feast day (solemnity):
- The traditional date for the feast is January 6
- Since 1970, the celebration is held in some countries on the Sunday after January 1.
- 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.
about:
- also known as Theophany
- Koine Greek: ἐπιφάνεια, epiphaneia, "manifestation", "striking appearance") or Theophany (Ancient Greek (ἡ) Θεοφάνεια, Τheophaneia meaning "vision of God"
- Christian feast day that celebrates the revelation of God the Son as a human being in Jesus Christ
- In Western Christianity, the feast commemorates principally (but not solely) the visit of the Magi to the Christ child, and thus Jesus' physical manifestation to the Gentiles
- Eastern Christians commemorate the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River, seen as his manifestation to the world as the Son of God.
- Alternative names for the feast in Greek 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 ORIGIN: 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 of 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 his Second Coming.
links/ sources:
- "Feast of Epiphany" (source: Catholic Online):
http://www.catholic.org/clife/advent/advent.php?id=42
- "Epiphany (holiday)" (source: Wikipedia):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epiphany_%28holiday%29
- "Epiphany" (source: Catholic Encyclopedia):
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05504c.htm
- "What is Epiphany?" (source: Religion Facts):
http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/holidays/epiphany.htm
- "The Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ" (source: About Religion-> Catholicism):
http://catholicism.about.com/od/holydaysandholidays/p/Epiphany.htm
