January
6Epiphany means manifestation, revelation, and it is is a Christian Solemnity intended to celebrate the 'shining forth' or revelation of God to mankind in human form, in the person of Jesus Christ.
It is the feast of the three Kings,
(Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar), representing the whole world and to
whom Jesus revealed after birth. Matthew 2, Is.60:6, Ps.72:10.
It is a moving picture as related in Mat.2:11, thee powerful
men prostrated, adoring a humble baby on a crib... in the Bible only God
is adored!... and offering Him the gifts of gold, incense and myrrh. The
tree gifts we should offer bavy Jesus on the New Year:
- Gold, our money and possessions, all for God.
- Incense, all our glories and honors, all the glory to God.
- Myrrh, all our sorrows and sins... Jesus wants to take them
all for us.
Originally included:
1- The birth of
Jesus Christ;
2- The visit of the three
Magi
(Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar) who arrived in
Bethlehem;
3- And all of Jesus' childhood events, up to his baptism
in the Jordan by
John the
Baptist, with the feast on January 8.
The feast was initially based on, and viewed as a fulfillment of, the Jewish Feast of Lights. This was fixed on January 6, but over time the western churches decided to celebrate Christmas on December 25. The eastern churches continued to treat January 6 as the day marking Jesus's birth. This has given rise in the west to the notion of a twelve day festival, starting on December 25, and ending on January 6, called the twelve days of Christmas, although some Christian cultures - especially those of Latin America - extend it to forty days, ending on Candlemas, or February 2 (known as Candelaria in Spanish).
Prior to
1970,
the
Roman Catholic
Church (and prior to
1976,
the
Anglican
churches) reckoned Epiphany as an eight-day feast, beginning on
January 6
and continuing through the Octave of Epiphany, or
January 13.
More recently,
Roman
Catholics in the
United States
mark Epiphany on the Sunday after the first Saturday in January, and
all Catholics and Anglicans (along with many other
Protestants)
now formally end the
Christmas
season on the Sunday immediately following
January 6,
or, for American Catholics, the ensuing Monday in years when the
Epiphany falls on
January 7
or
8.
In either case, the feast of the
Baptism of the
Lord is observed on the latter day, after which
the first installment of
Ordinary Time
begins.
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 Holy Trinity at the time of his baptism. Usually called the Feast of the Theophany, it is one of the great feasts of the liturgical year; "theophany" is Greek for "God shining forth".
The Irish call this day Little Christmas.
In Spain, Cuba and the Latin American countries Epiphany day is called El Día de Reyes (Kings' Day, as the Magi are known as the Los Tres Reyes Magos) or Pascua de Negros (Blackmen Christmas). In Spanish tradition, on this day, the Magi deliver Christmas presents.
St. John of Ribera, Juan de Rivera, 1532-1611
The
Duke
of
Alcalá,
Spain,
and viceroy of
Naples,
Italy,
who became Archbishop of Valencia and ordered the deportation of all
Moors from his see
Son of Peter de Ribera, a devout Christian who was
also the
Duke
of
Alcalá,
Spain,
and viceroy of
Naples,
Italy.
Educated at the
University
of Salamanca.
Ordained
in
1557.
Professor
of theology at the
University
of Salamanca. Highly regarded by
Pope
Pius V
and
King
Philip II of
Spain.
Reluctant
bishop
of Badajoz in
1562.
Reluctant
archbishop
of
Valencia,
Spain
in
1568,
serving for over 40 years. Ordered the deportation of all Moors from his
see in
1609.
Made viceroy of
Valencia
by
King
Philip III. Founded the College of Corpus Christi at
Valencia.
Friend of Saint
Nicholas
Factor, and his testimony was used in
Nicholas' beatification investigation.