Sunday, January 5, 2014 - Litany Lane Blog:
Epiphany, Psalms 147:12-20 , Sirach 24:1-12, Matthew 2:1-12 , Pope Francis Daily, Feast of the Epiphany, History of Twelfth Night, History of King Cake, Catholic Catechism Part Three: Life in Christ Section Two: The Ten Commandment Chapter Two: Second Commandment Article 2:2 Taking Name of the Lord in Vain
From Our Family to Yours, We Wish you a Happy New Year
From Our Family to Yours, We Wish you a Happy New Year
P.U.S.H. (Pray Until Serenity Happens). It has a remarkable way of producing solace, peace, patience and tranquility and of course resolution...God's always available 24/7.
"Where there is a will, with God, there is a way." ~ Zarya Parx 2014
"The world begins and ends everyday for someone." We are all human. We all experience birth, life and death. We all have flaws but we also all have the gift of knowledge, reason and free will, make the most of these gifts. Life on earth is a stepping stone to our eternal home in Heaven. The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, wonder and awe (fear of the Lord) , counsel, knowledge, fortitude, and piety (reverence) and shun the seven Deadly sins: wrath, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy, and gluttony...Its your choice whether to embrace the Gifts of the Holy Spirit rising towards eternal light or succumb to the Seven deadly sins and lost to eternal darkness. Material items, though needed for sustenance and survival on earth are of earthly value only. The only thing that passes from this earth to the Darkness, Purgatory or Heaven is our Soul...it's God's perpetual gift to us...Embrace it, treasure it, nurture it, protect it...~ Zarya Parx 2013
"Raise not a hand to another unless it is to offer in peace and goodwill." ~ Zarya Parx 2012
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Prayers for Today: Sunday in Christmas
Rosary - Glorious Mysteries
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Papam Franciscus
(Pope Francis)
Pope Francis New Year Angelus:
..."build a world where enemies recognize themselves as brothers."
(2014-01-01 Vatican Radio)
Pope Francis offered New Year’s greetings of peace Wednesday to the tens of thousands of pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square to recite with the Holy Father the Angelus prayer at the start of 2014.
The Pope said his wishes for the new year are “those of the Church:” Christian wishes that put Jesus Christ at the center of history and at its end: “the Kingdom of God, Kingdom of peace, justice, liberty in love.” And the Holy Spirit, the Holy Father said, is the force which propels us towards that end.
Recalling that on January first, the Church celebrates the feast of Mary, the Holy Mother of God as well as World Day of Peace, Pope Francis referred to his Message of Peace for the Day: ‘Fraternity: the Foundation and Pathway to Peace’ saying it stems from the conviction that we are “all children of one God and are part of the same human family,” sharing a common destiny.
We all have a responsibility, the Pope stressed, to build a world which “becomes a community of brothers who respect each other, accept each other’s differences, and take care of each other.”
We are also called to acknowledge “the violence and injustices present in many places around the world” and we cannot allow ourselves to be “indifferent and immobile,” the Pope said. Everyone must work to build a society of solidarity and “truly more just.”
Here, Pope Francis departed from his prepared remarks to say he was moved by a letter he recently received from a man touched by personal tragedy and who asked him why so many terrible things are happening in today’s world: ‘What has happened to the hearts of men?’ the man wrote. The Pope repeated the question, asking the faithful: “what has happened in the hearts of men, in the heart of humanity? It is time to stop!! It is time to stop!”
Today, believers around the world pray to the Lord for the gift of peace and the ability to spread it everywhere the Pope said. May the Lord lead us down the path of justice and peace “more decisively,” the Pope prayed, invoking the Holy Spirit to “loosen” the fastenings and hardening of hearts so that they will open up to “the tenderness and weakness of the Child Jesus.” “Peace,” he said, “requires the force of meekness, the force of nonviolence of truth and of love.”
To “Mary, Mother of the Redeemer,” Pope Francis entrusted the “cries for peace of populations oppressed by war and violence so that the courage of dialogue and reconciliation prevails over temptations of revenge, of arrogance (it: prepotenza), of corruption.” Pope Francis prayed that “the Gospel of fraternity announced and witnessed by the Church will speak to every conscience and break down the walls that prevent enemies from recognizing each other as brothers.”
Post Angelus
Following the Angelus, Pope Francis thanked Italian President Giorgio Napoletano for his good wishes expressed in a televised address on New Year’s Eve, and invoked a blessing on the Italian people so that with the “responsible” and fraternal “contribution of everyone, they may look to the future with trust and hope.”
The Pope concluded his remarks by welcoming the many initiatives taken up around the globe for the World Day of Peace.
Pope Francis offered New Year’s greetings of peace Wednesday to the tens of thousands of pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square to recite with the Holy Father the Angelus prayer at the start of 2014.
The Pope said his wishes for the new year are “those of the Church:” Christian wishes that put Jesus Christ at the center of history and at its end: “the Kingdom of God, Kingdom of peace, justice, liberty in love.” And the Holy Spirit, the Holy Father said, is the force which propels us towards that end.
Recalling that on January first, the Church celebrates the feast of Mary, the Holy Mother of God as well as World Day of Peace, Pope Francis referred to his Message of Peace for the Day: ‘Fraternity: the Foundation and Pathway to Peace’ saying it stems from the conviction that we are “all children of one God and are part of the same human family,” sharing a common destiny.
We all have a responsibility, the Pope stressed, to build a world which “becomes a community of brothers who respect each other, accept each other’s differences, and take care of each other.”
We are also called to acknowledge “the violence and injustices present in many places around the world” and we cannot allow ourselves to be “indifferent and immobile,” the Pope said. Everyone must work to build a society of solidarity and “truly more just.”
Here, Pope Francis departed from his prepared remarks to say he was moved by a letter he recently received from a man touched by personal tragedy and who asked him why so many terrible things are happening in today’s world: ‘What has happened to the hearts of men?’ the man wrote. The Pope repeated the question, asking the faithful: “what has happened in the hearts of men, in the heart of humanity? It is time to stop!! It is time to stop!”
Today, believers around the world pray to the Lord for the gift of peace and the ability to spread it everywhere the Pope said. May the Lord lead us down the path of justice and peace “more decisively,” the Pope prayed, invoking the Holy Spirit to “loosen” the fastenings and hardening of hearts so that they will open up to “the tenderness and weakness of the Child Jesus.” “Peace,” he said, “requires the force of meekness, the force of nonviolence of truth and of love.”
To “Mary, Mother of the Redeemer,” Pope Francis entrusted the “cries for peace of populations oppressed by war and violence so that the courage of dialogue and reconciliation prevails over temptations of revenge, of arrogance (it: prepotenza), of corruption.” Pope Francis prayed that “the Gospel of fraternity announced and witnessed by the Church will speak to every conscience and break down the walls that prevent enemies from recognizing each other as brothers.”
Post Angelus
Following the Angelus, Pope Francis thanked Italian President Giorgio Napoletano for his good wishes expressed in a televised address on New Year’s Eve, and invoked a blessing on the Italian people so that with the “responsible” and fraternal “contribution of everyone, they may look to the future with trust and hope.”
The Pope concluded his remarks by welcoming the many initiatives taken up around the globe for the World Day of Peace.
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Liturgical Celebrations to be presided over by Pope: Winter
Vatican City, Winter 2014 (VIS)
The Pope's universal prayer intention is “that all may promote authentic economic development that respects the dignity of all peoples”.
The Pope's prayer intention for evangelization is “that Christians of diverse denominations may walk toward the unity desired by Christ”.
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Vatican liturgical celebrations presided by the Holy Father thru January 2014
JANUARY
Monday 6 January, Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord: Mass in the Vatican Basilica at 10 a.m.
Sunday
12 January, First Sunday after the Epiphany, Feast of the Baptism of
the Lord: Mass and baptism of newborns in the Sistine Chapel at 9.45
a.m.
Reference:
- Vatican News. From the Pope. © Copyright 2013 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Accessed 01/06/2014.
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November 2, 2013 Our Lady of Medjugorje Message to the World: "Dear children; Anew, in a motherly way, I am calling you to love; to
continually pray for the gift of love; to love the Heavenly Father above
everything. When you love Him you will love yourself and your neighbor.
This cannot be separated. The Heavenly Father is in each person. He
loves each person and calls each person by his name. Therefore, my
children, through prayer hearken to the will of the Heavenly Father.
Converse with Him. Have a personal relationship with the Father which
will deepen even more your relationship as a community of my children –
of my apostles. As a mother I desire that, through the love for the
Heavenly Father, you may be raised above earthly vanities and may help
others to gradually come to know and come closer to the Heavenly Father.
My children, pray, pray, pray for the gift of love because 'love' is my
Son. Pray for your shepherds that they may always have love for you as
my Son had and showed by giving His life for your salvation. Thank you."
October 25, 2013 Our Lady of Medjugorje Message to the World: “Dear children! Today I call you to open yourselves to prayer. Prayer works miracles in you and through you. Therefore, little children, in the simplicity of heart seek of the Most High to give you the strength to be God’s children and for Satan not to shake you like the wind shakes the branches. Little children, decide for God anew and seek only His will – and then you will find joy and peace in Him. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
October 2, 2013 Our Lady of Medjugorje Message to the World: "Dear children, I love you with a motherly love and with a motherly patience I wait for your love and unity. I pray that you may be a community of God’s children, of my children. I pray that as a community you may joyfully come back to life in the faith and in the love of my Son. My children, I am gathering you as my apostles and am teaching you how to bring others to come to know the love of my Son; how to bring to them the Good News, which is my Son. Give me your open, purified hearts and I will fill them with the love for my Son. His love will give meaning to your life and I will walk with you. I will be with you until the meeting with the Heavenly Father. My children, it is those who walk towards the Heavenly Father with love and faith who will be saved. Do not be afraid, I am with you. Put your trust in your shepherds as my Son trusted when he chose them, and pray that they may have the strength and the love to lead you. Thank you." - See more at: http://litanylane.blogspot.com/2013/11/tuesday-november-12-2013-litany-lane.html#sthash.1QAVruYo.bk3E9rXR.dpuf
October 25, 2013 Our Lady of Medjugorje Message to the World: “Dear children! Today I call you to open yourselves to prayer. Prayer works miracles in you and through you. Therefore, little children, in the simplicity of heart seek of the Most High to give you the strength to be God’s children and for Satan not to shake you like the wind shakes the branches. Little children, decide for God anew and seek only His will – and then you will find joy and peace in Him. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
October 2, 2013 Our Lady of Medjugorje Message to the World: "Dear children, I love you with a motherly love and with a motherly patience I wait for your love and unity. I pray that you may be a community of God’s children, of my children. I pray that as a community you may joyfully come back to life in the faith and in the love of my Son. My children, I am gathering you as my apostles and am teaching you how to bring others to come to know the love of my Son; how to bring to them the Good News, which is my Son. Give me your open, purified hearts and I will fill them with the love for my Son. His love will give meaning to your life and I will walk with you. I will be with you until the meeting with the Heavenly Father. My children, it is those who walk towards the Heavenly Father with love and faith who will be saved. Do not be afraid, I am with you. Put your trust in your shepherds as my Son trusted when he chose them, and pray that they may have the strength and the love to lead you. Thank you." - See more at: http://litanylane.blogspot.com/2013/11/tuesday-november-12-2013-litany-lane.html#sthash.1QAVruYo.bk3E9rXR.dpuf
Today's Word: epiphany e·piph·a·ny [ih-pif-uh-nee]
Origin: 1275–1325; Middle English epiphanie < Late Latin epiphanīa < Late Greek epipháneia, Greek: apparition, equivalent to epi- epi- + phan- (stem of phaínein to appear) + -eia -y
noun, plural e·piph·a·nies.
1. ( initial capital letter ) a Christian festival, observed on January 6, commemorating the manifestation of Christ to the gentiles in the persons of the Magi; Twelfth-day.
2. an appearance or manifestation, especially of a deity.
3. a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by some simple, homely, or commonplace occurrence or experience.
4. a literary work or section of a work presenting, usually symbolically, such a moment of revelation and insight.
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Today's Old Testament Reading - Psalms 147:12-20
12 Praise Yahweh, Jerusalem, Zion, praise your God.
13 For he gives strength to the bars of your gates, he blesses your children within you,
14 he maintains the peace of your frontiers, gives you your fill of finest wheat.
15 He sends his word to the earth, his command runs quickly,
19 He reveals his word to Jacob, his statutes and judgements to Israel.
20 For no other nation has he done this, no other has known his judgements
x
12 Praise Yahweh, Jerusalem, Zion, praise your God.
13 For he gives strength to the bars of your gates, he blesses your children within you,
14 he maintains the peace of your frontiers, gives you your fill of finest wheat.
15 He sends his word to the earth, his command runs quickly,
19 He reveals his word to Jacob, his statutes and judgements to Israel.
20 For no other nation has he done this, no other has known his judgements
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Today's Epistle - Sirach 24:1-4, 8-12
1 Wisdom speaks her own praises, in the midst of her people she glories in herself.2 She opens her mouth in the assembly of the Most High, she glories in herself in the presence of the Mighty One:
3 'I came forth from the mouth of the Most High, and I covered the earth like mist.
4 I had my tent in the heights, and my throne was a pillar of cloud.
8 Then the Creator of all things instructed me and he who created me fixed a place for my tent. He said, "Pitch your tent in Jacob, make Israel your inheritance."
9 From eternity, in the beginning, he created me, and for eternity I shall remain.
10 In the holy tent I ministered before him and thus became established in Zion.
11 In the beloved city he has given me rest, and in Jerusalem I wield my authority.
12 I have taken root in a privileged people, in the Lord's property, in his inheritance.
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Today's Gospel Reading - Matthew 2: 1-12
The Magi’s journey of faith
The adoration of the child Jesus as King and Lord
Matthew 2: 1-12
The adoration of the child Jesus as King and Lord
Matthew 2: 1-12
1. Opening prayer
Merciful Father, you have called me to meet you in this word of the Gospel, because you wish that I may have life, you wish to give me yourself. Send, I pray you, your Holy Spirit upon me so that I may let myself be led along the holy way of this passage of Scripture. May I, today, get out of my prison to set out on a journey to seek you. May I recognise the star that you have lit as a sign of your love on my journey to follow it tirelessly, intensely, committing my whole life. May I, finally, enter your house and there see the Lord; may I bend low humbly before you to adore you and offer my life to you, all that I am and all that I have. Lord, by your grace, may I return by a new route, without ever passing through the old paths of sin.
Merciful Father, you have called me to meet you in this word of the Gospel, because you wish that I may have life, you wish to give me yourself. Send, I pray you, your Holy Spirit upon me so that I may let myself be led along the holy way of this passage of Scripture. May I, today, get out of my prison to set out on a journey to seek you. May I recognise the star that you have lit as a sign of your love on my journey to follow it tirelessly, intensely, committing my whole life. May I, finally, enter your house and there see the Lord; may I bend low humbly before you to adore you and offer my life to you, all that I am and all that I have. Lord, by your grace, may I return by a new route, without ever passing through the old paths of sin.
2. Reading
a) Placing the passage in its context:
This passage belongs to the first two
chapters of Matthew’s Gospel, which constitute a kind of
prologue to the whole work. Here we are presented with the
historical origin of the Messiah as son of David, as well as
his divine origin as Jesus Christ, God-with-us. Matthew
immediately leads us into a very deep and engaging meditation, placing
before us a precise choice through the persons he introduces
in his story: we either recognise and welcome the Lord who is
just born, or we remain indifferent even to wanting to
eliminate him, kill him. This passage offers us the beautiful
story of the journey of the Magi, who come from afar because
they want to seek and welcome, love and adore the Lord
Jesus. But their long journey and tireless search, the conversion
of their heart are facts that speak of us, facts already written on
the scroll of our own sacred story.
b) An aid to the reading of the passage:
The passage may be divided into two main
parts, determined by the locality where the scenes take
place: the first part (2: 1-9a) takes place in Jerusalem,
whereas the second part is focussed around Bethlehem (2:
9b-12).
Mt 2: 1-2: The passage begins with precise indications as to the place and time of the birth of Jesus: in Bethlehem of Judea, at the time of king Herod. Within this quite specific description, the Magi suddenly appear, who, coming from afar, arrive in Jerusalem under the guidance of a star. It is they who announce the birth of the Lord king. They ask where they might find him because they wish to adore him.
Mt 2: 3-6: On hearing the words of the Magi, king Herod, and with him all of Jerusalem is disturbed and afraid. Rather than welcoming the Lord and opting for him, they seek to eliminate him. Herod calls the authorities of the Jewish people and the experts in Scripture. It is they, by the help of ancient prophecies, who speak and reveal Bethlehem as the place to find the Messiah.
Mt 2: 7-8: Herod calls the Magi in secret because he wants to use them for his own evil ends. His detailed interest is entirely directed towards the elimination of Christ.
Mt 2: 9a: The Magi, urged by strength of faith and led by the star, leave again and go towards Bethlehem.
Mt 2: 9b-11: The star reappears, moves with the Magi and leads them to the exact spot where the Lord Jesus is. Full of joy, they enter the house and prostrate themselves; they offer precious gifts because they recognise that he is king and Lord.
Mt 2: 12: When they have contemplated and adored the Lord, the Magi receive a revelation from God; it is He who speaks to them. They are new men; they have in them a new heaven and a new earth. They are free of the deceits of Herod and, therefore, they go back to their lives by an entirely new way
c) The text:
1
After Jesus had been born at Bethlehem in Judaea during the
reign of King Herod, suddenly some wise men came to Jerusalem
from the east 2 asking, 'Where is the infant king of the
Jews? We saw his star as it rose and have come to do him
homage.' 3 When King Herod heard this he was perturbed, and so was
the whole of Jerusalem. 4 He called together all the chief
priests and the scribes of the people, and enquired of them
where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, 'At
Bethlehem in Judaea, for this is what the prophet wrote: 6
And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are by no means
the least among the leaders of Judah, for from you will come a leader
who will shepherd my people Israel.' 7 Then Herod summoned
the wise men to see him privately. He asked them the exact
date on which the star had appeared 8 and sent them on to
Bethlehem with the words, 'Go and find out all about the child, and
when you have found him, let me know, so that I too may go and do
him homage.' 9 Having listened to what the king had to say,
they set out. And suddenly the star they had seen rising went
forward and halted over the place where the child was. 10
The sight of the star filled them with delight, 11 and going
into the house they saw the child with his mother Mary, and
falling to their knees they did him homage. Then, opening
their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and
myrrh. 12 But they were given a warning in a dream not to go
back to Herod, and returned to their own country by a
different way.
3. A moment of prayerful silence
I listen deeply to the silent voice of
the Lord and let the breath of the Spirit come to me and
infuse me. In this silence I seek the Lord and repeat in my
heart: “Where are you, my God?”
4. A few questions
a) I take the first words that come from the mouths of the Magi and make them my own: “Where is the infant king of the Jews?”
Do I really feel attracted to the place where the Lord is
because I desire to be with him? Am I ready to leave the dark and old
places of my habits, of my comfort, to undertake a journey of
faith in search of Jesus?
b) “We have come to adore him”. Here the Word of the Lord tests me, puts me through a crucible: do I really live in a relationship of love with God? Am I able to open my life in his presence and allow him to enter into my very heart-beats?
c) “From you will come a leader who will shepherd my people”. Am I capable of placing and giving my whole existence to the guidance of the Lord, to trust in him, in his love, in his so real presence even though he remains invisible?
d) “Going into the house they saw the child”. It is precisely because they accept to go into the house, to enter into communion, to give themselves fully and truly that their eyes can see, contemplate and recognise. Why is it that I am not aware of the fact that the more I stay outside, the more I am distant from the life of my brothers and sisters and the more I become sad and empty?
5. A key to the reading
I look for some key words, some basic
themes, that may guide and help me better penetrate the
meaning of this passage of the Gospel, so that my life may be
enlightened and changed by this Word of the Lord.
* The journey: This
passage seems to be shot through with the grand theme of a
journey, an exodus, a going out. The Magi, these mysterious
characters, get moving, go far away from their land and go
seeking the king, the Lord. Matthew presents this fact by
means of some verbs that proceed along development of the event: came, we have come, sent them, go, set out, went before them, going into, not to go back, returned.
The physical journey of the Magi hides a much more important
and meaningful journey, the journey of faith. This is the
movement of the soul born from a desire to meet and know the
Lord. At the same time it is God’s invitation, who calls and
attracts us with his own power; it is he who gets us to stand up
and sets us in motion, who offers us signs and does not cease to
walk with us. Scripture gives us many important examples and
these help us enter into this path of grace and blessings. To
Abraham God said: “Leave your country, your family
and your father’s house, for the land I will show you” (Gen
12: 1). Jacob too was a pilgrim of faith and
conversion; in fact, of him is written: “Jacob left Beersheba and
set out for Haran” (Gen 28: 10) and: “Moving on, Jacob went to the
land of the sons of the East” (Gen 29: 1). Many years later,
the Lord spoke to him and said: “Go back to the land of your
forefathers and to your kindred; and I will be with you” (Gen
31: 3). Moses too was a man on a journey; God himself showed
him the way, the exodus, in his heart, in his depths, and
made of his whole life a long march of salvation for him and
for his brothers and sisters: “So come, I send you to Pharaoh
to bring the sons of Israel, my people, out of Egypt!” (Ex 3: 10). Also
the new people of God, we the children of the promise and of
the new covenant, are called to go out all the time and to
set out on a journey in the footsteps of the Lord Jesus. The
exodus never ceased; the liberation that comes from faith is
still always active. Let us look at Jesus, at his apostles,
at Paul: not one of them stands still, not one of them hides.
All these witnesses speak to us today by their deeds and they
repeat: “Blessed is he who finds in you his strength and one who
decides in his heart to go on the holy journey” (Ps 83: 6).
* The star: This is a
very important and central element in this passage because
the star has the role of guiding the Magi to their
destination, of enlightening their nights along the journey,
of indicating precisely the place of the presence of the Lord, of giving
great joy to their hearts. Throughout the Bible, stars
appear as signs of blessing and glory, almost a
personification of God, who does not abandon his people, and,
at the same time, a personification of the people that does
not forget its God and praises and blesses him (cfr. Ps 148:
3; Bar 3: 34). The word star appears for the first time
in Scripture in Genesis 1: 16, when, on the fourth day, the story of
creation tells us of the appearance in the heavens of the
sun, the moon and stars, as signs and as light, to set order
and give light. The Jewish term for “star” kokhab is
very beautiful and full of meaning. In fact, the letters
that make up the word reveal the immensity of the presence
that these celestial elements bring with them. We find two
letters caf, which signify “hand” and which enclose the letter waw,
which means man, understood in his vital structure, in his
backbone, which keeps him erect, which makes him rise towards
heaven, towards contact with his God and Creator. Thus, within the
stars there are two hands, caf and caf, that lovingly hold within them waw,
man: these are the hands of God that never cease to hold us,
if only we entrust ourselves to them. Then appears the letter bet,
which means house. Thus the stars speak to us of our journey
towards our house, of our constant migrating from and
returning there, whence we have come, from the day of our
creation and even from all eternity. Often God compares the
descendants of Abraham to the stars in the heavens, almost as
if each person is a star, born to give light in the night:
“Look up to heaven and count the stars if you can” and then he adds:
“Such will be your descendants” (Gen 15: 5). Jesus also is a
star, the star that takes its rise from Jacob (Num 24: 17),
that rises from on high, that is the radiant morning star, as
the Apocalypse says (22: 16). In fact, in him has taken
flesh the infinite love of God, which bends itself down
towards us, his children, and opens the palms of his hands to
gather and welcome us. Only such love can give our infinite
weakness the capacity and courage, the perseverance and joy of accepting
to leave, to go on the long and arduous journey of faith,
which takes us to Bethlehem, to the place where God appears
to us.
* The adoration: The
act of adoration is as old as humankind itself, because since
the beginning, the relationship with the divinity has been
accompanied by this demand of love, of humility, of
self-offering. Before the greatness of God, we, little people, feel
and discover that we are nothing, a speck of dust, a drop from a
bucket. In the Old Testament, the act of adoration appears as
an act of deep love towards the Lord, an act that demands
the involvement of the whole person: the mind, the will to
choose, love full of desire and a body that bows and
prostrates itself even to the ground. It is said in several
places that the act of adoration is accompanied by a prostration with
the face touching the ground; the face of man, his gaze, his
breath returns to the dust whence he has his origin and there
he recognises himself as creature of God, as a breath of
God’s nostrils. “Come in, let us bow, prostrate ourselves,
and kneel in front of Yahweh our maker” (Ps 94: 6): this is
the invitation of Scripture to us every day, showing us the
way to walk so that we may again and again come to the truth
and so live fully.
The New Testament goes even deeper in its spiritual reflection on this fact and seems to want to accompany us on a pedagogical journey of conversion and of maturity in our interior life. In the Gospels we see the disciples, men and women, adoring the Lord Jesus after his resurrection (Mt 28: 9; Lk 24: 52), because they recognise him as God. Jesus’ words in his dialogue with the Samaritan woman give us a deep insight into the truth of this act, which, after all, involves the whole of life and is an attitude of the heart: adoration is for God the Father and does not happen here or there but in Spirit and in truth, that is, in the Spirit and the Son, Jesus. We must not deceive ourselves; it is not by moving from one place to another, nor by seeking this or that spiritual person that we can adore our God. The movement, the journey is an interior one and takes place in our deepest being and is a complete surrender of ourselves, our life, our whole being, to the wings of the Holy Spirit and into the arms of Jesus, wide open on the cross and ever ready to attract all things to himself. St. Peter says clearly: “Simply reverence the Lord Christ in your hearts” (1 Pt 3: 15). The act of bowing to the ground, of prostrating ourselves before the Lord comes from the heart. If we let ourselves be touched and reach into our hearts, if we allow the Lord to enter our hearts, that sacred space, then He will change us completely, transform the whole of our person and make of us new men and women.
6. A moment of prayer: Psalm 84
A hymn concerning the trust of man
on his journey to the house of God
on his journey to the house of God
Res. I have seen your star, Lord,
and I have come to adore you!
and I have come to adore you!
How lovely are your dwelling-places, Yahweh Sabaoth.
My whole being yearns and pines for Yahweh's courts,
My heart and my body cry out for joy to the living God.
Even the sparrow has found a home,
the swallow a nest to place its young: your altars,
Yahweh Sabaoth, my King and my God.
How blessed are those who live in your house;
they shall praise you continually.
Blessed those who find their strength in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
As they pass through the Valley of the Balsam,
they make there a water-hole,
and -- a further blessing -- early rain fills it.
They make their way from height to height,
God shows himself to them in Zion.
Yahweh, God Sabaoth, hear my prayer,
listen, God of Jacob.
God, our shield, look,
and see the face of your anointed.
Better one day in your courts than a thousand at my own devices,
to stand on the threshold of God's house
than to live in the tents of the wicked.
For Yahweh God is a rampart and shield,
he gives grace and glory;
Yahweh refuses nothing good to those whose life is blameless.
Yahweh Sabaoth,
blessed is he who trusts in you.
My whole being yearns and pines for Yahweh's courts,
My heart and my body cry out for joy to the living God.
Even the sparrow has found a home,
the swallow a nest to place its young: your altars,
Yahweh Sabaoth, my King and my God.
How blessed are those who live in your house;
they shall praise you continually.
Blessed those who find their strength in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
As they pass through the Valley of the Balsam,
they make there a water-hole,
and -- a further blessing -- early rain fills it.
They make their way from height to height,
God shows himself to them in Zion.
Yahweh, God Sabaoth, hear my prayer,
listen, God of Jacob.
God, our shield, look,
and see the face of your anointed.
Better one day in your courts than a thousand at my own devices,
to stand on the threshold of God's house
than to live in the tents of the wicked.
For Yahweh God is a rampart and shield,
he gives grace and glory;
Yahweh refuses nothing good to those whose life is blameless.
Yahweh Sabaoth,
blessed is he who trusts in you.
7. Closing prayer
Lord, my Father, I have really seen your
star, I have opened my eyes to your presence of love and
salvation and I have received the light of life. I have
contemplated the night changed into light, pain into joy and
solitude into communion; yes, all this happened before you,
in your Word. You have led me through the desert; you have led
me to your house and opened the door for me to enter. There I saw you,
your Son Jesus, Saviour of my life; there I prayed and
adored, I cried and found your smile, I kept silence and
learnt to speak. In your house, merciful Father, I have found
life once more!
And now I am going back, I have resumed my
journey, but the way is not the one I took before and my life
is not what it was before. Your Word has left me with a new
heart, capable of opening itself to love, to listen, to
welcome and become home to so many brothers and sisters whom
you have placed in my way. I was not aware, Lord, but you have made
me into a child again, you have given birth to me with Jesus.
Thank you Father.
Reference: Courtesy of Order of Carmelites, www.ocarm.org.
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Featured Item of the Day from Litany Lane
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Saint of the Day: Feast of the Epiphany
Feast Day: January 6
Eastern
Churches following the Julian Calendar observe the Theophany feast on
what for most countries is January 19 because of the 13-day difference
today between that calendar and the generally used Gregorian calendar.
Since
1970, the rule for the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church is: "The
Epiphany of the Lord is celebrated on 6 January, unless, where it is not
observed as a Holy day of obligation, it has been assigned to the
Sunday occurring between 2 and 8 January."
In
the Church of England also, the feast may be celebrated on the Sunday
between January 2 and 8 inclusive although the official date of epiphany
in the UK is always 6 January.
A
separate celebration of the Baptism of the Lord was introduced for
Latin Rite Roman Catholics in 1955. Initially, this was to be held on
January 13, previously the octave day of the Epiphany, but in the 1969
revision of the General Roman Calendar the date was changed to the first
Sunday after January 6. In countries where in a particular
year the Epiphany falls on January 7
or 8, the feast of the Baptism of the Lord is celebrated on the
following Monday. In the Church of England, the same custom may be
followed. In the Episcopal Church in the United States, the feast of the
Baptism of the Lord is always the Sunday after January 6.
Alternative names for the feast include (τα) Θεοφάνια, Theophany as neuter plural rather than feminine singular, η Ημέρα των Φώτων, i Imera ton Foton (modern Greek pronunciation), hē hēmera tōn phōtōn (restored classic pronunciation), "The Day of the Lights", and τα Φώτα, ta Fota, "The Lights".
Etymology and original word usage
The Koine Greek ἐπιφάνεια, epiphaneia
derives from the verb "to appear" and means "manifestation,"
"appearance." In classical Greek it was used of the appearance of dawn,
of an enemy in war, but especially of a manifestation of a deity to a
worshipper (a theophany). In the Septuagint the word is used for a
manifestation of the God of Israel (2 Maccabees 15:27). In the New
Testament the word is used in 2 Timothy 1:10 to refer either to the
birth of Christ or to his appearance after his resurrection, and five
times to refer to the Second Coming.
History
The
observance had its origins in the Eastern Christian Churches and was a
general celebration of the manifestation of the Incarnation of Jesus
Christ. It included the commemoration of his birth; the visit of the
Magi to Bethlehem; all of Jesus' childhood events, up to and including
his baptism in the Jordan by John the Baptist; and even the miracle at
the wedding at Cana in Galilee. It seems fairly clear that the Baptism
was the primary event being commemorated.
Christians fixed the date of the feast on January 6 quite early in their history. Ancient liturgies noted Illuminatio, Manifestatio, Declaratio
(Illumination, Manifestation, Declaration); cf. Matthew 3:13–17; Luke
3:22; and John 2:1–11;
where the Baptism and the Marriage at Cana were dwelt upon. Western
Christians have traditionally emphasized the "Revelation to the
Gentiles" mentioned in Luke, where the term Gentile means all non-Jewish
peoples. The Biblical Magi, who represented the non-Jewish peoples of
the world, paid homage to the infant Jesus in stark contrast to Herod
the Great (King of Judea), who sought to kill him. In this event,
Christian writers also inferred a revelation to the Children of Israel.
Saint John Chrysostom
identified the significance of the meeting between the Magi and Herod's
court: "The star had been hidden from them so that, on finding
themselves without their guide, they would have no alternative but to
consult the Jews. In this way the birth of Jesus would be made known to
all."
The
earliest reference to Epiphany as a Christian feast was in A.D. 361, by
Ammianus Marcellinus St. Epiphanius says that January 6 is hemera genethlion toutestin epiphanion (Christ's "Birthday; that is, His Epiphany"). He also asserts that the Miracle at Cana occurred on the same calendar day.
In
385, the pilgrim Egeria (also known as Silvia) described a celebration
in Jerusalem and Bethlehem, which she called "Epiphany" (epiphania) that commemorated the Nativity of Christ. Even at this early date, there was an octave associated with the feast.
In a sermon delivered on 25 December 380, St. Gregory of Nazianzus referred to the day as ta theophania ("the Theophany", an alternative name for Epiphany), saying expressly that it is a day commemorating he hagia tou Christou gennesis
("the holy nativity of Christ") and told his listeners that they would
soon be celebrating the baptism of Christ. Then, on January 6 and 7, he
preached two more sermons,
wherein he declared that the celebration of the birth of Christ and the
visitation of the Magi had already taken place, and that they would now
commemorate his Baptism. At this time, celebration of the two events
was beginning to be observed on separate occasions, at least in
Cappadocia.
Saint
John Cassian says that even in his time (beginning of the 5th century),
the Egyptian monasteries celebrated the Nativity and Baptism together
on January 6. The Armenian Apostolic Church continues to celebrate
January 6 as the only commemoration of the Nativity.
Epiphany
is celebrated by both the Eastern and Western Churches, but a
major difference between them is precisely which events the feast
commemorates. For Western Christians, the feast primarily commemorates
the coming of the Magi, with only a minor reference to the baptism of
Jesus and the miracle at the Wedding at Cana. Eastern churches celebrate
the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan. In both traditions, the essence of
the feast is the same: the manifestation of Christ to the world
(whether as an infant or in the Jordan), and the Mystery of the
Incarnation. The miracle at the Wedding at Cana is also celebrated
during Epiphany as a first manifestation of Christ's public life.
Western Christian churches
 |
| The Three Magi: Balthasar, Melchior, and Gaspar, from a late 6th century mosaic at the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna, Italy. |
Even
before the year 354, the Western Church had separated the celebration
of the Nativity of Christ as the feast of Christmas
and set its date as December 25; it reserved January 6 as a
commemoration of the manifestation of Christ, especially to the Magi,
but also at his baptism and at the wedding feast of Cana. Hungarians, in
an apparent reference to baptism, refer to the January 6 celebration as
Vízkereszt
which term recalls the words "víz" as water, "kereszt, kereszt-ség" as
baptism.
In parts of the Eastern Church, January 6 continued for some time as a composite feast that included the Nativity of Jesus: though Constantinople adopted December 25 to commemorate Jesus' birth in the fourth century, in other parts the Nativity of Jesus continued to be celebrated on January 6, a date later devoted exclusively to commemorating his Baptism.
In parts of the Eastern Church, January 6 continued for some time as a composite feast that included the Nativity of Jesus: though Constantinople adopted December 25 to commemorate Jesus' birth in the fourth century, in other parts the Nativity of Jesus continued to be celebrated on January 6, a date later devoted exclusively to commemorating his Baptism.
Liturgical practice in Western churches
The
West observes a twelve-day festival, starting on December 25, and
ending on January 5, known as Christmastide or the Twelve Days of
Christmas. Some Christian cultures, especially those of Latin America
and some in Europe, extend the season to as many as forty days, ending
on Candlemas (February 2).
On
the Feast of the Epiphany, the priest, wearing white vestments, will
bless the Epiphany water, frankincense, gold, and chalk. Chalk is used
to write the initials of the three magi
over the doors of churches and homes. The letters stand for the
initials of the Magi (traditionally named Caspar, Melchior, and
Balthasar), and also the phrase Christus mansionem benedicat, which translates as "may Christ bless the house".
According
to ancient custom, the priest announced the date of Easter
on the feast of Epiphany. This tradition dated from a time when
calendars were not readily available, and the church needed to publicize
the date of Easter, since many celebrations of the liturgical year
depend on it. The proclamation may be sung or proclaimed at the ambo by a deacon, cantor, or reader either after the reading of the Gospel or after the postcommunion prayer.
The Roman Missal thus provides a formula with appropriate chant (in the tone of the Exsultet)
for proclaiming on Epiphany, wherever it is customary to do so, the
dates in the calendar for the celebration of Ash Wednesday, Easter
Sunday, Ascension of Jesus Christ, Pentecost, the Body and Blood of
Christ, and the First Sunday of Advent that will mark the following
liturgical year.
Date of commemoration
Prior
to the reform of 1955, when Pope Pius XII abolished all but three
liturgical octaves, the Latin Church
celebrated Epiphany as an eight-day feast, known as the Octave of
Epiphany, beginning on January 6 and ending on January 13. The Sunday
within that octave was at that time the feast of the Holy Family,
and Christmastide was reckoned as the twelve days ending on January 5,
followed by Epiphany time, January 6–13. The following Sundays, until
Septuagesima, were named as the "First (etc.) Sunday after Epiphany".
The 1969 revision of the General Roman Calendar defined Christmastide
instead as extending from the Vigil Mass of Christmas on the evening of
December 24 to the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord (generally the
Sunday after January 6).
Prior to 1976, the Anglican churches also observed an eight-day feast. Today The Epiphany of our Lord
is classified as a Principal Feast and is observed on January 6 (e.g.,
the Anglican Church of Canada) or on the Sunday between January 2 and 8.
There is also an Epiphany season, observed between the season of
Christmas and the first period of Ordinary Time. It begins at Evening
Prayer on the Eve of the Epiphany, and ends at Evening Prayer (or Night
Prayer) on the Feast of the Presentation.
Lutheran,
United Methodist and United Church of Christ
congregations, along with those of other denominations, may celebrate
Epiphany on January 6, on the following Sunday within the Epiphany week
(octave), or at another time (Epiphany Eve January 5, the nearest
Sunday, etc.) as local custom dictates. In these
denominations and others, marking the festival's importance,
all of the Sundays following are marked as the first, second, third,
Nth, etc.,"Sunday after Epiphany" up until the beginning of Lent in
February or March; these intervening weeks commonly being called the
Epiphany season.
Eastern
churches celebrate Epiphany (Theophany) on January 6. Some, such as
those in Greece, employ the modern Gregorian calendar, while others,
such as those in Russia, hold to the older Julian calendar
for reckoning church dates. In these old-calendar churches Epiphany
falls on January 19 today - which is January 6 in the Julian calendar.
Eastern Orthodox Christian churches
 |
| Russian paiting of the Theophany (Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery, 1497). |
Usually called the Feast of Theophany (Greek: Θεοφάνεια,
"God shining forth" or "divine manifestation"), it is one of the Great
Feasts of the liturgical year, being third in rank, behind only Paskha
(Easter) and Pentecost in importance.
It is celebrated on January 6 of the calendar that the particular Church uses. On the Julian Calendar, which some of the Orthodox churches follow, that date corresponds, during the present century, to January 19 on the Gregorian or Revised Julian calendar.
It is celebrated on January 6 of the calendar that the particular Church uses. On the Julian Calendar, which some of the Orthodox churches follow, that date corresponds, during the present century, to January 19 on the Gregorian or Revised Julian calendar.
The earliest reference to the feast in the Eastern Church is a remark by St. Clement of Alexandria in Stromateis, I, xxi, 45:
And there are those who have determined not only the year of our Lord's birth, but also the day… And the followers of Basilides hold the day of his baptism as a festival, spending the night before in readings. And they say that it was the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar, the fifteenth day of the month of Tubi; and some that it was the eleventh of the same month.
(11 and 15 of Tubi are January 6 and 10 respectively.)
If this is a reference to a celebration of Christ's birth, as well as
of his baptism, on January 6, it corresponds to what continues to be
the custom of the Armenian Apostolic Church,
which celebrates the birth of Jesus on January 6 of the calendar used,
calling the feast that of the Nativity and Theophany of Our Lord.
Origen's list of festivals (in Contra Celsum,
VIII, xxii) omits any reference to Epiphany. The first reference to an
ecclesiastical feast of the Epiphany, in Ammianus Marcellinus (XXI:ii),
is in 361.
Today
in Eastern Orthodox churches, the emphasis at this feast is on the
shining forth and revelation of Jesus Christ as the Messiah and Second
Person of the Trinity at the time of his baptism. It is also celebrated
because, according to tradition, the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan
River by St. John the Baptist marked one of only two occasions when all
three Persons of the Trinity manifested themselves simultaneously to
humanity: God the Father by speaking through the clouds, God the Son
being baptized in the river, and God the Holy Spirit in the shape of a
dove descending from heaven (the other occasion was the Transfiguration
on Mount Tabor). Thus the holy day is considered to be a Trinitarian
feast.
The
Orthodox consider Jesus' Baptism to be the first step towards the
Crucifixion, and there are some parallels in the hymnography used on
this day and the hymns chanted on Good Friday.
Liturgical practice in Eastern churches
Forefeast: The liturgical Forefeast of Theophany begins on January 1, and concludes with the Paramony on January 5.
Paramony: The Eve of the Feast is called Paramony (Greek: παραμονή, Slavonic: navechérie).
Paramony is observed as a strict fast day,
on which those faithful who are physically able, refrain from food
until the first star is observed in the evening, when a meal with wine
and oil may be taken. On this day the Royal Hours are celebrated, thus
tying together the feasts of Nativity and Good Friday. The Royal Hours
are followed by the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil which combines Vespers
with the Divine Liturgy. During the Vespers, fifteen Old Testament
lections which foreshadow the Baptism of Christ are read, and special
antiphons
are chanted. If the Feast of the Theophany falls on a Sunday or Monday,
the Royal Hours are chanted on the previous Friday, and on the Paramony
the Vesperal Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is celebrated and
the fasting is lessened to some degree.
 |
| Theophany Crucession in Bulgaria. The priests are going to throw a wooden cross in the Yantra river. Believers will then jump into the icy waters to "save" the cross. |
Blessing of Waters:
The Orthodox Churches perform the Great Blessing of Waters on
Theophany. The blessing is normally done twice: once on the Eve of the
Feast—usually at a Baptismal font inside the church—and then again on
the day of the feast, outdoors at a body of water. Following the Divine
Liturgy, the clergy and people go in a Crucession
(procession with the cross) to the nearest body of water, be it a
beach, harbor, quay, river, lake, swimming pool, water depot, etc.
(ideally, it should be a body of "living water"). At the end of the
ceremony the priest will bless the waters. In the Greek practice, he
does this by casting a cross into the water. If swimming is feasible on
the spot, any number of volunteers may try to recover the cross. The
person who gets the cross first swims back and returns it to the priest,
who then delivers a special blessing to the swimmer and their
household. Certain such ceremonies have achieved particular prominence,
such as the one held annually at Tarpon Springs,
Florida. In Russia, where the winters are severe, a hole will be cut
into the ice so that the waters may be blessed. In such conditions, the
cross is not cast into the water, but is held securely by the priest and
dipped three times into the water.
The
water that is blessed on this day is known as "Theophany Water"
and is taken home by the faithful, and used with prayer as a blessing.
People will not only bless themselves and their homes by sprinkling with
Theophany Water, but will also drink it. The Orthodox Church teaches
that Theophany Water differs from regular holy water in that with
Theophany Water, the very nature of the water is changed and becomes
incorrupt, a miracle attested to as early as St. John Chrysostom.
Theophany
is a traditional day for performing Baptisms, and this is reflected in
the Divine Liturgy by singing the baptismal hymn, "As many as have been
baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. Alleluia," in place of the
Trisagion.
House Blessings:
On Theophany the priest will begin making the
round of the parishioner's homes to bless them. He will perform a short
prayer service in each home, and then go through the entire house,
gardens and outside-buildings, blessing them with the newly blessed
Theophany Water, while all sing the Troparion and Kontakion of the
feast. This is normally done on Theophany, or at least during the
Afterfeast,
but if the parishioners are numerous, and especially if many live far
away from the church, it may take some time to bless each house.
Traditionally, these blessings should all be finished before the
beginning of Great Lent).
Afterfeast: The Feast of Theophany is followed by an eight-day Afterfeast
on which the normal fasting laws are suspended. The Saturday and Sunday
after Theophany have special readings assigned to them, which relate to
the Temptation of Christ
and to penance and perseverance in the Christian struggle. There is
thus a liturgical continuum between the Feast of Theophany and the
beginning of Great Lent.
Oriental Orthodox
In the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, the feast is known as Timkat
and is celebrated on the day that the Gregorian calendar calls January
19, but on January 20 in years when Enkutatash in the Ethiopian calendar
falls on Gregorian September 12 (i.e. when the following February in
the Gregorian calendar will have 29 days). The celebration of this feast
features blessing of water and solemn processions with the sacred
Tabot.
Among the Syriac Christians the feast is called denho (up-going), a name to be connected with the notion of rising light expressed in Luke 1:78.
In the Armenian Apostolic Church, January 6 is celebrated as the Nativity (Surb Tsnund)
and Theophany of Christ. The feast is preceded by a seven-day fast. On
the eve of the feast, the Divine Liturgy is celebrated. This Liturgy is
referred to as the Chragaluytsi Patarag
(the Eucharist of the lighting of the lamps) in honor of the
manifestation of Jesus as the Son of God. This liturgy is followed by a
blessing of water, during which the cross is immersed in the water,
symbolizing Jesus' descent into the Jordan, and holy myron (chrism)
is poured in, symbolic of the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus.
The next morning, after the Liturgy, the cross is removed from the
vessel of holy water and all come forward to kiss the cross and partake
of the blessed water.
National and local customs
Epiphany
is celebrated with a wide array of customs around the world.
In some cultures, the greenery and nativity scenes put up at Christmas
are taken down at Epiphany. In other cultures these remain up until
Candlemas on February 2. In countries historically shaped by Western
Christianity (Roman Catholicism, Protestantism) these customs often
involve gift giving, "king cakes" and a celebratory close to the
Christmas season. In traditionally Orthodox nations, these celebrations
typically center around water, baptismal rites and house blessings.
Argentina
In Argentina, the day is called "Día de los Reyes" (The Day of
Kings), commemorating the arrival of the Magi to confirm Jesus as son of
God. The night of January 5 into the morning of January 6 is known as
"Noche de Reyes" (The Night of Kings) and children leave their shoes by
the door, along with grass and water for the camels. In the morning of
January 6, they get a present. On January 6, a "Rosca de Reyes" (a
ring-shaped Epiphany cake) is eaten and all Christmas decorations are
traditionally put away.
Bulgaria
In Bulgaria, Epiphany is celebrated on January 6 and is known as Bogoyavlenie ("Manifestation of God"), Кръщение Господне (Krashtenie Gospodne or "Baptism of the Lord") or Yordanovden
("Day of Jordan", referring to the river). On this day, a wooden cross
is thrown by a priest into the sea, river or lake and young men race to
retrieve it.
As the date is in early January and the waters are close to freezing,
this is considered an honourable act and it is said that good health
will be bestowed upon the home of the swimmer who is the first to reach
the cross. In the town of Kalofer, a traditional horo with drums and
bagpipes is played in the icy waters of the Tundzha river before the
throwing of the cross.
Benelux
The Dutch and Flemish call this day Driekoningen, while German speakers call it Dreikönigstag
(Three Kings' Day). In the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and
neighboring Germany, children in groups of three (symbolising the three
kings) proceed in costume from house to house while singing songs
typical for the occasion, and receiving a coin or some sweets at each
door. They may each carry a paper lantern symbolizing the star.
In some places, especially Holland, these troops gather for
competitions and present their skits/songs for an audience. As in
France, Koningentaart (Kings' tart), puff pastry with almond
filling, is prepared with a bean or coin hidden inside. Whoever finds
the bean in his or her piece is king or queen for the day. A more
typically Dutch version is Koningenbrood, or Kings' bread.
Another Low Countries tradition on Epiphany is to open up doors and
windows to let good luck in for the coming year.
Brazil
In Brazil, the day is called "O Dia dos Reis" (The Day of Kings),
commemorating the arrival of the Magi to confirm Jesus as son of God.
The night of January 5 into the morning of January 6 is known as "Night
of Kings" (aka the Twelfth Night) and is feasted with music, sweets and
regional dishes as the last night of Nativity, when Christmas
decorations are traditionally put away.
Egypt
The
feast of the Epiphany is celebrated by the Coptic Orthodox Church of
Alexandria, which falls on 11 Tobe of the Coptic calendar,
as the moment when in the baptism of Jesus the skies opened and God
himself revealed to all as father of Jesus and all mankind. It is then a
moment of revelation of epiphany. This celebration started to include
all the processes of incarnation of Jesus, from his birth on Christmas
until his baptism in the river Jordan. For the Coptic Orthodox Church it
is also a moment in which the path of Jesus to the Cross begins.
Therefore, in many celebrations there are certain similarities with the
celebrations of Holy Friday during the time of Easter. Since the
Epiphany is one of the seven great feasts of the Coptic Orthodox Church,
it is a day of strict fasting, and several religious celebrations are
held on this day. The day is related to the blessing of waters that are
used all throughout the year in the church celebrations, and it is a
privileged day to celebrate baptisms. It is also a day in which many
houses are blessed with water. It may take several days for the local
priest to bless all the houses of the parishioners that ask for it, and
so the blessing of the houses may go into the after-feasts of the
Epiphany celebrations. However, it must be done before the beginning of
Lent. On Epiphany, Copts eat taro and enjoy soaking up sugarcane.
Britain
In
Britain, the celebration of the Night before Epiphany, Epiphany Eve,
is known as Twelfth Night (The first night of Christmas is December
25–26, and Twelfth Night is January 5–6), and was a traditional time for
mumming and the wassail. The yule log
was left burning until this day, and the charcoal left was kept until
the next Christmas to kindle next year's yule log, as well as to protect
the house from fire and lightning. In the past, Epiphany was also a day
for playing practical jokes, similar to April Fool's Day. Today in
England, Twelfth Night is still as popular a day for plays as when
Shakespeare's Twelfth Night was first performed in 1601, and
annual celebrations involving the Holly Man are held in London. A
traditional dish for Epiphany was Twelfth Cake, a rich, dense, typically
English fruitcake.
As in Europe, whoever found the baked-in bean was king for a day, but
unique to English tradition other items were sometimes included in the
cake. Whoever found the clove was the villain, the twig, the fool, and
the rag, the tart. Anything spicy or hot, like ginger snaps and spiced
ale, was considered proper Twelfth Night fare, recalling the costly
spices brought by the Wise Men. Another English Epiphany dessert was the
jam tart, but made into a six-point star for the occasion to symbolize
the Star of Bethlehem, and thus called Epiphany tart. The discerning
English cook sometimes tried to use thirteen different coloured jams on
the tart on this day for luck, creating a dessert with the appearance of
stained glass.
Ethiopia
In the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, the feast is known as Timkat
and is celebrated on the day that the Gregorian calendar calls January
19, but on January 20 in years when Enkutatash in the Ethiopian calendar
falls on Gregorian September 12 (i.e. when the following February in
the Gregorian calendar will have 29 days). The celebration of this feast
features blessing of water and solemn processions with the sacred
Tabot.
Finland
In Finland, Epiphany is called Loppiainen,
a name which goes back to the 1600s. In the 1500s the Swedish-Finnish
Lutheran church called Epiphany "Day of the Holy Three Kings", while
before this, the older term Epiphania was used. In the Karelian language Epiphany is called Vieristä,
meaning cross, from the Orthodox custom of submerging a cross three
times to bless water on this day. Today, in the Lutheran church,
Epiphany is a day dedicated to a focus on missionary
work in addition to the Wise Men narrative. Between the years 1973 and
1991 Epiphany was observed in Finland on a Saturday each year no earlier
than January 6, and no later than January 12. After that time however,
the traditional date of January 6 was restored and has since been
observed once again as a national public holiday. Piparkakut or
Finnish spice cookies are a dish typically served on this day,
especially when cut into the shape of a star. These cookies are broken
in the palm of one's hand, while making a silent wish. If on Epiphany a Piparkakku
star should break into three pieces, and all three be eaten without
speaking a word, it is said that the wish will come true. The Christmas
tree is traditionally taken out of the house on Epiphany. While the term
Loppiainen means "ending of Christmas time" in reality, Christmas celebrations in Finland are extended to Nuutti or St. Canute's Day on January 13, completing the Scandinavian Twenty Days of Christmas.
France
In France people eat gâteau des Rois in Provence (made of brioche) or the galette des Rois (puff pastry with almond cream) in the northern half of France and Belgium. This is a kind of king cake,
with a trinket (usually a porcelain figurine) or a bean hidden inside.
The person who gets the piece of cake with the trinket becomes "king"
for a day.
German-speaking Europe
January
6 is a public holiday in Austria, three federal states of Germany, and
three cantons of Switzerland, as well as in parts of Graubünden.
In the German-speaking lands, groups of young people called "Sternsinger"
(star singers) travel from door to door. They are dressed as the three
Wise Men, plus the leader carrying a star, usually of painted wood
attached to a broom handle. Often these groups are four girls, or two
boys and two girls for the benefit of singing their songs in four-part
harmony, not necessarily three wise men at all. German Lutherans often
note in a lighthearted fashion that the Bible never specifies that the "Weisen" (Magi)
were men, or that there were three. The star singers will be offered
treats at the homes they visit, but they also solicit donations for
worthy causes, such as efforts to end hunger in Africa, organized
jointly by the Catholic and Evangelical-Lutheran churches.
As a sign of gratitude, the young people then perform the traditional
house blessing, by marking the year over the doorway with chalk. In
Roman Catholic communities this may be a serious spiritual event with
the priest present even today, but among Protestants it is more a
tradition, and a part of the German notion of Gemütlichkeit.
Usually on the Sunday following Epiphany, these donations are brought
into churches. Here all of the children who have gone out as star
singers, once again in their costumes, form a procession of sometimes
dozens of wise men and stars. The German Chancellor and Parliament also
receive a visit from the star singers at Epiphany.
Germans eat a Three Kings cake which may be a golden pastry ring
filled with orange and spice representing gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Most often found in Switzerland, these cakes take the form of Buchteln
but for Epiphany, studded with citron, and baked as seven large buns in
a round rather than square pan, forming a crown. Or they may be made of
typical rich Christmas bread dough with cardamom and pearl sugar in the
same seven bun crown shape. These varieties are most typically
purchased in supermarkets with the trinket, and gold paper crown
included.
As in other countries, the person who receives the piece or bun
containing the trinket or whole almond becomes the king or queen for a
day. Epiphany is also an especially joyful occasion for the young and
young at heart as this is the day dedicated to plündern – that
is, when Christmas trees are "plundered" of their cookies and sweets by
eager children (and adults) and when gingerbread houses, and any other
good things left in the house from Christmas are devoured. Lastly, there
is a German rhyme saying, or "Bauernregel", that goes "Ist's bis Dreikönigs kein Winter, kommt keiner dahinter" meaning "If there hasn't been any Winter (weather) until Epiphany, none is coming afterward." Another of these "Bauernregel", (German farmer's rules) for Epiphany states: "Dreikönigsabend hell und klar, verspricht ein gutes Weinjahr" or "If the eve of Epiphany is bright and clear, it fortells a good wine year."
Greece, Cyprus
In Greece, Cyprus and the Greek diaspora throughout the world, the feast is colloquially called the "Phōta" (Greek: Φώτα,
"Lights") and customs revolve around the Great Blessing of the Waters.
It marks the end of the traditional ban on sailing, as the tumultuous
winter seas are cleansed of the mischief-prone "kalikántzaroi",
the goblins that try to torment God-fearing Christians through the
festive season. At this ceremony, a cross is thrown into the water, and
the men clamour to retrieve it for good luck. The Phota form the
middle of another festive triduum, together with Epiphany Eve, January 6
(and eve of January 5), when children sing the Epiphany carols, and the
great feast of St. John the Baptist on January 7 (and eve of January
6), when the numerous Johns and Joans celebrate their name-day.
Guadeloupe
Celebrations in Guadeloupe have a different feel from elsewhere in
the world. Epiphany here does not mean the last day of Christmas
celebrations, but rather the first day of Kannaval (Carnival), which lasts until the evening before Ash Wednesday. Carnival in turn ends with the grand brilé Vaval, the burning of Vaval, the king of the Kannaval, amidst the cries and wails of the crowd.
India
In
parts of southern India, Epiphany is called the Three Kings
Festival and is celebrated in front of the local church like a fair.
Families come together and cook sweet rice porridge called Pongal. This
day marks the close of the Advent and Christmas season and people remove
the cribs and nativity sets at home. In Goa Epiphany may be locally
known by its Portuguese name Festa dos Reis.
Celebrations include a widely attended procession, with boys arrayed as
the Three Kings, leading to the Franciscan Chapel of the Magi near the
Goan capital of Panjim. Other popular Epiphany processions are held in Chandor.
Here three young boys in regal robes and splendid crowns descend the
nearby hill of Our Lady of Mercy on horseback towards the main church
where a three-hour festival Mass is celebrated. The route before them is
decorated with streamers, palm leaves and balloons with the smallest
children present lining the way, shouting greetings to the Kings. The
Kings are traditionally chosen, one each, from Chandor's three hamlets
of Kott, Cavorim and Gurdolim, whose residents helped build the Chandor
church in 1645.
In the past the kings were chosen only from among high-caste
families, but since 1946 the celebration has been open to all.
Participation is still expensive as it involves getting a horse,
costumes, and providing a lavish buffet to the community afterwards, in
all totaling some 100,000 rupees
(about US$ 2,250) per king. This is undertaken gladly since having son
serve as a king is considered a great honour and a blessing on the
family.
Cansaulim
in South Goa is similarly famous for its Three Kings festival, which
draws tourists from around the state and India. Three boys are selected
from the three neighbouring villages of Quelim, Cansaulim and Arrosim to
present the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh
in a procession. Only a native of these villages may serve as king;
outsiders are barred from the role. Throughout the year, excitement runs
high in the villages to see who will be chosen. The boys selected are
meticulously groomed, and must grow their hair long in time for the
festival. The procession involves the three kings wearing jeweled red
velvet robes and crowns, riding white horses decked with flowers and
fine cloth,and they are shaded by colourful parasols, with a retinue of
hundreds.
The procession ends at the local church built in 1581, and in its
central window a large white star hangs, and coloured banners stream out
across the square from those around it. Inside, the church will have
been decorated with garlands.
After presenting their gifts and reverencing the altar and Nativity
scene, the kings take special seats of honour and assist at the High
Mass.
The Saint Thomas Christians of Kerala State, Epiphany is known by its Syriac name Denha. Saint Thomas Christians, like other Eastern Christians, celebrate Denha as a great feast to commemorate the Baptism of Jesus in the river Jordan. The liturgical season Denhakalam ("Weeks of Epiphany") commemorates the second revelation at the Baptism and the subsequent public life of Jesus. Denha is celebrated on January 6 by the Syro-Malabar Church, the largest Church of the Thomas Christians, in two ways - Pindiperunnal ("Plantain trunk feast") and Rakkuliperunal ("Feast with a night bath").
Ireland
The Irish call Epiphany the feast of the Epiphany or traditionally Little Christmas or "Women's Christmas" (Irish: Nollaig na mBan).
On the feast of the Three Kings the women of Ireland in times gone by
had a bit of rest and celebration for themselves, after the cooking and
work of the Christmas holidays. It has long been a custom for women to
gather this day for a special high tea, but on the occasion of Epiphany
accompanied by wine, to honor the Miracle at the Wedding at Cana. Today
Irish women may spend the day shopping, take a meal at a restaurant or
spend the evening at gathering in a pub.
Women may also receive gifts from children, grandchildren or other
family members on this day. Other Epiphany customs, which symbolize the
end of the Christmas season, are popular in Ireland, such as the burning
the sprigs of Christmas holly in the fireplace which have been used as
decorations during the past twelve days.
Italy
There
are varying stories about Epiphany and Italy. According to the Roman
author Macrobius, and English antiquarian John Brand, the word
"Epiphania" was transformed into Befana, the great fair held at that
season, when sigillaria of terracotta or baked pastry were sold. In
popular folklore, Befana visits the children of parts of Italy on the
eve of January 6 to fill their socks with candy and presents if they had
been good or a lump of coal or dark candy if they had been bad. In
other regions, especially Sicily, the South, and Abruzzo
children may look forward instead to a visit from the three Wise Men
themselves, a sign of the region's historical ties to Spain.
Latvia
Epiphany is know in Latvia as Trijkungu diena (Three Kings Day) by Catholics or Zvaigznes diena
(Star Day) by Lutherans after the custom of star singing, and the Star
of Bethlehem which led the Magi to the Christ Child. In the past bright
stars of fabric were sewn onto the background of dark colored quilts,
representing the night sky. Epiphany was a day of enjoyment, spent in
horse-drawn open sleighs, and these quilts would then be taken along to
cover the laps of the merry riders.
If Epiphany Day was bright and mild and the sun “warmed the horses’
backs” it was said that the coming year would bring only peace. If the
night before Epiphany saw clear starry skies, it meant Latvia could
expect a fine harvest in the coming Summer. Weaving
and wood-cutting were “bad luck", giving both men and women a proper
holiday, and if a dog was heard barking on Epiphany one ought to look
for his or her future spouse in that same direction. Special three
corner apple cakes are eaten on this day, and as in other countries,
star singing, visiting and house blessings have long been popular.
Republic of Macedonia
Epiphany
in the Macedonia is known as Vodici (Водици). On this day the priest
throw a wooden cross in water body (river or lake) to symbolize the
baptism of Christ. Men jump into the cold water to retrieve the cross
and the one that manages is believed to be blessed during the whole
year.
These are very festive gatherings with lots of spectacles attending the
sites. Special food jelly form pork and beef meat and bones called
"pacha" (пача) or "pivtii" (пивтии) is prepared the day before, but
served on the day after Epiphany, together with warm local brandy,
rakija (ракија). Epiphany is a non-working day for the Orthodox
believers in Macedonia.
Malta
In Malta, Epiphany is commonly known as It-Tre Re
(The Three
Kings). Until the 1980s, January 6 was a public holiday, but today the
Maltese are celebrating Epiphany on the first Sunday of the year.
Children and students still take January 6 as a school holiday and
Christmas decorations are lit up through this day on most public
streets. The Maltese also have a long-standing custom of presenting
concerts in honor of Epiphany, including the prestigious annual Epiphany
Concert organized by the Malta Council for Culture and Arts, performed
by the National Orchestra.
In 2010, the Epiphany Concert which used to be held before a select
audience, was opened to the general public following a decision by the
President. The Ministry of Education and Culture therefore moved from
the venue from the Palace in Valletta to the historic Sacra Infermeria,
also known as the Mediterranean Conference Centre. Qagħaq tal-Għasel or tal-Qastanija (Maltese honey rings) are typically served at Epiphany in Malta.
Peru
Peru
shares Epiphany customs with Spain and the rest of Latin America.
Peruvian national lore holds that Francisco Pizarro was the first to
call Lima
"Ciudad de los Reyes" (City of the Kings) because the date of the
Epiphany coincided with the day he and his two companions searched for,
and found, an ideal location for a new capital. Even more popular in
Peru than gift giving is the custom of the "Bajada de Reyes" when
parties are held in honor of the taking down of family and public
nativity scenes, and carefully putting them away until the next Christmas.
Philippines
In the Philippines, the long Christmas season traditionally ends on this day, known colloquially as "Three Kings" or "Tres Reyes" (Filipino: Tatlong Hari). Filipino
children also leave their shoes out, so that the Kings will leave
behind gifts like candy or money inside. Most others on this day simply
greet one another with the phrase "Happy Three Kings!". In some
localities, there is the practice of having three men, dressed as the Tatlong Hari,
ride around on horseback, distributing trinkets and candy to the
children of the area. The collective name for the group is immortalised
as the Filipino surname Tatlonghari. Meanwhile the Spanish name for Epiphany has survived to the present in the Philippines as the masculine given name Epifanio
(e.g. Epifanio de los Santos). Due to American influence the position
of the Three Kings as gift-givers has most likely been supplanted by
Santa Claus.
Poland
In Poland, Epiphany, or Trzech Króli
(Three Kings) is celebrated in grand fashion, with huge parades held
welcoming the Wise Men, often riding on camels or other animals from the
zoo, in Warsaw and other cities. The Wise Men pass out sweets, children
process in renaissance
wear, carols are sung, and living nativity scenes are enacted, all
similar to celebrations in Italy or Spain, pointing to the country’s
Catholic heritage. Children may also dress in colors signifying Europe,
Asia, and Africa (the supposed homes of the Wise Men) and at the end of
the parade route, church leaders often preach on the spiritual
significance of the Epiphany.
In 2011, by an act of Parliament, Epiphany was restored as an official
non-working national public holiday in Poland for the first time since
it was cancelled under communism fifty years before. Star singing and
house blessing are popular in Poland, as in the rest of Central Europe.
Poles though take small boxes containing chalk, a gold ring, incense and
a piece of amber,
in memory of the gifts of the Magi, to church to be blessed. Once at
home, they inscribe "K+M+B+" and the year with the blessed chalk above
every door in the house, according to tradition, to provide protection
against illness and misfortune for those within. The letters, with a
cross after each one, are said to stand either for the traditionally
applied names of the Three Kings in Polish - Kacper, Melchior and
Baltazar - or for a Latin inscription meaning “Christ bless this house.”
They remain above the doors all year until they are inadvertently
dusted off or replaced by new markings the next year. On January 6, as
in much of Europe, a Polish style Three Kings cake is served with a coin
or almond
baked inside. The one who gets it is king or queen for the day,
signified by wearing the paper crown that decorates the cake. According
to Polish tradition this person will be lucky in the coming year.
Recipes vary by region. Some serve a French-type puff pastry cake with
almond paste filling, others favor a sponge cake with almond cream
filling, and yet others enjoy a light fruitcake.
Epiphany in Poland also signals the beginning of zapusty or carnival time, when Pączki (doughnuts) are served.
Portugal
In Portugal, Epiphany, January 6, is called dia dos Reis (Day of the Kings), during which the traditional Bolo Rei
(King cake) is baked and eaten. Plays and pageants are popular on this
day, and parents often hold parties for their children. Epiphany is also
a time when the traditional Portuguese dances known as Mouriscadas and Paulitos
are performed. The latter is an elaborate stick dance. The dancers, who
are usually men but may be dressed as women, manipulate sticks or
staves (in imitation swords) in two opposing lines. It is a tradition too in Portugal for people to gather in small groups and to go from house to house to sing the Reis
(meaning "Kings") which are traditional songs about the life of Jesus.
The singers also bring greetings to the owners of the house. After
singing for a while outside, they are invited in, and the owners of the
house offer them sweets, liqueurs, and other Epiphany delicacies. These Reis usually begin on Epiphany eve and last until January 20.
Puerto Rico
In Puerto Rico, it is traditional for children to fill a box with
fresh grass or hay and put it underneath their bed, for the Wise Men's
camels. The three kings will then take the grass to feed the camels and
will leave gifts under the bed as a reward. These traditions are
analogous to the customs of children leaving mince pies and sherry out
for Father Christmas in Western Europe or leaving milk and cookies for Santa Claus in the United States.
Romania and Moldova
Star boys. Postage stamp depicting traditional Christmas & Epiphany star singing in Moldova.
In Romania and Moldova, Epiphany, or Boboteaza, celebrations
take on a unique tone. Following religious services, men participate in
winter horse races. Before the race, the men line up with their horses
before the priest who will bless them by sprinkling them with green
branches that have been dipped into Epiphany holy water.
Sometimes
people desire to have this blessing for themselves as well. Winning the
Epiphany race is a great honor for both horse and rider, while the
post-race celebrations, win or not, are highly festive. As in other
Orthodox heritage countries, water rites also play a special role on
this day.
A unique piece of Romanian folk wisdom holds that if a girl slips on
ice - or better yet falls into water- on Epiphany, she will surely marry
before the year is out.
In Transylvania and the Siebenbürgen, Lutheran and Reformed Christians
of Hungarian and Saxon descent celebrate Epiphany with star singing and
house blessing, as in Central Europe. The star singing custom too though
had long ago spread throughout Romania and Moldova. Here the stars,
called Steaua,
today resemble stained glass lanterns and feature an orthodox icon at
their center, a tradition pointing to the rich blending of both East and
West which characterize the two nations on the river Prut.
Russia
The Epiphany, celebrated in Russia on January 19, marks the baptism of Jesus in the Orthodox Church.
As elsewhere in the Orthodox world, the Russian Church conducts the
rite of the Great Blessing of the Waters, also known as "the Great
Sanctification of the Water" on that day (or the eve before). The priest-led procession could simply proceed to the font, but traditionally the worshipers would go to a nearby lake or river.
Historical
records indicate that the blessing of the waters events took place at
the courts of Moscow Czars
since no later than 1525. According to historians, the blessing of the
waters procession was the most magnificent of the annual Czar's court's
ceremonies, comparable only to such special events as royal coronations
and weddings. After a divine liturgy in the Kremlin's Dormition
Cathedral, the procession, led by the Czar and the Patriarch of Moscow
would proceed to the frozen Moscow River. A small gazebo, called Iordan',
would have been erected on the ice and decorated with holy icons, one
of which would depict the Baptism of Christ. The Patriarch would immerse
his cross into the river's water; and sprinkle the Czar, his boyars,
and the banners of Czar's army's regiments with the holy water. A load
of holy water would then be brought back to the Kremlin, to be used in
blessing the Czar's palace. On a smaller scale, similar events would take place in the parishes throughout the nation.
Believing that on this day water becomes holy and is imbued with
special powers, Russians cut holes in the ice of lakes and rivers, often
in the shape of the cross, to bathe in the freezing water.
This practice is said to be popularized comparatively recently; it was
fairly uncommon in the czarist days, but has flourished since the 1990s. Participants in the ritual may dip themselves three times under the water, honoring the Holy Trinity,
to symbolically wash away their sins from the past year, and to
experience a sense of spiritual rebirth. Orthodox priests are on hand to
bless the water, and rescuers are on hand to monitor the safety of the
swimmers in the ice-cold water.
Other less intrepid Russians may limit their participation in the
Epiphany rites to those conducted inside churches, where priests perform
the Great Blessing of Waters, both on Epiphany Eve and Epiphany
(Theophany) proper. The water is then distributed to attendees who may
store it to use in times of illness, to bless themselves, family
members, and their homes, or to drink. Some Russians think any water -
even from the taps on the kitchen sink - poured or bottled on Epiphany
becomes holy water, since all the water in the world is blessed this
day.
United States
In the United States, in Colorado around Manitou Springs, Epiphany is marked by the Great Fruitcake Toss. Fruitcakes
are thrown, participants dress as kings, fools, etc., and competitions
are held for the farthest throw, the most creative projectile device,
etc. As with customs in other countries, the fruitcake toss is a sort of
festive symbolic leave-taking of the Christmas holidays until next
year, but with humorous twist, since fruitcake (although the traditional
Christmas bread of America, England and other English speaking nations)
is considered in the United States with a certain degree of derision,
and is the source of many jokes.
In
Louisiana, Epiphany is the beginning of the Carnival season, during
which it is customary to bake King Cakes,
similar to the Rosca mentioned above. It is round in shape, filled with
cinnamon, glazed white, and coated in traditional carnival color
sanding sugar. The person who finds the doll (or bean) must provide the
next king cake. The interval between Epiphany and Mardi Gras
is sometimes known as "king cake season", and many may be consumed
during this period. The Carnival season begins on King's Day (Epiphany),
and there are many traditions associated with that day in Louisiana and
along the Catholic coasts of Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. King
cakes are first sold then, Carnival krewes begin having their balls on
that date, and the first New Orleans krewe parades in street cars that
night.
In Colonial Virginia
Epiphany, or 12th Night, was an occasion of great merriment, and was
considered especially appropriate as a date for balls and dancing, as
well as for weddings. On 12th Night, Great Cake was prepared, consisting in two giant layers of fruitcake, coated and filled with royal icing.
Custom dictated that the youngest child present cut and serve the cake
and whoever found the bean or prize in the Twelfth Night cake was
crowned "King of the Bean" similar to the European king cake custom.
Tarpon
Springs, Florida is known for elaborate religious ceremonies related to
the Greek Orthodox Church, the most notable being the Epitphany
celebration. The Metropolitan of Atlanta usually presides over the
blessings, sometimes joined by the Archbishop of America.
The blessings conclude with the ceremonial throwing of a wooden cross
into the city's Spring Bayou, and boys ages 16 to 18 diving in to
retrieve it. Whoever recovers the cross is said to be blessed for a full
year. Following the blessings, the celebration moves to the Sponge
Docks where food and music are made part of the festivities. Tarpon Springs has given itself the nickname Epiphany City. The celebration attracts Greek Americans from across the country, and the city's population is known to triple in size for that day.
Wales
On January 6, the Feast of the Epiphany has long been an important celebration in Wales, known there as Ystwyll.
In Glamorganshire, a huge loaf or cake was prepared, which was then
divided up into three parts to represent Christ, the Virgin Mary and the
three Wise Men.
A large company of neighbors was invited to be present at the dividing
of the cake in which rings were concealed. Whoever discovered a ring in
his piece of cake (or bread) was elected as King or Queen and presided
over the day's festivities. January 6 was the old-calendar Christmas Day
and many of the festivities connected with it lasted well over a
century after the new calendar was introduced in 1752. Wales shares other Twelfth Night customs with its neighbor, England, including the yule log, and the wassail
to wish farmers a good harvest in the coming year, but here the yule
log's ashes were saved then buried along with the seeds planted in the
ensuing spring to ensure a good harvest, while the wassail bowl was
taken to the house of newlyweds or to a family which had recently come
to live in the district and songs sung outside the house door. Those
inside the house would recite or sing special verses, to be answered by
the revelers outside.
Another Welsh custom associated with Epiphany was the Hunting of the
Wren. A group of young men would go out into the countryside to capture a
wren (the
smallest bird in the British Isles after the goldcrest / firecrest). The
bird would then be placed in a small, decorated cage and carried around
from house to house and shown in exchange for money or gifts of food
and drink (if a wren could not be found then a sparrow would have to undergo the ritual.) Mild climate of the southern city of Sochi
meanwhile, where air and water temperatures both hover in the low to
mid 10 degree Celsius range (50 degrees Fahrenheit) in January,
thousands of people jump into the Black Sea at midnight each year on Epiphany and begin to swim in celebration of the feast.
Slovenia
In Slovenia, especially in the Western part of the country, during
the first day of the year and on Epiphany, children go from house to
house because villagers will give them almonds, dried figs, nuts,
cookies or other good things that they have at home.
Spain and Latin America
In Spain and some Latin American countries, Epiphany day is called El Día de los Reyes (The Day of the Kings), i.e., the day when a group of Kings or Magi, as related in the second chapter of the gospel of Matthew,
arrived to worship and bring three gifts to the baby Jesus after
following a star in the heavens. This day is sometimes known as the Día de los Tres Reyes Magos (The day of the Three Royal Magi) or La Pascua de los Negros
(Holy Day of the Black men) in Chile, although the latter is rarely
heard. In Spanish tradition on January 6, three of the Kings: Melchior,
Gaspar, and Balthazar, representing Europe, Arabia, and Africa, arrived
on horse, camel and elephant, bringing respectively gold, frankincense
and myrrh to the baby Jesus. Children (and many adults) polish and leave
their shoes ready for the Kings' presents before they go to bed on the
eve of January 6. The next morning presents will appear under
their shoes, or if the children are deemed to have misbehaved during the
year, coal (usually a lump of hard sugar candy dyed black). Most towns
in Spain arrange colorful parades representing the arrival of the Reyes Magos
to town so children can see them in their camels or carriages before
they go to bed. Sweet wine, nibbles, fruit and milk are left for the
Kings and their camels. In Spain, children typically receive presents on
this day, rather than on Christmas, though this tradition has changed
lately, and children now receive presents on both days. In Spain the
Epiphany bread/cake is known as Roscón and in Mexico as Rosca de reyes.
United States
In the United States, in Colorado around Manitou Springs, Epiphany is marked by the Great Fruitcake Toss. Fruitcakes
are thrown, participants dress as kings, fools, etc., and competitions
are held for the farthest throw, the most creative projectile device,
etc. As with customs in other countries, the fruitcake toss is a sort of
festive symbolic leave-taking of the Christmas holidays until next
year, but with humorous twist, since fruitcake (although the traditional
Christmas bread of America, England and other English speaking nations)
is considered in the United States with a certain degree of derision,
and is the source of many jokes.
In
Louisiana, Epiphany is the beginning of the Carnival season, during
which it is customary to bake King Cakes,
similar to the Rosca mentioned above. It is round in shape, filled with
cinnamon, glazed white, and coated in traditional carnival color
sanding sugar. The person who finds the doll (or bean) must provide the
next king cake. The interval between Epiphany and Mardi Gras
is sometimes known as "king cake season", and many may be consumed
during this period. The Carnival season begins on King's Day (Epiphany),
and there are many traditions associated with that day in Louisiana and
along the Catholic coasts of Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. King
cakes are first sold then, Carnival krewes begin having their balls on
that date, and the first New Orleans krewe parades in street cars that
night.
In Colonial Virginia
Epiphany, or 12th Night, was an occasion of great merriment, and was
considered especially appropriate as a date for balls and dancing, as
well as for weddings. On 12th Night, Great Cake was prepared, consisting in two giant layers of fruitcake, coated and filled with royal icing.
Custom dictated that the youngest child present cut and serve the cake
and whoever found the bean or prize in the Twelfth Night cake was
crowned "King of the Bean" similar to the European king cake custom.
Tarpon
Springs, Florida is known for elaborate religious ceremonies related to
the Greek Orthodox Church, the most notable being the Epitphany
celebration. The Metropolitan of Atlanta usually presides over the
blessings, sometimes joined by the Archbishop of America.
The blessings conclude with the ceremonial throwing of a wooden cross
into the city's Spring Bayou, and boys ages 16 to 18 diving in to
retrieve it. Whoever recovers the cross is said to be blessed for a full
year. Following the blessings, the celebration moves to the Sponge
Docks where food and music are made part of the festivities. Tarpon
Springs has given itself the nickname Epiphany City. The celebration
attracts Greek Americans from across the country, and the city's
population is known to triple in size for that day.
Wales
On January 6, the Feast of the Epiphany has long been an important celebration in Wales, known there as Ystwyll.
In Glamorganshire, a huge loaf or cake was prepared, which was then
divided up into three parts to represent Christ, the Virgin Mary and the
three Wise Men.
A large company of neighbors was invited to be present at the dividing
of the cake in which rings were concealed. Whoever discovered a ring in
his piece of cake (or bread) was elected as King or Queen and presided
over the day's festivities. January 6 was the old-calendar Christmas Day
and many of the festivities connected with it lasted well over a
century after the new calendar was introduced in 1752. Wales shares other Twelfth Night customs with its neighbor, England, including the yule log, and the wassail
to wish farmers a good harvest in the coming year, but here the yule
log's ashes were saved then buried along with the seeds planted in the
ensuing spring to ensure a good harvest, while the wassail bowl was
taken to the house of newlyweds or to a family which had recently come
to live in the district and songs sung outside the house door. Those
inside the house would recite or sing special verses, to be answered by
the revelers outside.
Another Welsh custom associated with Epiphany was the Hunting of the
Wren. A group of young men would go out into the countryside to capture a
wren (the
smallest bird in the British Isles after the goldcrest firecrest). The
bird would then be placed in a small, decorated cage and carried around
from house to house and shown in exchange for money or gifts of food
and drink (if a wren could not be found then a sparrow would have to undergo the ritual.
References
- Epiphanius, Panarion, li, 27, in Migne, Patrologia Graecae (P.G.), XLI, 936 (where it is called by its Latin name: Adversus Haereses)
- St. Gregory Nazianzus, Oration xxxviii in P.G., XXXVI. 312
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Today's Snippet I: History of Twelfth Night
It is defined by the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary as "the evening of the fifth of January, preceding Twelfth Day, the eve of the Epiphany, formerly the last day of the Christmas festivities and observed as a time of merrymaking". There is some confusion these days, however, as to which night is Twelfth Night.
The older tradition of Twelfth Night being the 5 January stems from the medieval practice of the day beginning at sunset, rather than at midnight as it does now. Thus Twelfth Night falls on 5 January.
A recent belief in some English-speaking countries holds that it is unlucky to leave Christmas decorations hanging after Twelfth Night, a belief originally attached to the festival of Candlemas which celebrates the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple (2 February).
Epiphany or Theophany (Ancient Greek (ἡ) Θεοφάνεια, Τheophaneia meaning "vision of God"), which traditionally falls on January 6, is a Christian feast day that celebrates the revelation of God the Son as a human being in Jesus Christ. Western Christians commemorate principally (but not solely) the visit of the Magi to the Baby Jesus, and thus Jesus' physical manifestation to the Gentiles.
Origins and History
Christians fixed the date of the feast on January 6 quite early in their history. Ancient liturgies noted Illuminatio, Manifestatio, Declaratio (Illumination, Manifestation, Declaration); cf. Matthew 3:13–17; Luke 3:22; and John 2:1–11; where the Baptism and the Marriage at Cana were dwelt upon. Western Christians have traditionally emphasized the "Revelation to the Gentiles" mentioned in Luke, where the term Gentile means all non-Jewish peoples.
The Biblical Magi, who represented the non-Jewish peoples of the world, paid homage to the infant Jesus in stark contrast to Herod the Great (King of Judea), who sought to kill him. In this event, Christian writers also inferred a revelation to the Children of Israel. Saint John Chrysostom identified the significance of the meeting between the Magi and Herod's court: "The star had been hidden from them so that, on finding themselves without their guide, they would have no alternative but to consult the Jews. In this way the birth of Jesus would be made known to all."
The earliest reference to Epiphany as a Christian feast was in A.D. 361, by Ammianus Marcellinus St. Epiphanius says that January 6 is hemera genethlion toutestin epiphanion (Christ's "Birthday; that is, His Epiphany"). He also asserts that the Miracle at Cana occurred on the same calendar day.
In 385, the pilgrim Egeria (also known as Silvia) described a celebration in Jerusalem and Bethlehem, which she called "Epiphany" (epiphania) that commemorated the Nativity of Christ. Even at this early date, there was an octave associated with the feast.
In a sermon delivered on 25 December 380, St. Gregory of Nazianzus referred to the day as ta theophania ("the Theophany", an alternative name for Epiphany), saying expressly that it is a day commemorating he hagia tou Christou gennesis ("the holy nativity of Christ") and told his listeners that they would soon be celebrating the baptism of Christ. Then, on January 6 and 7, he preached two more sermons, wherein he declared that the celebration of the birth of Christ and the visitation of the Magi had already taken place, and that they would now commemorate his Baptism. At this time, celebration of the two events was beginning to be observed on separate occasions, at least in Cappadocia.
Saint John Cassian stated that even in his time (beginning of the 5th century), the Egyptian monasteries celebrated the Nativity and Baptism together on January 6. The Armenian Apostolic Church continues to celebrate January 6 as the only commemoration of the Nativity.
Since 1970, the rule for the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church is: "The Epiphany of the Lord is celebrated on 6 January, unless, where it is not observed as a Holy day of obligation, it has been assigned to the Sunday occurring between 2 and 8 January."
In the Church of England, the feast is celebrated on the Twelfth Night (holiday), the Twelfth Day being January 6. The Monday after Epiphany is known as Plough Monday.
A separate celebration of the Baptism of the Lord was introduced for Latin Rite Roman Catholics in 1955. Initially, this was to be held on January 13, previously the octave day of the Epiphany, but in the 1969 revision of the General Roman Calendar the date was changed to the first Sunday after January 6.
Traditions
Food and drink are the centre of the celebrations in modern times, and all of the most traditional ones go back many centuries. The punch called wassail is consumed especially on Twelfth Night, but throughout Christmas time, especially in the UK. Around the world, special pastries, such as the tortell and king cake are baked on Twelfth Night, and eaten the following day for the Feast of the Epiphany celebrations. In English and French custom, the Twelfth-cake was baked to contain a bean and a pea, so that those who received the slices containing them should be designated king and queen of the night's festivities.[5]
In colonial America, a Christmas wreath was always left up on the front door of each home, and when taken down at the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas, any edible portions would be consumed with the other foods of the feast. The same held true in the 19th-20th centuries with fruits adorning Christmas trees. Fresh fruits were hard to come by, and were therefore considered fine and proper gifts and decorations for the tree, wreaths, and home. Again, the tree would be taken down on Twelfth Night, and such fruits, along with nuts and other local produce used, would then be consumed.
In the eastern Alps, a tradition called Perchtenlaufen exists. Two to three hundred masked young men rush about the streets with whips and bells driving out evil spirits.[4] In Nuremberg until 1616, children frightened spirits away by running through the streets and knocking loudly at doors.[4] In some countries, and in the Catholic religion worldwide, the Twelfth Night and Epiphany mark the start of the Carnival season, which lasts through Mardi Gras Day. Modern American Carnival traditions shine most brightly in New Orleans, where friends gather for weekly King Cake parties. Whoever gets the slice with the "king", usually in the form of a miniature baby doll (symbolic of the Christ Child, "Christ the King"), hosts next week's party.
In parts of Kent, there is a tradition that an edible decoration would be the last part of Christmas to be removed in the Twelfth Night and shared amongst the family.[6]
Drury Lane Theatre in London has had a tradition since 1795 of providing a Twelfth Night cake. The will of Robert Baddeley made a bequest of £100 to provide cake and punch every year for the company in residence at the theatre on January 6. The tradition still continues.[
In Western Christianity
The Twelve Days of Christmas is the festive Christian season, beginning on Christmas Day (25 December), that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. This period is also known as Christmastide. This is different from the Octave of Christmas, which is the liturgical time from Christmas Day until the Solemnity of Mary on 1 January. The Twelfth Day of Christmas falls on 5 January but the Twelfth Night can either precede or follow the Twelfth Day depending on which tradition is followed. The Twelfth Day of Christmas (5 January) is followed by the Feast of the Epiphany on 6 January. In some traditions, the feast of Epiphany and Twelfth Night overlap. The Twelve Days of Christmas are immediately followed by the Feast of the Epiphany, which celebrates the visit of the Wise Men (Magi) and their bringing of gifts to the child Jesus.Many different saint feast days fall within the twelve days of Christmas, but they are not part of the Twelve Days themselves. The Twelve Days is a distinct period focused on commemorating the Nativity of Christ. Different traditions follow slightly different days and traditions. St. Stephen's Day, for example, is 26 December in the Western Church and 27 December in the Eastern Church. 28 December is Childermas/Feast of the Holy Innocents. In Britain and the former colonies, 26 December is also known as Boxing Day, a secular holiday. Currently, the twelve days and nights are celebrated in varying ways around the world. Some give gifts only on Christmas Day, some only on Twelfth Night, and some each of the twelve nights. In many Latin American countries, the Feast of the Epiphany is accorded a great celebration
The first day of Christmas is Christmas Day and each day is a feast
in memory of a Saint or event associated with the Christmas season. The
days are as follows:
William Shakespeare wrote the play Twelfth Night, circa 1601.
Shakespeare's play Twelfth Night, or What You Will was written to be performed as a Twelfth Night entertainment. The earliest known performance took place at Middle Temple Hall, one of the Inns of Court, on Candlemas night, 2 February 1602.[8]
The play has many elements that are reversed, in the tradition of
Twelfth Night, such as a woman Viola dressing as a man, and a servant Malvolio imagining that he can become a nobleman.
Robert Herrick's poem Twelfe-Night, or King and Queene (published 1648) describes the election of king and queen by bean and pea in a plum cake, and the homage done to them by the draining of wassail bowls of "lamb's-wool", a drink of sugar, nutmeg, ginger and ale.
In Harrison Ainsworth's novel Mervyn Clitheroe (Ch. 6), the eponymous hero is elected King of festivities at the Twelfth Night celebrations held in Tom Shakeshaft's barn, by receiving the slice of plum cake containing the bean; his companion Cissy obtains the pea and becomes queen, and they are seated together in a high corner to view the proceedings. The distribution has been rigged to prevent another person gaining the role. The festivities include country dances, and the introduction of a "Fool Plough", a plough decked with ribands brought into the barn by a dozen mummers together with a grotesque "Old Bessie" (played by a man) and a Fool dressed in animal skins with a fool's hat. The mummers carry wooden swords and perform revelries. The scene in the novel is illustrated by Hablot Knight Browne ("Phiz"). In the course of the evening, the fool's antics cause a fight to break out, but Mervyn restores order. Three bowls of gin punch are disposed of, and at eleven o'clock the young men make the necessary arrangements to see the young ladies safely home across the fields.
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens briefly mentions Scrooge and the Ghost of Christmas Present visiting a children's Twelfth Night party.
Ben Jonson's The Masque of Blackness was performed on the 6th of January 1605 at the Banqueting House in Whitehall. It was originally entitled The Twelvth Nights Revells. The accompanying Masque, The Masque of Beauty was performed in the same court the Sunday night after the Twelfth Night in 1608.[9]
- Day 1: 25 December: Christmas Day, formally called the Solemnity (high holy feast day) of the Nativity of the Lord.
- Day 2: 26 December: St. Stephen, the first deacon and first martyr. His martyrdom account can be found in the Bible, in the book the Acts of the Apostles. This day is mentioned in the carol "Good King Wenceslas". In the United Kingdom, Boxing Day, a non-religious bank holiday, occurs on the first day following Christmas (movable when falling at weekends —- see main article). In Ireland this day is also known as Wren Day.
- Day 3: 27 December: St. John the Evangelist and Apostle.
- Day 4: 28 December: Feast of the Holy Innocents, the young male children ordered murdered in Bethlehem by King Herod, according to the Gospel of Matthew. The traditional Christmas song "The Coventry Carol" describes this event.
- Day 5: 29 December: St. Thomas Becket.
- Sunday after Christmas Day: Feast of the Holy Family of St. Joseph, St. Mary and Jesus.
- Day 6: 30 December St Egwin of Worcester .
- Day 7: 31 December: Pope St. Sylvester. In Scotland this day is known as Hogmanay. In Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Slovakia, Switzerland and Slovenia, New Years Eve is still referred to as Silvester.
- Day 8: 1 January: The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. Before the Second Vatican Council it was also observed as the Circumcision of the Lord.
- Day 9: 2 January: St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzen. In England, the Lichfield Martyrs are also celebrated on this day.
- Day 10: 3 January: Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus.
- Day 11: 4 January: St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first American saint. In medieval times this was The feast of Saint Simon Stylites.
- Day 12: 5 January: St. John Neumann. In the UK this was the Feast of St. Edward the Confessor, King of England. The rest of Europe celebrated St. Julian the Hospitaller on this day. The evening of the 5 January is also Twelfth Night.
In literature
Robert Herrick's poem Twelfe-Night, or King and Queene (published 1648) describes the election of king and queen by bean and pea in a plum cake, and the homage done to them by the draining of wassail bowls of "lamb's-wool", a drink of sugar, nutmeg, ginger and ale.
In Harrison Ainsworth's novel Mervyn Clitheroe (Ch. 6), the eponymous hero is elected King of festivities at the Twelfth Night celebrations held in Tom Shakeshaft's barn, by receiving the slice of plum cake containing the bean; his companion Cissy obtains the pea and becomes queen, and they are seated together in a high corner to view the proceedings. The distribution has been rigged to prevent another person gaining the role. The festivities include country dances, and the introduction of a "Fool Plough", a plough decked with ribands brought into the barn by a dozen mummers together with a grotesque "Old Bessie" (played by a man) and a Fool dressed in animal skins with a fool's hat. The mummers carry wooden swords and perform revelries. The scene in the novel is illustrated by Hablot Knight Browne ("Phiz"). In the course of the evening, the fool's antics cause a fight to break out, but Mervyn restores order. Three bowls of gin punch are disposed of, and at eleven o'clock the young men make the necessary arrangements to see the young ladies safely home across the fields.
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens briefly mentions Scrooge and the Ghost of Christmas Present visiting a children's Twelfth Night party.
Ben Jonson's The Masque of Blackness was performed on the 6th of January 1605 at the Banqueting House in Whitehall. It was originally entitled The Twelvth Nights Revells. The accompanying Masque, The Masque of Beauty was performed in the same court the Sunday night after the Twelfth Night in 1608.[9]
References
- Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, 1993 edition.
- Beckford, Martin (6 January 2009). "Christmas ends in confusion over when Twelfth Night falls". The Daily Telegraph (London). Retrieved 26 May 2010.
- Of
late years a belief has grown up that it is unlucky to leave
[evergreens] hanging after Epiphany Eve (5 January), but this seems to
be a modern notion [...] The older tradition was that they must come
down by Candlemas, the day on which the wider ecclesiastical Christmas
season ends." — Radford, ed. Cole (1961). Encyclopaedia of Supersitions. London: Hutchinson.Miles, Clement A.. Christmas Customs and Traditions: Their History and Significance. Courier Dover Publications, 1976. ISBN 0-486-23354-5. Robert Herrick (1591–1674) in his poem "Ceremony upon Candlemas Eve" writes:
- "Down with the rosemary, and so
- Down with the bays and mistletoe;
- Down with the holly, ivy, all,
- Wherewith ye dress'd the Christmas Hall"
- Miles & John, Hadfield (1961). The Twelve Days of Christmas. London: Cassell & Company. p. 166.
- http://www.bridgefarmersmarket.co.uk/stalls.asp
- "The Baddeley Cake". Drury Lane Theatrical Fund. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
- Shakespeare, William; Smith, Bruce R. (2001). Twelfth Night: Texts and Contexts. Boston: Bedford/St Martin's. p. 2. ISBN 0-312-20219-9.
- Herford, C.H.; Percy & Evelyn Simpson. (1941). Ben Jonson, Volume VII. Oxford: Clarendon Press. pp. 169–201.
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Today's Snippet II: History of King Cake
 |
| Louisiana Style King Cake |
The cake has a small plastic baby, said to represent Baby Jesus) inside (or sometimes placed underneath), and the person who gets the piece of cake with the trinket has various privileges and obligations.
History
Related culinary traditions are the tortell of Catalonia, the gâteau des Rois in Provence or the galette des Rois in the northern half of France, and the Greek and Cypriot vasilopita. The galette des Rois is made with puff pastry and frangipane (while the gâteau des Rois is made with brioche and candied fruits). A little bean was traditionally hidden in it, a custom taken from the Saturnalia in the Roman Empire: the one who stumbled upon the bean was called "king of the feast." In the galette des Rois, since 1870 the beans have been replaced first by porcelain and now by plastic figurines. The gâteau des Rois is known as Rosca de Reyes in Mexico.
Samuel Pepys recorded a party in London on Epiphany night, 6 January 1659/1660: "...to my cousin Stradwick, where, after a good supper, there being there my father, mothers, brothers, and sister, my cousin Scott and his wife, Mr. Drawwater and his wife, and her brother, Mr. Stradwick, we had a brave cake brought us, and in the choosing, Pall was Queen and Mr. Stradwick was King. After that my wife and I bid adieu and came home, it being still a great frost." The choosing of King and Queen from the pie, usually by the inclusion of a bean and a pea, was a traditional English Twelfth Night festivity. The cake was called a Twelfth Cake, Twelfth-night cake, or Twelfth-tide cake.
Trinket
In the U.S. Gulf Coast since the 1950s, the most common trinket has been a small plastic baby doll. Earlier ceramic baby boys as trinkets are documented in New Orleans back to the 1930s. A king wearing a crown is the next most common trinket.
Other figures have been seen historically, and starting in the 1990s again became more common in the more expensive "gourmet" varieties of king cake.
In New Orleans, the common plastic baby of today is usually colored pink, brown, white or gold. Because of the potential choking hazard, some bakeries include the trinket separately from the pastry.
United States Gulf Coast King Cake
 |
| King cakes of this type are locally called "French style" on display at the chain bakery/restaurant "La Madeline" branch in Carrollton, New Orleans. They come with cardbord "crowns" to be worn by whoever gets the slice with the token and becomes monarch of the event |
The king cake of the Louisiana tradition comes in a number of styles. The most simple, said to be the most traditional, is a ring of twisted cinnamon roll-style bread topped with icing or sugar, usually colored purple, green, and gold (the traditional Mardi Gras colors) with food coloring. In 1972, a small bakery in Picayune, Mississippi, Paul's Pastry, started adding fillings to king cakes - the most common being cream cheese, praline, cinnamon, or strawberry. A so-called "Zulu King Cake" has chocolate icing with a coconut filling, because the Krewe of Zulu parade's most celebrated throw is a coconut. Also, some bakers have now taken the liberty to offer king cakes for other holidays that immediately surround Mardi Gras season, such as green and red-icing king cakes for Christmas, red and pink-icing cakes for Valentine's Day, and green and white-icing cakes for St. Patrick's Day. Others have gone a step further and produce specialty king cakes from the beginning of football season for Louisiana State University and New Orleans Saints tailgate parties, then for Halloween, then Thanksgiving - and do not cease until after Mardi Gras season with an Easter holiday king cake. It has become customary in the Southern culture that whoever finds the trinket must provide the next king cake or host the next Mardi Gras party.
French King Cake
Frangipane is a filling made from or flavored with almonds. This filling can be used in a variety of ways including cakes, tarts and other assorted pastries, such as the Jesuite. An alternative French spelling from a 1674 cookbook is franchipane with the earliest modern spelling coming from a 1732 confectioners' dictionary. Originally designated as a custard tart flavored by almonds or pistachios it came later to designate a filling that could be used in a variety of confections and baked goods. Frangipane is one of France's many traditional foods associated with Christmas celebration.
These days it is normally made of butter, sugar, eggs, and ground almonds: beat butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy, gradually beat in the eggs, fold in the ground almonds.
In some anecdotes it was the kind of sweet that the noblewoman Jacopa da Settesoli brought to St. Francis of Assisi in 1226, when he was dying.
On Epiphany, the French cut the King Cake, a round cake made of frangipane layers into slices to be distributed by a child known as le petit roi (the little king) who is usually hiding under the dining table. The cake is decorated with stars, a crown, flowers and a special bean hidden inside the cake. Whoever gets the piece of the frangipane cake with the bean is crowned “king” or “queen” for the following year.
French King Cake - Tortell (Southern style)
The tortell de Reis contains two hidden surprises: a dried field bean, and a tiny figurine of one of the three kings. The person who gets the figurine in their cut gets to wear the paper crown. The person who gets the dried fava bean in their cut gets to pay for the tortell.
Tradition holds that the cake is “to draw the kings” to the Epiphany. A figurine, la fève, which can represent anything from a car to a cartoon character, is hidden in the cake and the person who finds the trinket in their slice becomes king for the day and will have to offer the next cake. Originally, la fève was literally a broad bean (fève), but it was replaced in 1870 by a variety of figurines out of porcelain or—more recently—plastic. These figurines have become popular collectibles and can often be bought separately. Individual bakeries may offer a specialized line of fèves depicting diverse themes from great works of art to classic movie stars and popular cartoon characters. The cakes are usually sold in special bags, some of which can be used to heat the cake in a microwave without ruining the crispness of the cake. A paper crown is included with the cake to crown the "king" who finds the fève in their piece of cake. To ensure a random distribution of the cake shares, it is traditional for the youngest person to place themselves under the table and name the recipient of the share which is indicated by the person in charge of the service.
Formerly, one divided the cake in as many shares as guests, plus one. The latter, called "the share of God," "share of the Virgin Mary," or "share of the poor" was intended for the first poor person to arrive at the home.
The French President is not allowed to “draw the kings” on Epiphany because of the etiquette rules. Therefore, a traditional galette without figurine or crown is served at Elysée Palace in January.
Spanish King Cake
A piece of a Rosca de Reyes
It is traditionally eaten on January 6, during the celebration of the "Día de Reyes" (literally "Kings' Day"), which commemorates the arrival of the three Magi or Wise Men. In most of Spain, Spanish America, and sometimes, Hispanic communities in the United States, this is the day when children traditionally get presents, which are attributed to the Three Wise Men (and not Santa Claus or Father Christmas). In Mexico before children go to bed, they leave their shoes outside filled with hay or dried grass for the animals the Wise Men ride, along with a note.
The tradition of placing a trinket (figurine of the Christ Child) in the cake is very old. The baby Jesus, when hidden in the bread, represents the flight of Jesus, fleeing from King Herod's evil plan to kill all babies that could be the prophesied messiah. Whoever finds the baby Jesus figurine is blessed and must take the figurine to the nearest church on February 2, Candlemas Day (Día de la Candelaria). In the Mexican culture, this person also has to throw a party and provide tamales and atole to the guests.
In Spain, roscones bought in pastery shops hide in their interior a figure - either of Jesus or others like little toys for kids and a dry faba bean. Whoever finds the figure is crowned and becomes the "king" or "queen" of the banquet, whereas whoever finds the bean has to pay next year's roscón.
In Argentina, the tradition of consuming a rosca on January 6 is also followed, although no figurine is included. In addition, a similar version with whole cooked eggs on top of the cake is also served on Easter as rosca de Pascua.
Portuguese King Cake
Bolo rei recipe is from France which finds its way to Portugal during the 19th century when Confeitaria Nacional[2] opened as Portuguese monarchy’s official bakery in 1829. The Confeitaria was the first to introduce this recipe to the country.
The cake itself is round with a large hole in the centre, resembling a crown covered with crystallized and dried fruit.
The bolo rei is baked from a soft, white dough, with raisins, various nuts, and crystallized fruit. Also included is the characteristic "fava", and tradition dictates that whoever finds the fava has to pay for the bolo rei next year.[4] A small prize (usually a small metal toy) was also included within the cake. The inclusion of the prize has been discontinued since mid-90s.
References
- "Christmas". Catholic Encyclopedia. Primarily subhead Popular Merrymaking under Liturgy and Custom. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
- Christmas Trivia edited by Jennie Miller Helderman, Mary Caulkins. Gramercy, 2002
- Marix-Evans, Martin. The Twelve Days of Christmas. Peter Pauper Press, 2002
- Bowler, Gerry. The World Encyclopedia of Christmas. McClelland & Stewart, 2004
- Collins, Ace. Stories Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas. Zondervan, 2003
- 1991. Tradiciones Mexicanas. Pg 22, 31. Mexico, D.F., Ed. Diana S.A.de C.V., ISBN 968-13-2203-7
- 1998. Fiestas de México. Pg. 76, México, D.F., Panorama Editorial S.A. de C.V, ISBN 968-38-0048-3
- "Frangipane." Oxford Companion to Food (1999), 316.
- A Portuguese Christmas Retrieved 2 January 2014
- Bolo-Rei: The King of Portuguese Christmas Cakes Retrieved 2 January 2014
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Catholic Catechism
Part Three: Life in Christ
Section Two: The Ten Commandments
Chapter Two: Second Commandment
Article 2:2 "Taking the Name of the Lord in Vain"
Article 2
THE SECOND COMMANDMENT
You shall not take the name of
the Lord your God in vain.Ex 20:7; ⇒ Deut
5:11
You have heard that it was
said to the men of old, "You shall not swear falsely. . But I say to you,
Do not swear at all.Mt 5:33-34
II. Taking the Name of the
Lord in Vain
2150
The second commandment forbids false oaths. Taking an oath or swearing is to take
God as witness to what one affirms. It is to invoke the divine truthfulness as
a pledge of one's own truthfulness. An oath engages the Lord's name. "You
shall fear the LORD your God; you shall serve him, and swear by his
name."81Deut 6:13
2151
Rejection of false oaths is a duty toward God. As Creator and Lord, God is the
norm of all truth. Human speech is either in accord with or in opposition to
God who is Truth itself. When it is truthful and legitimate, an oath highlights
the relationship of human speech with God's truth. A false oath calls on God to
be witness to a lie.
2152
A person commits perjury when he makes a promise under oath with no intention
of keeping it, or when after promising on oath he does not keep it. Perjury is
a grave lack of respect for the Lord of all speech. Pledging oneself by oath to
commit an evil deed is contrary to the holiness of the divine name.
2153
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus explained the second commandment: "You
have heard that it was said to the men of old, 'You shall not swear falsely,
but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.' But I say to you, Do not
swear at all.... Let what you say be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything more than
this comes from the evil one."82 Mt 5:33-34,
⇒ 37; Cf. ⇒ Jas
5:12Jesus teaches that every oath
involves a reference to God and that God's presence and his truth must be
honored in all speech. Discretion in calling upon God is allied with a
respectful awareness of his presence, which all our assertions either witness
to or mock.
2154
Following St. Paul,832 Cor 1:23;
⇒ Gal 1:20 The tradition of the Church has understood Jesus'
words as not excluding oaths made for grave and right reasons (for example, in
court). "An oath, that is the invocation of the divine name as a witness
to truth, cannot be taken unless in truth, in judgment, and in
justice."84CIC, can. 1199 # 1
2155
The holiness of the divine name demands that we neither use it for trivial
matters, nor take an oath which on the basis of the circumstances could be
interpreted as approval of an authority unjustly requiring it. When an oath is
required by illegitimate civil authorities, it may be refused. It must be
refused when it is required for purposes contrary to the dignity of persons or
to ecclesial communion.
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