Epiphany and After (Biblical)

The Epiphany, or manifestation, of Christ is a celebration of his revelation to the peoples of the world. The Epiphany season follows Christmas and extends to the beginning of Lent. Epiphany The name Epiphany comes from a Greek word meaning "manifestation" or "appearance. " This festival originated in the third century as a celebration of Jesus' baptism (Matt. 3:13-17) and retains this character in the Eastern church. In the West, however, from the fourth century, it has commemorated the revelation of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, represented in Scripture by the "wise men," or magi, who made a long journey to see the "King of the Jews" (Matt. 2:1-12). Although many churches incorporate the visit of the magi into their Christmas pageantry, the journey took place some time after the birth of Jesus, perhaps months later. In the traditional Western calendar Epiphany falls on January 6. The magi, as known from other historical sources, were a class of Persian priests and astrologers, wh…