Feast of the Epiphany, All Kings Day
About the Feast of the Epiphany
When is the Feast of the Epiphany? The Sunday between January 2 and January 8 in the U.S. and many other countries. Traditionalists always celebrate it on the 6th, 12 days after Christmas.
Today is the Feast of the Epiphany, also called Three Kings Day. Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar were the three kings from the Orient. They are also known as the Three Wise Men or the Three Magi. The three wise men were merchants who saw the star over Bethlehem when Christ was born. They followed the star, to find the Christ child lying in the manger on January 6th. They brought the Christ child gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
The word “Epiphany” comes from the Greek word “to reveal”. This day is known as “Theophany” – the revelation of God to Man.
The Feast of the Epiphany is also known to some as Three Kings Day, and Little Christmas. It marks the end of Christmastide. In eastern Europe, it is as important as Christmas Day. Some people also refer to this day as “Saint Nicholas Day. However, the Feast of Saint Nicholas is celebrated on December 6th.
For many, the nativity scene, with the manger and figurines of those at the stable on this day, is kept up through January 6th, and are the last decorations to be put away until next Christmas.
Did You Know? The song “The Twelve Days of Christmas” refers to the period between Christmas and The Feast of the Epiphany. Many, if not most people, erroneously associate this period with the twelve days leading up to Christmas.
To some Christians, Little Christmas is a time to exchange gifts. It often consists of candy, fruit, or small gifts.
Today’s Quote: “Many good sayings are found in holy books. But, merely reading them will not make one religious.” – – Ramakrishna
Other Names for the Feast of the Epiphany
This holiday is known by a few names. You can call it whatever your name is your tradition. They include:
Feast of the Epiphany
Little Christmas
Three Kings Day
Feast of the Magi
Feast of the Maji
Theophany
More About Today
Holiday Insights, where every day is a holiday, a bizarre or wacky day, an observance, or a special event. Join us in the daily calendar fun each and every day of the year.
Did You Know? There are literally thousands of daily holidays, special events, and observances, more than one for every day of the year. and many of these holidays are new. People and organizations are creating new holidays regularly. Consequently, at Holiday Insights, we take great efforts to thoroughly research and document the details of each one, as completely and accurately as possible.