6
January. 1662 Book of Common Prayer. Epiphany.
The Epiphany. -- The Greek name of this Festival
("the Manifestation") turns one’s thoughts to the East for its
origin. There it seems clear that in the Epiphany the Greek Church originally
combined the celebration (on January 6th) of Our Lord's Nativity, His
manifestation at His Baptism, and His self-revelation by miracle at Cana of
Galilee--all apparently being conceived as happening on the same day of the
year. It was consequently one of the greatest Festivals, and one of the days of
solemn Baptism. The manifestation to the Wise Men, if recognised at all, was
entirely subordinate. When in the 4th century the Roman usage as to Christmas
prevailed in the East, we find the Epiphany, probably borrowed from the East,
observed in the West as a separate Festival; but although the old references
were not extinct (see the Second Lesson for the Epiphany, Luke
iii. 15-23, and the Gospel for the Second
Sunday in Epiphany), the manifestation to the Magi -- striking
and significant, but lying as an episode outside the history--took such
prominence as to obscure all else, and in Mediæval times associated with itself
a mass of picturesque legends. The day was, therefore, closely connected with
Christmas, as the name "Twelfth Day" shows, and was looked upon as
the close of Christmas festivity. The period which it introduces is one of
thoughtful meditation on the Christmas mystery, before passing to the
preparation for Easter. -- January 6th.
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