The Feast of Epiphany
The Feast of Epiphany celebrates the visit of the Magi to Jesus, whose birth was manifested by a star. Epiphany in Greek means “manifestation.” In a larger sense, Epiphany proclaims that God was manifested or made known to the world in the person of his son, Jesus Christ. Epiphany begins on December 25 and goes through January 6 – the 12 days of Christmas. It is also called 12th night and Three King’s Day. In most countries where people speak Spanish, children receive gifts from 3 kings rather than Santa Claus.
Epiphany is rich with the symbolism of light brought into the world through Jesus Christ. Jesus is referred to in the Bible as the light of the world. Stars are one of the major symbols of the season of Epiphany. On the night that Christ was born, the 3 Kings saw a bright star and followed it to Bethlehem. There they found the Christ child and presented Him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Epiphany is the celebration of the Wise Men’s visit.
Explanation of the King Cake
As part of the Epiphany Celebration, it is traditional to bake an oval cake in honor of the Three Kings. The King’s Cake was traditionally served on King’s Day, January 6. Today, the cake is served throughout the Epiphany season. The cake is decorated with three colors: purple represents justice, green represents faith, and gold represents power. The colors were to resemble a jeweled crown honoring the Wise Men who visited the Christ child on Epiphany. A small baby, representing the baby Jesus, is baked into each cake. The person who finds the baby is responsible for bringing the King Cake to the next party or is crowned King for a day. (We give the person who finds it a crown to wear!)