Christmas: January 5th
The Epiphany of the Lord
MASS READINGS
January 05, 2020 (Readings on USCCB website)
COLLECT PRAYER
May the splendor of your majesty, O Lord, we pray, shed its light upon our hearts, that we may pass through the shadows of this world and reach the brightness of our eternal home. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Recipes (35)
- Cappelletti all'uso di Romagna (Soup with Little Hats)
- Mostarda di Cremona (Fruited Mustard)
- Paté de Noel (Christmas Pie)
- Brazilian King's Bread
- Candied Fruit Peel -- Epiphany Gift
- Dutch King's Bread
- Epiphany Bread
- Fave dei Morti II
- Fireside Punch
- Fresh Tomato Sauce
- Galette des Rois
- Gateau des Rois (1)
- Gateau des Rois (2)
- Insalata di Rinforzo
- King Cake (New Orleans' Style)
- King’s Ring
- Kings’ Bread Ring
- Lamb Pie with Poppy Seed Crust
- Lamb’s Wool I
- Lamb's Wool II
- Lamb's Wool III
- Lamb's Wool IV
- Little Hats Cappelletti
- Little Mince Pies
- Rosca de Reyes
- Spanish King's Bread
- Spanish King's Cake
- Twelfth Night Bread I
- Twelfth Night Bread II
- Twelfth Night Bread of Lady Carcas
- Twelfth Night Cake I
- Twelfth Night Cake II
- Twelfth Night Cake III
- Twelfth Night Cake IV
- King's Cake
Activities (30)
- A Children's Party for Twelfth Night
- A Christmas Play
- An Epiphany Drama
- Carnival or Mardi Gras
- Celebrating the Feast of the Epiphany
- Christmas and the Eucharist
- Christmas at Home and in the Liturgy
- Day Twelve ~ Activities for the Feast of Epiphany
- Day Twelve ~ Activities for the Twelfth Day of Christmas
- Enthroning the Crib for Epiphany
- Epiphany Cake Tradition
- Epiphany Crib Scene Figures
- Epiphany Feast Suggestions
- Epiphany Home Blessing Ceremony
- Epiphany Mass
- Epiphany Mass in an Eastern Rite
- Epiphany of Our Lord
- Epiphany Plays for the Family and Community
- Explanation of Epiphany, or the Manifestation of the Lord
- Family and Friends of Jesus Scrapbook Album
- Giving of Presents
- Kings' Party or Twelfth Night Party
- Living the Liturgy in the Home for Advent and Christmas
- Meaning of Epiphany
- Posters for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany
- Singing and Acting
- The Feasts of Light: Christmas, Epiphany and Candlemas
- The Wise Men, An Epiphany Legend
- Tradition of the Epiphany Mystery Play
- Twelfth Night Cake And Kings Tradition
Prayers (26)
- Roman Ritual: Blessing of Chalk on Epiphany
- Blessing of the Home on Epiphany
- Procession to the Royal Crib on Epiphany
- Christmas Morning Prayers
- Christmas Evening Prayers
- Epiphany Prayers for the Home (without Home Blessing)
- Summary of Epiphany Blessings from the Roman Ritual
- Christmas Table Blessing 1
- Christmas Table Blessing 2
- Christmas Table Blessing 3
- Christmas Table Blessing 4
- Book of Blessings: Blessing of a Christmas Tree
- Book of Blessings: Blessing of Homes During the Christmas and Easter Seasons
- Book of Blessings: Blessing Before and After Meals: Christmas Season (2nd Plan)
- Epiphany Home Blessing
- Book of Blessings: Blessing of the Christmas Tree for the Home (Shorter Rite)
- Epiphany Prayer from Mozarabic Breviary
- Epiphany Prayer - 2 from Mozarabic Breviary
- Roman Ritual: Blessing of Gold, Incense, and Myrrh on Epiphany
- Roman Ritual: Blessing of Homes on Epiphany
- Roman Ritual: Blessing of Water on Eve of Epiphany
- Roman Ritual: Litany of the Saints
- Epiphany Home Blessing Ceremony
- Epiphany Meal Blessing
- Solemn Announcing of Movable Feastdays on Epiphany
- Roman Ritual: Blessing of Eggs
Library (4)
» Enjoy our Liturgical Seasons series of e-books!
Old Calendar: The Most Holy Name of Jesus
Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Epiphany. "The Lord and ruler is coming; kingship is his, and government and power." With these words the Church proclaims that today's feast brings to a perfect fulfillment all the purposes of Advent. Epiphany, therefore, marks the liturgical zenith of the Advent-Christmas season. — Pius Parsch
The Solemnity of the Epiphany is celebrated either on January 6 or, according to the decision of the episcopal conference, on the Sunday between January 2 and January 8. The young Messiah is revealed as the light of the nations. Yet, as the antiphon for the Magnificat at Second Vespers reminds us, three mysteries are encompassed in this solemnity: the adoration of the Christ Child by the Magi, the Baptism of Christ and the wedding feast at Cana. Extra candles and/or lamps may be placed around the sanctuary and in other parts of the church to honor Christ revealed as the Light of the Gentiles (Ceremonial of Bishops). It is customary to replace the images of the shepherds at the crib with the three Magi and their gifts. — Ceremonies of the Liturgical Year, Msgr. Peter J. Elliott, Ignatius Press.
The feast of St. John Neumann, which is ordinarily celebrated today, is superseded by the Sunday liturgy.
Click here for commentary on the readings in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.
The feast of the Epiphany, which was kept in the East and in certain Western Churches before being observed in Rome, seems to have been originally a feast of the nativity; January 6, for those churches where it was kept, was the equivalent of Christmas (December 25) in the Roman Church. The feast was introduced at Rome in the second half of the sixth century and became the complement and, so to say, the crown of the Christmas festival.
Epiphany means manifestation. What the Church celebrates today is the manifestation of our Lord to the whole world; after being made known to the shepherds of Bethlehem He is revealed to the Magi who have come from the East to adore Him. Christian tradition has ever seen in the Magi the first fruits of the Gentiles; they lead in their wake all the peoples of the earth, and thus the Epiphany is an affirmation of universal salvation. St. Leo brings out this point admirably in a sermon, read at Matins, in which he shows in the adoration of the Magi the beginnings of Christian faith, the time when the great mass of the heathen sets off to follow the star which summons it to seek its Saviour.
That is the meaning, too, of the wonderful prophecy from Isaias which the liturgy appoints to be read in the first nocturn at Matins and at the Epistle of the Mass. This same thought of universal redemption the Church returns to as she sings, in the antiphon to the Magnificat at 2nd Vespers, applying the words to herself, of the union with Christ typified by the wedding feast at Cana, by the baptism of her children foreshadowed by that of Christ in the waters of the Jordan. Formerly the Epiphany was an additional day for solemn baptisms.
Solemnity of the Epiphany - Day Twelve
Epiphany is a large celebration, especially in Spanish speaking countries. Things look different around the household: the infant Jesus in the manger now has a small gold crown and is wearing regal robes. The figures of the wise men have reached Bethlehem, completing the nativity scene.
The Church extends itself on Epiphany to the homes of the faithful. The custom of blessing the home on this day probably originated from these words in the Gospel, "And entering into the house, they found the Child with Mary, His Mother, and falling down they adored Him." The priest blesses the house if he can be present, but if not, the father of the family may do so.
- Day Twelve activity (Epiphany Party)
- Day Twelve recipe (Twelfth Day Cake)
According to the 1962 Missal of St. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite today is the feast of the Holy Name of Jesus. In a Motu Proprio dated October 23, 1913, Pope St. Pius X moved this Feast to the Sunday between January 2-5, or January 2 if none of these days is a Sunday.