Epiphany in United Kingdom
Quick Facts
Epiphany, or Twelfth Night, marks the visit of the three wise men, or Magi, to Jesus and Jesus' baptism, which was performed by John the Baptist. This event is observed in the United Kingdom on January 6 each year.Name
EpiphanyAlternative name
Three Kings' DayEpiphany 2012
Friday, January 6, 2012Epiphany 2013
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Epiphany,
or Twelfth Night, marks the end of the Christmas and New Year season
for most people in the United Kingdom (UK). It is also an occasion for
Christians to celebrate the three kings' (or wise men's) visit to Jesus
shortly after his birth and Jesus' baptism.
Epiphany is a Christian observance that remembers the three wise men's (or Magi's) visit to Jesus. ©iStockphoto.com/Juanmonino
What do people do?
Some Christians attend special church services on January 6. Figures representing the three wise men, or the Magi, are placed in some crib scenes on Epiphany. This is especially true of crib scenes in or close to churches or church schools.People in the UK remove their Christmas decorations from their homes, schools and workplaces on or before Twelfth Night. Many people believe that it is bad luck to display Christmas decorations after January 6. Decorations in town centers and shopping malls may stay on display for longer, as it can take many days or weeks to remove them all. The lights in these decorations are not generally turned on after January 6.
Some people hold Twelfth Night parties. They may serve a hot spicy punch called wassail or a Twelfth Night cake. A Twelfth Night cake usually contains one whole dried pea and one whole dried bean. The people who get the pea and the bean in their portion of cake are crowned king and queen for the evening.
The Epiphany is an ancient Christian feast day and is significant in a number of ways. In the East, where it originated, the Epiphany celebrates the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist in the River Jordan. It also celebrates Jesus' birth.
ReplyDeleteThe Western Church began celebrating the Epiphany in the 4th century where it was, and still is, associated with the visit of the magi (wise men) to the infant Jesus when God revealed himself to the world through the incarnation of Jesus. According to Matthew 2:11 they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
For many Protestant church traditions, the season of Epiphany extends from 6 January until Ash Wednesday, which begins the season of Lent leading to Easter.
Other traditions, including the Roman Catholic tradition, observe Epiphany as a single day, with the Sundays following Epiphany counted as Ordinary Time.
In the Spanish speaking world Epiphany is also known as Dia de los Reyes (Three Kings Day).
Anthony Minghella, was born on 6 January in 1954. He was a British film director, playwright and screenwriter. He was Chairman of the Board of Governors at the British Film Institute between 2003 and 2007.
ReplyDeleteHe won the Academy Award for Best Director for The English Patient (1996), which also won the Academy Award for Best Picture, the BAFTA Award for Best Film and Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture - Drama.