The Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord is celebrated today, January 7 but is traditionally marked on January 6. January 6 was one of the original dates of the Christian Christmas celebration, in which the Church celebrated Christ’s epiphany, that is, his appearance to all nations. The feasts of Christ’s origins—his Nativity, his Baptism, and his appearance to the Magi—were celebrated on January 6 and December 25 in differing combinations in the early centuries of Christianity.

Eventually, the Eastern Church developed a special emphasis on January 6 as the Feast of the Theophany, that is Christ’s baptism. (Scholars believe that Advent itself, like Lent, was a time of catechesis and preparation of catechumens for Baptism, which would occur on January 6.) As a hymn used during the celebration of the Liturgy of John Chrysostom on today’s feast declares:

Lord, when You were baptized in the Jordan, the worship of the Trinity was made manifest. For the voice of the Father gave witness to You, calling You Beloved; and the Spirit, in the form of a dove, confirmed the certainty of His words. Glory to You, Christ our God, who appeared and enlightened the world.

The Eastern tradition echoes the Western traditions theme of light for the feast of the Epiphany, except in the Western or Roman tradition, the light comes not from the Spirit at the Jordan, but from the star that lit the way of the Magi, leading them to Christ. The Western tradition celebrates, these next three Sundays three “epiphanies” of Christ into the world. First, today, the celebration of Christ’s birth proclaimed in the star to all the nations. Next Sunday, we celebrate Christ’s baptism, where the Spirit descends upon Christ, lighting up the waters of the Jordan and revealing Christ as the Son of God. Finally, the Sunday after the Baptism of Christ has as its Gospel the story from the Gospel of John of the wedding feast at Cana, in which Christ’s power to work signs and wonders is revealed publicly.

Traditionally, in the Roman tradition, Epiphany has always celebrated the revelation of Christ to the Gentiles, represented by the worship of the Magi. The first reading today at Mass from the prophet Isaiah joyfully calls to Jerusalem: rise up! “Your light has come.” All the nations of the world will come to Jerusalem. The second reading from Paul, the great Apostle to the Gentiles, features a portion of his letter to the Ephesians, in which he assures them that the Gentiles have been included in the promise of God’s salvation, that they are, “coheirs, members of the same body.”

The Church’s Liturgy of the Hours emphasizes in its psalms and readings for today’s feast this inclusion of the Gentiles—of all nations—into the promise of God’s salvation:

May the kings of Tarshish and of the isles
render him tribute,
may the kings of Sheba and Seba
bring gifts. (Psalm 72:10)
January 6, the feast of the Three Kings, is celebrated in many Hispanic and Latin cultures with gift-giving, in commemoration of the kings who first brought gifts to baby Jesus, and with parades (such as the one pictured below), commemorating the journey of the three kings to Bethlehem.

On today’s feast of the Epiphany of the Lord, may we learn to see Christ’s presence radiate through our lives!

Image Credit: Rembrandt, “The Adoration of the Magi” (1632) accessed via Wikimedia Commons. Image of the Icon of the Theophany by Fr. Ted via Flicker (CC BY-SA 2.0). Image of the Three Kings in the East Harlem Three Kings Parade via Walks of New York.