Many Epiphany customs from Western Europe and Great Britain come together in a traditional Epiphany party. This hidden doll symbolizes how the baby Jesus had to be hidden from King Herod. Baked into this cake is a small doll that represents the baby Jesus.
It is customary in Mexico to make a Rosca de Reyes cake for Tres Reyes Magos celebrations ( recipe here). Another way to celebrate with your family or church is with a special cake. Instead of waiting for Santa Claus to arrive, you are waiting for the magi to arrive with their gifts to celebrate Jesus’s birth. This also offers an alternative to Santa Claus for families. To honor this tradition, you could consider saving some gifts to open until January 6. In many families who celebrate Tres Reyes Magos, children receive most of their gifts on January 6 instead of December 25. On this day, Christians remember how the wise men brought their gifts of gold, frankicense, and myrrh to the baby Jesus. Día de los Tres Reyes Magos takes place on January 6 and is the culmination of the 12 days of Christmas. And unlike in the United States and Canada, it is a major part of the Christmas celebration. In many Latin American and Spanish-speaking countries, they celebrate Epiphany as Día de los Reyes Magos, or Three Kings’ Day. Día de los Tres Reyes Magos (Three Kings’ Day) Legend has fleshed out the visitors by giving them names, homelands, and even experiences on their journey, both before and after their encounter with Jesus. Much of what we think we know is based in tradition, not Scripture. The biblical account does not offer many details about the foreigners or their visit. Although all three moments of recognition are observed on Epiphany, the majority of customs associated with the holiday in the Western world relate to the “Three Kings.” These three events-the Magi’s visit, Jesus’s baptism, and the miracle at Cana-are traditionally associated with January 6. It was here that he performed his first public miracle, changing water into wine. 3:16-17).įinally, Jesus’s power was manifested at the wedding feast in Cana. Then a voice came from heaven proclaiming him as God’s Son (Matt. After his baptism by John in the Jordan River, the heavens opened and the Spirit of God descended like a dove and rested on Jesus. The second manifestation showed Jesus’ divinity. Foreigners bowing before the new king show that God offers the Messiah to the whole world, not to just one race or nation.
The story most often associated with Epiphany is that of Wise Men from the East following the star as it led them to Jesus (Matt. The word Epiphany means “manifestation,” “showing,” or, less literally, “a moment of recognition.” Epiphany celebrates God’s manifestation of Jesus in three ways.įirst, Epiphany celebrates the fact that Jesus came to all people. Epiphany contains a wealth of educational opportunities for church educators. It is time we reclaimed Epiphany as a separate celebration with a meaning and significance all its own. The Wise Men have gotten mixed up with the shepherds, the angels, the stable, and the manger of Christmas. Today, January 6 and its eve are days of high festivity in some cultures, but in most North American churches we have ignored this traditional feast day. 336 and has never been universally celebrated on that day. December 25 wasn’t established as a separate celebration of the nativity until around A.D. It is traditionally observed on January 6 in the liturgical calendar.Įpiphany was first observed in second-century Egypt, as both the day of Jesus’s birth and baptism. God had revealed to them by the star that the baby Jesus was God come to live among people. This good news was made known through the coming of the wise men to see the baby Jesus. Epiphany celebrates the revelation of Christ as Savior of the whole world.
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