Epiphany

Epiphany is the season of the church year that begins immediately following the 12-day season of Christmas. It always begins on Jan. 6 with the celebration of the Epiphany of Our Lord, and lasts until Ash Wednesday, marking the beginning of the season of Lent.

The word Epiphany means ‘appearing,’ ‘manifestation,’ or ‘revealing.’ Often we use the imagery of light. Throughout the season of Epiphany, the church focuses on how God has appeared or been revealed to the world through the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. We follow readings and themes that focus on specific events in Jesus life, emphasizing how God has been made known to the world through Jesus Christ.

Because these events are so special to the Christian faith and life, there are a number of feast days, or special commemorations, during the season of Epiphany:

• Jan. 6 is the feast we call the Epiphany of Our Lord. Traditionally, this day used to celebrate the appearance of the Magi (the Wise Men) at Jesus’ birth, the Baptism of Jesus at the Jordan River by John the Baptist, and the wedding at Cana where Jesus turned water into wine. While there are still references to all three stories, the church has separated these events so that each can have its own focus.

   

  In the Western Church, we celebrate the arrival of the Magi – showing that God has been revealed through the birth of Jesus to all people, from all different walks of life. In other words, Jesus isn’t the exclusive property of people with the right kind of faith. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, Epiphany celebrates the Baptism of Jesus, where Jesus received the Holy Spirit from God and started his public ministry.

• The first Sunday after Epiphany is usually observed as the Baptism of Our Lord. This is when the Western Church celebrates Jesus baptism. We also celebrate that through our own baptisms, we follow in the footsteps of Christ and have also received the Holy Spirit from God.

• Feb. 2 is celebrated as the Presentation of Our Lord. It’s the celebration of Jesus’ presentation at the Temple in Jerusalem as part of Jewish custom. In the biblical account , Simeon and Anna both praise Jesus as the savior. Simeon makes a prophecy about Jesus being “a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” (Luke 2:32)

• Transfiguration of Our Lord is celebrated on the last Sunday before Ash Wednesday. It commemorates the event when Jesus went up a mountain with his disciples Peter, James, and John. The event ties Jesus to the history of the Jewish people, to the future of God’s people, and reveals Jesus as the Son of God for others to see for themselves. The event is recorded in Matthew 17:1–9, Mark 9:2-8, Luke 9:28–36.

If you would like to know more about the other seasons of the church year, click here.