Difference between revisions of "Epiphany"

== Webster's Dictionary <ref name="term_117765" /> ==

<p> (1): (n.) A church festival celebrated on the 6th of January, the twelfth day after Christmas, in commemoration of the visit of the [[Magi]] of the East to Bethlehem, to see and worship the child Jesus; or, as others maintain, to commemorate the appearance of the star to the Magi, symbolizing the manifestation of [[Christ]] to the Gentles; Twelfthtide. </p> <p> (2): (n.) An appearance, or a becoming manifest. </p>

<p> (ἐπιφάνεια, τὰ ἐπιφάνια , the "manifestation" of Christ), one of the oldest festivals of the [[Christian]] Church, and mentioned as such by [[Clement]] of [[Alexandria]] (Stromat. 1:1). Until the time of Chrysostom, it opened in the [[Eastern]] [[Church]] the cycle of festivals. It denoted at first the baptism of Christ, which, as Chrysostom himself remarks, was, in a higher sense than his birth, his real manifestation to men. A special festival of the birth of [[Christ]] arose later than the festival of Epiphany, and up to that time the commemoration of the birth of Christ was included in that of Epiphany. According to the testimony of Clement of Alexandria, it was at first celebrated at Alexandria by the Basilidians, but soon it was introduced into the orthodox Church also. Neander thinks that it did not originate with the Basilidians, but that they derived it from [[Jewish]] [[Christians]] in [[Syria]] and Palestine. The first trace of the festival in the [[Latin]] Church is found in 360, when, as Ammianus [[Marcellinus]] (21:2) mentions, the emperor Julian took part in a celebration of the festival at Vienne. In the [[Western]] Church it came early to denote the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles, with especial reference to his appearance to the wise men of the East, who came to adore him and bring him presents (Matthew 2:1-12). Gradually the commemoration of other events in the life of Christ was connected with the celebration of Epiphany, as the working of the first miracle at the wedding at [[Cana]] (hence it was called "bethphania," manifestation in a house), and the feeding of five thousand persons (hence the name "phagiphania"). </p> <p> Prominent,.however, in the Latin Church remained the celebration of [[Epiphany]] as the manifestation of Christ to the wise men. The tradition of the Church venerated the wise men as the "Three [[Holy]] Kings," and the festival itself was commonly called in the Church the festival of the Three Kings (festum trium regum, festum Magorum, festum stellae). Like other high festivals, Epiphany was celebrated by a vigil, by the preaching of homilies, by the reception of the Lord's Supper, and by granting liberty to slaves. During the [[Middle]] [[Ages]] a dramatic representation of the oblation of the wise men was incorporated into divine worship, and in some countries these performances have maintained themselves until the present century. [[Peculiar]] popular amusements also connected themselves with the celebration of the day in [[Roman]] [[Catholic]] countries, and partly exist even at the present day. In the city of [[Rome]] there is on the festival of Epiphany a great exhibition in the [[College]] of the Propaganda, young men from all countries making addresses in their native languages, in order thus to represent the appearance of Christ to all nations. In some Western churches, especially in Africa, Epiphany was used as a day of baptism (dies luminum); but [[Pope]] [[Leo]] I was a decided opponent of this custom, calling it irrationabilem novitatem (an unreasonable novelty). Among the [[Franks]] the custom was also known, and [[Charlemagne]] mentions it in an epistle to the bishop Garibald, but without approving it. Previously [[Gregory]] II, in 726, had forbidden to baptize except on [[Easter]] and Pentecost. In the [[Greek]] Church it was customary to consecrate the water on this day, and the custom still prevails in Russia. Bingham, Orig. Eccl. book 20, chapter 4; Herzog, Real-Encyklopadie, 4:94; Wetzer u. Welte, Kirchen-Lex. 3:283; Augusti, Handbuch d. christl. Arch.ologie, 1:528; 2:476; Binterim, Denkwiurdigkeiten der christl.-kath. K. volume 5. (See [[Theophany]]). (A.J.S.) </p>

<ref name="term_117765"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/webster-s-dictionary/epiphany Epiphany from Webster's Dictionary]</ref>