Epiphany (holiday)
Liturgical year
Western
• Advent
• Christmastide
• Epiphany
• Pre-Lent
• Lent
• Easter Triduum
• Eastertide
• Ascensiontide
• Pentecost
• Ordinary Time
Eastern
• Feast of Cross
• Nativity Fast
• Nativity
• Theophany
• Great Lent
• Pascha
• Pentecost
• Apostles’ Fast
• Great Feasts
• Transfiguration
• Dormition
• Protection
Epiphany (Greek for "to manifest" or "to
show"), is a Christian feast day which celeb-
rates the revelation of God in human form in
the person of Jesus Christ. Epiphany falls on
January 6. Many of the Eastern Churches use
the traditional Julian Calendar, while other
Christian
churches
follow
the modern
Gregorian Calendar. January 6 on the Julian
Calendar falls on the Gregorian Calendar’s
January 19. Western Christians commemor-
ate the visitation of the Biblical Magi to the
child Jesus on this day, i.e., his manifestation
to the Gentiles. Eastern Christians commem-
orate the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan
River, his manifestation to the world as the
Son of God. It is also called Theophany, es-
pecially by Eastern Christians.
History
The observance had its origins in the Eastern
Christian Churches, and was originally a gen-
eral celebration of the Incarnation of Jesus
Christ, and included the commemoration of:
his birth; the visit of the Magi, or "Wise Men"
Adoration of the Magi by Bartolomé Esteban
Murillo, 17th century (Toledo Museum of Art,
Ohio
from Persia (Magi being Persian priests),
who arrived in Bethlehem; all of Jesus’ child-
hood events, up to and including his baptism
in the Jordan by John the Baptist; and even
the miracle at the Wedding of Cana in Ga-
lilee.[1] However, it seems fairly clear that
the Baptism was the event predominantly
commemorated.[2]
The date of the feast was very early fixed
on January 6. Ancient Liturgies speak of Illu-
minatio, Manifestatio, Declaratio (Illumina-
tion, Manifestation, Declaration); cf. Matthew
3:13–17; Luke 3:22; and John 2:1–11; where
the Baptism and the Marriage at Cana are
dwelt upon. Western Christians have tradi-
tionally