Epiphany

The Christian direction of the festival

In the Roman Catholic church

In certain countries, the celebration Liturgique of the festival is deferred to a Sunday, under the terms of a papal indult intended to make it possible to people to go to the mass (whereas they should work on January 6th if this day is not non-working in their country). Thus, in France, this festival is celebrated the second Sunday after Christmas.

This festival celebrates the visit of the child Jesus by the magi, usually called the Magi who is called respectively: Balthazar, Nickel silver and Gaspard.

In the orthodoxe Church

The festival commemorates the baptism of Christ in the the Jordan, the descent of the Son of God in the middle of his creation, the stupor of this creation which recognizes its creator (the Jordan turns over behind) and the manifestation of the Divine Trinity (the voice of the Father and the dove return testimony to the Son).

In certain orthodoxe countries, a cross is launched in a river or in the sea and young people compete, in this cold season, to plunge and bring it back. The festival is called rather Théophanie and it is prepared by a strict fast on January 5th.

In the Armenian apostolic Church

The festival is one of the greatest festivals of the year because Christmas is not celebrated on December 25th but, according to the former Christian use, on January 6th.

Tradition to draw the Kings

In France, the tradition wants that the Epiphany is the occasion “to draw the kings”: a figurine is hidden in a pastry making and the person who obtains this Fève becomes the king of the day. This practice would find its origin in the Saturnales of the ancient Rome.

In the northern half of France, since the 14th century, one eats the Galette of the kings at the time of this festival. The tradition wants that one divides wafer in as many shares as guests, plus one. The latter, called “share of the Good god”, “leaves the Virgin” or “share of poor”, was intended for the first poor one which would arise to the home.

A modern use also wants that traditional the Fève is replaced or close with a small subject hidden inside the paste to the Galette of the kings, the person having in her share the Fève will symbolically be crowned king or queen and will have to offer next wafer, as for that which on the subject it will have to offer the drink (sparkling wine, muscatel, or champagne according to the purse…).

When there is a child, this one must be placed under the table, and while the person who makes the service chooses a piece, the child designates the recipient of this portion.

In the south of France, traditionally, one does not prepare a wafer, but a Brioche in the shape of crown, furnished and covered with candied fruits and granulated sugar. A santon (generally santon-chip) tends to replace broad bean. This crown of the Kings is always very present but is often made compete with by wafer, less expensive (the candied fruits are expensive) but also of manufacture and conservation (even of handling!) easier. non-Provençaux the, many ones to settle in the South, remain often faithful to the Frangipane.

One finds habits similar in Spain, with the Portugal and in the countries of Latin America. The Día of los Tres Magos is there often a bank holiday and the children receive there their gifts rather than with Christmas.

In Belgium and with the Netherlands: one also eats a wafer with the almond paste. Young person hides under the table to indicate the shares and the king of the day chooses his queen. During the day the children traverse the streets by singing the song of star and make door with door to receive tangerines and candies. This habit tends to disappear in Belgium. In the Flemish campaigns that is still done. Let us note in the passing that in Wallonia, it is at this time that the preparation of the Carnival is begun.

The tradition to draw the Kings also exists in the south of the the United States, under the name of . Those are eaten for all the period which goes from the Epiphany until the Carnaval of fatty Tuesday .la festival to place on January 6th.

The village of the Magi

A verse added to the version in occitan of the song the Walk of the Kings tells that the Magi after being set out again of Bethlehem, would have stopped in a village of the Gard which, since, would be called the Magi:

" Of retorn

Faguèr' a viratorn

E arrestèran dins nòstre vilatge

Of retorn

Faguèr' a viratorn

Restèr' aicì crese back O very jorns

E desempuei, ieu O creiriei

Nòstre feed has portat lo name das Mages

E desempuei, ieu O creiriei

That per very large owners avem los Reis."

A text embroidering on this legend by imagining the stay of the Kings in the village often makes, since January 6th, 2000, the object of a spectacle represented at the time of the Epiphany.

Celebrated first names

It is the day of the Epiphany which one celebrates Tiphaine (in French), Tifenn (into Breton), Tiffany (in English) or Théophano, Théano (in Greek). This first name corresponds indeed to the word Théophanie, or demonstration of God, another name of the festival. One celebrates Jordan and Jordane. One celebrates also Christmas… if they are Armenian.

During the first four centuries of the Christian history, the Church was accustomed to celebrating on January 6th all the demonstrations of God on the ground: the Nativity (Christmas), Worship of the magi, the Baptism of Christ and the wedding at Cana. The change of wine water and the miracle of the loaves and fishes (or Phagiphanie ) were thus commemorated by the same festival with the Nativity.

The festivals were then dissociated: for on January 6th, Latin retained the Worship of the magi and the Greeks the Baptism of Christ. The Armenians are the only Christians to have preserved a single festival on January 6th: it is Armenian Christmas.

See too

catholic liturgical Calendar

External bonds

Diaporama: Russia celebrates the Epiphany

Epiphany in Provence on notreprovence.fr

Be-X-old: ХрышчэньнеГасподняе

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