Wednesday, Jan. 6, marked the Feast of the Epiphany, a Christian celebration that goes all the way back to the fourth century A.D., but also one that many Christians may be unfamiliar with.
Mike Malone, a lay preacher and member of Holy Cross Episcopal Church in Poplar Bluff, explained what the Epiphany means to him and millions of other believers around the world.
“Epiphany celebrates the revealing of Christ to the world,” Malone said.
Traditionally, the Jan. 6 date represents the day the Magi, or “Wise Men,” from the East brought gifts to the infant Christ child in Bethlehem.
Historically, Epiphany may have originated as a commemoration of Christ’s baptism in the Jordan River by his cousin, John the Baptist.
Malone said at Holy Cross Episcopal, the Sunday after the Epiphany marks the church’s recognition of Christ’s baptism.
In the traditional liturgical cycle, the period between Epiphany and Lent acknowledges the visit of the Magi, Christ’s baptism, his miracle of turning water to wine at the wedding in Cana and his transfiguration.
“The liturgical cycle represents Christ’s life observed in one year,” Malone said.
Along with the Episcopal denomination, many other traditional churches recognize Epiphany, including Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Anglicans, Lutherans, and several others.
“I do like to celebrate the Magi arriving,” Malone said. But, he added, even before the COVID pandemic suppressed church attendance, it was hard to get enough people to come to church for an additional service during the week.
“Larger parishes have better attendance,” he said.
One traditional practice is finding new success; however, is known as “Chalking the Door.” It’s a small ritual undertaken at one’s own home in which an inscription is made in chalk on the front door of the house.
Following the pattern of the first two digits of the year, followed by the initials C, M, B, for the names of the Wise Men, and the last two digits of the year with each character divided by a cross, this year’s chalking looks like this: 20+C+M+B+21.
According to the Center for Christian Ethics at Baylor University, C, M and B stand for the traditional names of the Magi (Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar), but they also are an abbreviation of the Latin blessing Christus mansionem benedicat, meaning, “May Christ bless this house.”
“It’s a way for families to recognize the significance of the Epiphany,” Malone said. “I’ll be doing that this year.”