What is the Epiphany in the Eastern Orthodox Church?
Epiphany is one of three major Orthodox Christian celebrations along with Christmas and Easter. In the Orthodox Church, Epiphany celebrates the baptism of Jesus rather than the arrival of the Magi (Three wise men) which is celebrated on 6 January as Epiphany in the Western Church.
How does the Orthodox Church celebrate the Epiphany?
Celebrated on 19 January, Epiphany commemorates the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan. To mark the event many Orthodox Christians submerge themselves in holes of icy water. They may dip themselves three times in the water to honour the Holy Trinity.
What is the meaning of the Epiphany January 6?
What is Epiphany? Epiphany – also known as Three Kings’ Day – is a Christian festival, which starts on 6 January. It is a special date in the Christmas story as it’s when people celebrate how a star led the Magi – also known as the Three kings or the Wise Men – to visit the baby Jesus after he had been born.
Is Epiphany the same as Orthodox Christmas?
The day has both religious and non-religious significance. For some Christians, the holiday lasts 12 days. It follows Advent and concludes with Epiphany. For Orthodox Christians, Christmas is celebrated on January 7, and Epiphany falls on January 19.
Do orthodox fast on Epiphany?
Since the Epiphany is one of the seven great feasts of the Coptic Orthodox Church, it is a day of strict fasting, and several religious celebrations are held on this day.
What do you do on the Epiphany?
The epiphany feast completes the season of christmas by inviting us to discern the identity of the christ child. Three traditions—baking a kings’ cake, marking a door lintel with the magi’s blessing, and elaborating worship with lighted candles—help us interpret the christmas season appropriately.
What is special about January 6th?
Celebrated annually this day, Epiphany is a major feast that commemorates, for Western Christians, the coming of the Magi and, for Eastern Orthodox Christians, Jesus’ birth, baptism by John, and first miracle.
Why do orthodox celebrate Christmas on January 6?
In the Holy Land, the Orthodox churches use the old, Julian calendar—which has a difference of 13 days with the Gregorian (or “Western” calendar in use today—to determine the date of the religious feasts. Accordingly, the Armenians celebrate Christmas on January 19th and the Greek Orthodox celebrate on January 6th.
What do you eat on Epiphany?
It’s traditional to eat a special cake called ‘Rosca de Reyes’ (Three Kings Cake). A figure of Baby Jesus is hidden inside the cake. Whoever has the baby Jesus in their piece of cake is the ‘Godparent’ of Jesus for that year.
Why do Armenians celebrate Christmas on January 6?
Armenian Christmas is a culmination of celebrations of events related to the birth and baptism of Christ. The reason for the different date is that until the fourth century, Christ’s birth was celebrated by all Christian churches celebrated Christ’s birth on January 6th.