Christmas / Epiphany Traditions
http://apostolinki.pl/byc-epifania-boga/
Below are some other suggested traditions you could adopt to continue to enhance your child knowledge and experience of the Church’s Liturgical Seasons, this time these are for the Feast of Epiphany.
In all the hustle and bustle of Christmas, the Feast of Epiphany – which falls on January 6, the 12th day after Christmas – tends to be overlooked. Epiphany is a complex feast. It begins the celebration of Jesus revealing His Divinity by uniting three events in the life of Christ when His divinity, shines through His humanity:
The adoration of the Magi; Feast of Epiphany Jan 6 Or the Sunday that falls between Jan 2 – 8
The three Magi -- Caspar (a.k.a., Gaspar, Kaspar or Jaspar), Melchior, and Balthasar -- seen as the "first fruits of the Gentiles" -- those outside of Israel who came to faith and to worship Jesus
https://www.dlaksiedza.pl/p2154,chrzest-pana-jezusa-w-jordanie-ogrod-rozancowy-ii-obraz-sakralny.html
The baptism of Christ in the Jordan; Feast of the Baptism of the Lord falls on the Sunday after Epiphany but no later than Jan 13.
This is when "the Spirit of God descending as a dove" came upon Him and there was heard a voice from Heaven saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" and all Three Persons of the Most Holy Trinity were manifest
http://www.slowo.redemptor.pl/pl/1278/7920/ii-niedziela-zwykla.html
The first miracle at the wedding feast of Cana; This is the reading on the 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C
This is when Our Lord turned water into wine at the request of His Mother; His first public miracle
This is when Our Lord turned water into wine at the request of His Mother; His first public miracle
Moreover, at Epiphany the Church also looks forward to the coming of Christ when His manifestation as God will be complete.
The traditions for you to consider for Epiphany are:
- Let the Christmas tree remain up and decorated until Epiphany Sunday (12 day after Christmas). Take it down then. You have all this wonderful build up and anticipation during Advent for Christmas so don’t then smack it down and pack Christmas away on December 26. Christmas is the time of Joyful celebration of Jesus’s coming that we were waiting for. Let it stay around a while and just enjoy it. Pack the tree and decorations away at Epiphany.
- Since the Magi did not arrive in Bethlehem until Epiphany (and If your Nativity set allows), have the Magi make their way through your home after Christmas Day to arrive at the Nativity Scene for Epiphany. Then, even if you put away everything else, you leave the Nativity up with the Magi in place until the following Sunday, the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord
- When the Magi visited Jesus each brought Him a gift. One brought gold another frankincense and the third myrrh.
The three gifts had a spiritual meaning:
Gold as a symbol of kingship on earth,
Frankincense (an incense) as a symbol of deity,
Myrrh (an embalming oil) as a symbol of death.
- Therefore, you could also have a gift (not a break the bank gift) but a religious gift to give your child on Epiphany Sunday. This could be a patron saint medal (of which there are many, don’t forget to include information on the saint depicted), Catholic books, a rosary (of which there are many different ones depending on the type of beads used or the medal used), or a saint statue (lots of these as well, remember with information please). Anything that will encourage faith, hope, and love in their hearts.
This will be my final email with suggestions for possible traditions for you to adopt (did you just start dancing a jig J). There are more traditions out there that you could consider such as the celebration of the Feast of St. Nicholas which falls in Advent, the Christ Candle, the Mary Candle, St. Lucy cakes and generally just Christmas baking. As I said it is NOT intended that you adopt all the traditions put forward just maybe one or two that will work for your family.
The traditions for you to consider for Epiphany are:
- Let the Christmas tree remain up and decorated until Epiphany Sunday (12 day after Christmas). Take it down then. You have all this wonderful build up and anticipation during Advent for Christmas so don’t then smack it down and pack Christmas away on December 26. Christmas is the time of Joyful celebration of Jesus’s coming that we were waiting for. Let it stay around a while and just enjoy it. Pack the tree and decorations away at Epiphany.
- Since the Magi did not arrive in Bethlehem until Epiphany (and If your Nativity set allows), have the Magi make their way through your home after Christmas Day to arrive at the Nativity Scene for Epiphany. Then, even if you put away everything else, you leave the Nativity up with the Magi in place until the following Sunday, the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord
- When the Magi visited Jesus each brought Him a gift. One brought gold another frankincense and the third myrrh.
The three gifts had a spiritual meaning:
Gold as a symbol of kingship on earth,
Frankincense (an incense) as a symbol of deity,
Myrrh (an embalming oil) as a symbol of death.
- Therefore, you could also have a gift (not a break the bank gift) but a religious gift to give your child on Epiphany Sunday. This could be a patron saint medal (of which there are many, don’t forget to include information on the saint depicted), Catholic books, a rosary (of which there are many different ones depending on the type of beads used or the medal used), or a saint statue (lots of these as well, remember with information please). Anything that will encourage faith, hope, and love in their hearts.
This will be my final email with suggestions for possible traditions for you to adopt (did you just start dancing a jig J). There are more traditions out there that you could consider such as the celebration of the Feast of St. Nicholas which falls in Advent, the Christ Candle, the Mary Candle, St. Lucy cakes and generally just Christmas baking. As I said it is NOT intended that you adopt all the traditions put forward just maybe one or two that will work for your family.