Feast of Epiphany

Epiphany - The Feast of Lights by Fr Matthew the Poor

The Feast of Immersion (Baptism), namely Epiphany, or the Divine Manifestation, is one among the major Lordly Feasts. It ranks third in importance after Easter and Christmas. Almost to the closing of the fourth century, most churches held one celebration for the Birth of Christ and His Baptism and called it Epiphany: considering that both have one end in view, i.e., the manifestation of Christ's divinity to the world. The birth of the Son presented Him in the flesh. His baptism showed the Trinity. However, the Church thought of celebrating each event separately to enforce the concept of each and called the Feast of Christ's baptism Epiphany.[1]

 St. John Chrysostom witnessed the beginning of the official separation of the two celebrations as well as the setting of the rituals of each. In one of his sermons preached in 386 on Christmas eve, he mentioned that only a few years before during his life, the church celebrated both together. Later on, the commemoration of Baptism was solely called Epiphany as distinguished from Christmas. St. John Chrysostom then mentioned the reason: the Lord, during His Baptism, was manifest to everyone; while in His Birth, He was hidden from everyone. Although the early church never distinctly mentioned the Birth, it considered it as the essence of Epiphany, i.e., the Divine Manifestation and used to celebrate it with Epiphany. The tangible proof of the mutual celebration is that the Feast of Epiphany or Theophany up till this date involves the celebration of a Christmas incident, i.e., the coming of the three wise men and the offering of their gifts to the born Christ, which is an elaboration of His Divinity. Also with the Lord's Baptism, "immersion", was still considered and named the second Epiphany by some great theologians like St. Gregory of Nazianzus, because the first Epiphany is the Birth itself. Cassian (350-435) declares that Egypt celebrated Baptism and Birth on one day.

18/19th Century Coptic Icon of the Baptism of Christ, Church of St Mercurius, Old Cairo

 A sermon delivered by St. Gregory of Nazianzus on the Epiphany of 381 indicates that Epiphany has a special ritual in the church as distinguished from that of Christmas, and that on that date a special ritual was set aside for Christmas other than that of Epiphany. Other scattered referrals designate that many churches—especially those of Egypt—celebrated Epiphany for a long time. The Didascalia or the Teachings of the Apostles, says, "Let Epiphany be honored among you, because the Lord started to manifest His Divinity in the baptism in Jordan by John. May you commemorate it on the 11th of Tubah" (Chapter 18/ Arabic)

 In the records of Emperor Theodosius the Great, statements that indicate the closing of law courts, public celebrations, theatres and amusement houses were included; Epiphany and Christmas were regarded as official holidays of the state. There is also an interesting account of the celebrations of Epiphany in the Journal of Sylvia Etheria (Egeria), the Spanish pilgrim, as she witnessed them in the churches of Jerusalem. In the acts of St. Philip the Martyr, bishop of Heraclia who was brought to martyrdom in 304 A.D. during the reign of Diocletian, there are hints about Epiphany, (Theophany). In a sermon of St. Gregory of Nazianzus there is a reference about the way St. Basil, Bishop of Caesarea, celebrated Epiphany. There is also a reference in the writings of St. Augustine when he accuses the Donatists of refraining from the commemoration of Epiphany with the Church as it has been the case with the Eastern tradition.

 Epiphany assumed a great ritual importance to the Church in general and to Egypt in particular, because on this anniversary, the Pope of Alexandria undertook the responsibility of announcing the start of Lent, Passover and Easter on an accurate astronomical basis. The other churches of the world followed these dates. It is also a well-known historical fact that the first one to undertake this commission was St. Dionysius, Pope of Alexandria (248-265) according to the records of Eusebius of Caesarea the Church historian.' All the other popes kept this tradition after him--especially St. Athanasius who in his letters elevated the ritual practices to a spiritual standard. His Paschal letters, brimful of preaching, teaching, wisdom and spiritual valor would be sent immediately following Epiphany. The first Paschal letter for St. Athanasius was on the Epiphany of 329 A.D. Actually we were handed seventeen complete Paschal letters of St. Athanasius in Arabic and Syriac, besides three epistles for Pope Theophilus and others for St. Cyril the Great.

 These letters delivered immediately after Epiphany were regarded as an early spiritual alarm that drew the minds of people to the significance of repentance and marked the approach of the blessed Lent. They summoned joy to all the monks in the Egyptian deserts. As an eye witness, the blessed Cassian (350-435) indicates in his writings that, "It is an ancient tradition in Egypt that the bishop of Alexandria sends out circular epistles to the churches of Egypt and its monasteries immediately after Epiphany Day (Immersion) in which he assigns the start of Lent and Easter day."

 Epiphany Day in itself held a great and honorable position among many great Church Fathers. We have many eloquent speeches from the Saints- Gregory of Nazianzus, Basil the Great, Gregory of Nyssa and John Chrysostom. The most common name the Fathers gave to this feast is the "Day of Lights." St. Gregory of Nazianzus says in his sermon, "This holy day is the Day of Lights; we celebrate it because on it Christ the true light that lights for everyone coming to the world, was baptized." St. Gregory of Nyssa follows his example in his 4th sermon saying, "The Day of Lights on which the Lord was baptized."

 To this present date, the Church on Epiphany continues to symbolize the concept of divine lights by lighting many candles and using them in the ritual service and in homes as well. People compete in lighting candles as an expression of the divine light that came to the world on that day; the day of the Lord's baptism and on which He was anointed to start His official ministry and shed light on those sitting in the darkness of sins and shadows of death. The tradition of lighting candles became so common that some western churches named this day "Candlemas Day."

 Because the Divine Manifestation is associated with the waters of the Jordan, the Church used this occasion to sanctify the water and practise Baptism. The Church had already established three seasons for performing the sacrament of Baptism for the catechumens, the most important of which is the great Saturday night prior to Passover night. Next comes the Day of Pentecost on which the Holy Spirit came on the Disciples, and then comes Epiphany. On this ranking, St. Gregory of Nazianzus says, "One would say, I'll wait for Epiphany (as to Baptism) and the other would say, no, I give more honour to Resurrection, and a third says, as for me, I'll wait till Pentecost Day." This is also clear in the sayings of St. Athanasius, "We also believe in one baptism, the new birth of the Spirit that renews man, the birth without a womb that our Lord showed us when He presented himself to the world on the waters of Jordan." Because the water which enfolded the blessed Body of the Lord came to be considered sacred as well, the idea of sanctifying the water was passed to the common congregation and they came to believe that the water the Church prayed on in the font had consecrating and healing powers. St. John Chrysostom says in this respect, "On this occasion of the commemoration of the baptism of the Savior on which He sanctified the nature of the water, the people on leaving the church after midnight used to take home some of the water and keep it. It was noticed that this water stays pure and placid for two or three years."

 The blessing of the water (lakan) is also a part of the Church ritual for (in the water blessing that precedes the Eucharistic Liturgy) the priest pointing to the water with the cross says, "Sanctify this water and bestow on it the grace of Jordan. May it become a fountain of blessings, a pure gift to untie sins and remove sickness." Some books indicate that some churches of olden times had a tradition of keeping some of the Jordan water and adding it to the pot or the font during the liturgical service for the water on that day.

 Every time the Divine Manifestation (Epiphany) is commemorated, the Church is actually presenting a great chance to accept many spiritual blessings. First, a chance of actual participation in the manifestation of Christ's Divinity as shown in the Jordan is offered to us. This is expressed in our thoughts and acts as an enlightenment and a spiritual intuition to grasp eternal life. Second, we are prepared (especially the ministers) to accept the renewal of anointment of ministry in participation with the anointment of the Lord Jesus Christ which He received from the Highest to start His official ministry. Third, we are freely granted the right of washing with the holy water for the purification of the body and the conscience from the filth of sin. Many people keep this water all year round and wash with it after confession; they cross their foreheads and hearts and senses, thus keeping the unique blessing of the Epiphany as a spiritual reminder and blessing to aid their daily walk with the Lord throughout the year. In this sense Epiphany becomes an event not only to be celebrated once a year, but becomes a blessing throughout one's spiritual life and an invaluable aid in the quest for eternal life.

[1]Epiphany by definition means an appearance or manifestation. This title is given to the feast of the Baptism of Christ as at the baptism of Christ, all three Persons of the Holy Trinity- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit- were made manifest. Thus, the name of the Feast is Epiphany meaning manifestation, or Theophany, meaning manifestation of God.