Epiphany is a Christian feast day celebrated on January 6. The holiday commemorates the revelation of JESUS’ divinity to those around him. In Western Christianity the observance of Epiphany focuses on the adoration of the MAGI. In Eastern Christianity the holiday emphasizes Jesus’ baptism. Over the centuries European folklore has assigned numerous legends and customs to Epiphany some of which bear little direct relationship to the life of Jesus. In many countries Epiphany marks the end of the CHRISTMAS SEASON.

The Meaning of Epiphany
The word “epiphany” comes from the Greek term epiphaneia, meaning “manifestation,” “appearance,” or “showing forth.” In the ancient world, the term designated occasions on which visiting kings or emperors appeared before the people. The writers of the Gospels used this term to describe occasions on which Jesus’ divinity revealed itself to those around him. Ancient writers applied another Greek word, theophaneia, or “theophany,” to the appearance of a god before human beings. Early Christians also used the word theophany in reference to their Epiphany celebrations. This usage continued in the Greek world, where today the Greek Orthodox Church refers to Epiphany as Theophania. Moreover, Eastern Orthodox Christians sometimes call Epiphany the “Feast of Lights.” This name reflects their belief that baptism confers spiritual illumination.

The History of Epiphany
Early Christians were celebrating Epiphany before they began to observe Christmas. The first celebrations of Epiphany occurred in second-century EGYPT. Like Christmas, the date chosen for Epiphany has no firm historical or scriptural grounding. Some scholars believe that January 6 was selected by the earliest celebrants in order to upstage a WINTER SOLSTICE festival held in honor of an Egyptian sun god on that date. Indeed, according to one ancient Egyptian calendar, winter solstice fell on January 6. Some ancient Egyptians recognized that day as the birthday of the Egyptian god Osiris. Other sacred events held on that day include a festival commemorating the birth of the god Aeon from his virgin mother, Kore.
From the second century onward, scattered celebrations of Epiphany occurred among various groups of Christians, although no consensus emerged as to what events the holiday commemorated. Christian liturgy identifies four instances in which Jesus’ divine nature manifested itself on earth: at his birth, at the adoration of the Magi, at his baptism, and when he changed water into wine at the wedding in Cana. Early Epiphany celebrations honored any one or more of these events. By the third century most Eastern Christians were celebrating Epiphany. By the late fourth century most Western Christians had also adopted the feast. Eastern and Western celebrations evolved around different themes, however. When the Western Church designated DECEMBER 25 as the Feast of the Nativity in the mid-fourth century, Western Epiphany celebrations consolidated around the revelation of Jesus’ divinity to the Magi. When the Eastern Church embraced Christmas, between 380 and 430 A.D., Christmas absorbed the celebration of both the Nativity and the adoration of the Magi. Thus, Eastern Epiphany observances remained dedicated to the commemoration of Jesus’baptism.
In the Middle Ages, popular western European Epiphany celebra-tions focused on the Magi’s journey. People began to refer to the Magi as kings and saints and to Epiphany as the “Feast of the Three Kings.” Festivities of the day included NATIVITY PLAYS, many of which featured the story of the Three Kings. Another boisterous medieval ceremony, was also sometimes performed in churches on Epiphany.
In 1336 the city of Milan, ITALY, hosted a splendid procession and play to commemorate the Feast of the Three Kings. Three men, sumptu-ously dressed as kings and surrounded by an entire retinue of costumed pages, body guards, and attendants, paraded through the city streets following a gold star which hung before them (see also STAR OF BETHLEHEM). At one juncture, they encountered King HEROD and his scribes. The Wise Men asked where Jesus was to be born, and King Herod, after consulting the scribes, answered “BETHLEHEM.” The kings and their followers continued on to St. Eustorgius Church, bearing their gifts of GOLD, FRANKINCENSE, and MYRRH ceremoniously before them. The crowd spilled into the church, preceded by trumpeters, horn players, donkeys, apes, and other animals. To one side of the high altar awaited MARY and the Christ child, in a manger complete with ox and ass. Although we might consider this noisy and colorful Epiphany celebration unseemly, medieval Europeans enjoyed this mixture of ceremony, carnival, and religion.
In Spanish-speaking countries today, Epiphany retains this strong association with the Magi and is called Día de los Tres Reyes, or Three Kings Day. The French call the holiday Le Jour de Rois or Fête des Rois: Kings’Day or the Feast of the Kings (see also CHRISTMAS IN FRANCE). The British sometimes refer to the holiday as Twelfth Day, and the evening before as TWELFTH NIGHT, since it occurs twelve days after Christmas. Twelfth Day marks the end of the Christmas season, also known as Twelfthtide or the TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS. Since late medieval times the British had enjoyed feasts and masquerades on Twelfth Night, but these celebrations have declined since the nineteenth century.

Folklore and Customs
In Italy and Spanish-speaking countries, children receive GIFTS on Epiphany rather than on Christmas. Furthermore, in Spanish-speaking countries, the Three Kings, Los Reyes Magos, deliver the presents rather than SANTA CLAUS. On Epiphany Eve children leave a SHOE on their doorstep or balcony, along with some straw for the Magi’s camels. In the morning they find that the grateful Wise Men have filled their shoes with treats. In Italy La Befana, an old woman from an Italian legend, distributes presents on Epiphany. La Befana was too busy to aid the Magi on their journey to worship the newborn Jesus. As a punishment for her lack of piety, she now wanders the world during the Christmas season bringing gifts to children. In Russian folklore, a woman named BABOUSHKA plays a similar role. Berchta (or Perchta), a more fearsome female figure, appears on Epiphany Eve in GERMANY and Austria. She punishes wrongdoers and rewards well-behaved children. In these countries Epiphany is also known as Perchtennacht. In SYRIA and LEBANON Epiphany may be called “The Night of Destiny” (Lailat al-Qadr), a name it shares with a Muslim holiday. In these lands the Christmas gift bringer is a mule or a camel.
In Sweden, NORWAY, Germany, Switzerland, and POLAND, groups of costumed children known as the STAR BOYS parade through the streets of town singing songs or performing plays about the Three Kings on Epiphany Eve.
An old German tradition encourages people to bring salt, water, chalk and incense to church on Epiphany Eve to be blessed. Upon returning home, they sprinkle the blessed water over their fields, animals, and homes, and cook with the salt. They burn the incense and waft the smoke throughout their homes as a defense against evil spirits. In both Germany and Austria, the initials CMB—which stand for the names attributed to the Three Kings in legend, Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar—may be written over doorways with blessed chalk in order to protect the house.
In many European countries, such as France, Austria, Germany, and ENGLAND, festive meals were once planned for Epiphany featuring a special cake. A coin, pea, bean, or tiny china doll was baked inside the cake, and the person who found the object in their slice was considered “king” or “queen” of the feast (see also KING OF THE BEAN;
Twelfth Night). In England, tradition reserves the unwelcome chore of removing and storing Christmas decorations for Twelfth Day.

Religious Customs
In both Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches, water is blessed on Epiphany and distributed to the faithful for use in home religious observances. Among Orthodox Christians, Epiphany is also known as Blessing of the Waters Day. In past centuries priests blessed Egypt’s Nile River. Both Christians and Muslims would then immerse themselves in the now holy waters, often driving their animals into the river as well to share in the blessing. In Palestine, the River Jordan was blessed. Thousands of worshipers then submerged themselves up to three times in the holy currents. Many Orthodox parishes observe similar Epiphany rites today. For example, the congregation may walk to a nearby river or other body of water which the priest then blesses. In some parts of the world, congregants joyfully immerse themselves in the blessed water. Another popular Orthodox observance involves tossing a crucifix into the water. The first to retrieve the cross is often thought to acquire good luck for the coming year.
The blessing of homes is a Roman Catholic ritual connected with Epiphany. The pastor blesses each room of the house using holy water and incense, and recites special prayers. Then he writes the year and the initials CMB inside the door with blessed chalk. In the year 1999, for example, he would write 19 CMB 99. Orthodox priests also bless homes on Epiphany.
Epiphany is not only a Christian feast day, but may also be consid-ered a season of the Christian year encompassing the period be-tween January 6 and the beginning of Lent. The length of this period varies in accordance with the day on which Easter falls each year.