for both Primary and Secondary schools.
It is also known as Women's Christmas (Nollaig na mBan) It is so called because of the tradition (still strong in Cork, though only just surviving in the rest of the country) of Irish men taking on all the household duties on that day and giving their spouses a day off.
(from wikipedia)
My thought is that we would be a much stronger culture if more people observed these rituals together. What better way to begin the New Year than in celebrating the divine revelation of God through his Son, Jesus Christ!
Thanks - I've never heard of this before. (even if I am Irish!) ;*)
Ooooh...recipe please!?!
I actually got into a wee bit of an argument with my neighbor who insists that all Christmas decorations must be taken down the day after Christmas. I tried explaining to her that the Christmas season is just starting and the biblical reasons behind it(she is a fundamentalist protestant), but she just sniffed at me like I was some kind of crazy Catholic.
I find it interesting that for so many that are sola scriptura, they could overlook something so important as the Epiphany. Of course, most overlook John 6:55, but that's another story. =/
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