Epiphany (holiday)

Epiphany or Epiphany (Greek Επιφάνια Epiphany or Επιφάνεια Epiphaneia; επί epi, on, above ', φαίνω Phaino, I'll show ', see, phenomenon '), Theophany ( Θεοφάνια or Θεοφάνεια " appearance of God " ) or the Epiphany is the original and still most widely used name of the genocide committed on January 6 Christian festival. In the vernacular, and in many calendars " Hoh - New Year" it is also called Epiphany, Epiphany, Epiphany, regional sporadically until today, among other things as " Great New Year ", "High - New Year", and " Supreme " known. In Austria this day is also called Christmas Twelve ( twelfth day after the first Christmas Day).

The festival is at the western churches associated with the wise men from the East, but committed in the Eastern Churches as the day of Jesus' baptism and revelation of the Holy Trinity.

Epiphany and Nativity were originally celebrated on January 6 in a solid. In the Armenian Apostolic Church that is still the case today, whereas the celebration of the birth of Christ in the Roman state church was laid on 25 December 432. Using the calendar reform of 1582, the celebrations of the Orthodox and the Catholic Church were shifted against each other. December 25 of the Julian calendar was a long time on January 6, and falls in the 20th and 21st century on January 7 of the Gregorian calendar, but the Orthodox churches celebrate Christmas at their December 25th. Also, since the Julian calendar applies to the Armenian Christians in the Holy Land, where Christmas is celebrated with the Feast of the Baptism of Christ as the Epiphany on January 6 according to the Julian to the Gregorian calendar on January 19.

• 5.1 Epiphany
• 5.2 blessings
• 5.3 Fastnacht
• 5.4 Weather rules
• 5.5 Epiphany Cake

History and content

Already in Hellenistic Egypt, the birth of the sun god Aion was celebrated from the virgin Kore in the night of 5 to 6 January. On the day of January 6, the scooping of the saving water followed from the Nile.

In ancient Roman imperial cult in the Hellenistic east of the Roman Empire, a holiday which included the divine appearance of Divus as part of the ceremony formed. The rite was also celebrated at the beginning of January and was based on the Epiphany Julius Caesar, the BC by the people as Savior and living God was (probably Divus Iulius ) welcomed and adored when crossing the Rubicon on January 10, 49. Basically, the epiphany meant nothing more than the adventus, the arrival of the Roman emperor and " its auspicious entrance into a city ."

No later than the 2nd century originated in the Eastern Church the Christian Epiphany or Theophaniefest that had overlaid the old ritual of the imperial cult until the 4th century. After the Constantinian shift some elements of pre-Christian Epiphaniaskultes went, if they could be transferred to Christ in the liturgy. The imperial Epiphany rites held in Byzantium until the fall of the Eastern Roman Empire, but always limited, since the position of the divinisierten Caesars was pushed back as the Roman state gods in relation to the role of the living ruler as Vicar of Christ. The original date of Epiphany is unknown. The oldest reliable source called next May 20 esp. the 10th January, but also in common use today 6th day of the new year. On that day, says Clement of Alexandria, celebrated the Gnostic sect of the Basilidians the baptism of Jesus, according to their understanding of the man Jesus was Son of God by the.

With appearance of the human presence of God in the person of Jesus Christ is meant. This is the birth of Jesus with reverence by the Jewish shepherds, the Adoration of the Magi (Matthew 2 EU), his childhood work up to his baptism in the Jordan (Matthew 3:13-17 EU) and his first miracle at the wedding at Cana (John 2:1-11 EU) thought. The Western Church (West Church ), which celebrated Jesus' birth on December 25 ( Christmas) later took over, the Epiphany festival, but celebrated place of birth, the " three wonders " of the Adoration of the Magi (also ' Adoration of the Magi ' ), and in Jesus' baptism in the Jordan and the wedding feast at Cana.

Today's reading and Perikopenordnungen in the Protestant, Catholic and Anglican churches, refer to the Gospel (Matthew 2:1-12 EU) mainly due to the Adoration of the Magi, so this fixed content today is naturally in the foreground. The offered in the Catholic Old Testament lectionary reading Isaiah 60.1-6 EU and the Epistle Ephesians 3.2 -3a .5-6 EU are also provided in the Protestant lectionary in the fifth and second series as such. There are more than readings Jn 1:15-18 LUT (III ), Col 1:24-27 LUT (IV ) and 2 Cor 4:3-6 LUT (VI ) added.

The Baptism in the Jordan is the following Sunday in the Catholic Lesordnung " Baptism of the Lord " or " 1 " Called, in the evangelical church year as" Sunday in Ordinary Time 1 Sunday after Epiphany " refers to the revelation at the wedding at Cana in turn the subsequent " second Sunday after Epiphany " (Protestant ) or the" 2nd Assigned Sunday in Ordinary Time " in Year C ( Catholic).

The Liberal Catholic Church honors on this day only the three wise men or Magi and hence the proclamation of the Good News to the whole world outside of Judea. It celebrates the feast of the Baptism of the Lord until January 15, separated from the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord. The Wedding at Cana was in this church in Central Europe get a place on the church calendar on January 24.

It is believed that the epiphany in the Western Church became so at the earliest liturgical recognized in the 4th century after the local launch of the Christmas celebrations on the feast of Sol Invictus.

The Eastern Church has been celebrating the launch of Christmas on December 25 in the festival calendar Epiphany only the baptism of Jesus. Since part of Orthodoxy, v. a Russia and Serbia, liturgical clings to the Julian calendar, Christmas is celebrated in the affected countries are currently on 7 January, the Epiphany on January 19.

January 6 is celebrated in the Catholic liturgy as the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord. Also the calendar of the Lutheran church records it (see church year). Until the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council Epiphany also had an octave, which ended on 13 January.

National holiday

January 6 is a national holiday in Austria, Liechtenstein, Italy, Spain and Andorra, Sweden, Iceland, Finland, Croatia, Slovakia, Greece and Cyprus, and since 2011 also in Poland.

In Germany, January 6th a public holiday only in Baden- Württemberg, Bavaria and Saxony- Anhalt, in Switzerland only in the cantons of Schwyz, Uri and Ticino and in some municipalities in the canton of Grisons.

In Georgia, the corresponding 6 January of the Julian calendar January 19 as Epiphaniastag legal holiday.

Music

Johann Sebastian Bach composed in Leipzig two cantatas for the festival, which decided the Christmas season:

• All they from Sheba shall come: they BWV 65 ( 1724)
• Liebster Immanuel, Herzog of the pious, BWV 123 (1725)

The sixth part of his Christmas Oratorio, sir, if the proud enemies snort, was also intended for performance in church on Epiphany Day.

High New Year

January 6 is regarded in southern Germany and the Alpine region in the folk traditions as a New Year's Day - New Year High, Great New Year, Great New Year, Supreme or Öberster.

The origin of this new year presentation has been commonly attributed to Christian roots, or at least set in a Christian period. This approach to the notion of January 6 as New Year's Day is now doubted, since it is not supported by any Christian tradition - so for example, there is no certificate, in the January 6 is mentioned in the area of the Holy Roman Empire ever as the official New Year's Day in contrast to other Christian New Year datings.

Even with the calendar changes and adjustments of the 16th - 18th Century, this idea is in no way connected, as the earliest surviving answers already date back to the 14th century. An interpretation of the New Year's understanding of 6th January as part of an originally pre-Christian annual cycle is therefore not excluded.

With a pre-Christian notion of the January 6 as New Year's connect on elements of popular belief:

Rauhnächte

The roughness nights (also Raunacht or smoke Eight ) or twelve nights (also Twelfth ) or Glöckelnächte are some nights at the turn, which often have special importance is attached in the European tradition.

Usually it is the twelve days of Christmas, between Christmas (December 25 ) and appearance of the Lord ( January 6), with the end of which just connected the New Year. According to this popular belief, the stormy forces of midwinter attracted at night on January 6 back, "The Wild Hunt " came to pass at the end of the rough nights rest.

Strengthening ' antrinken

The starch ' antrinken (high German "strength antrinken " ) is an ancient custom at the beginning of the new year. It takes place on the eve of January 6, which marks the beginning of the new year in popular belief. Spread the custom is mainly in Upper Franconia and the neighboring regions. " Strengthening ' " or "strength " stands for strength and health. No one knows what the new year brings with it. It is therefore customary to guard against all kinds of adversity. The flavors can be in the company of family or friends strength and health - the " starch " - to. Celebrated is often used in restaurants. Many breweries support the practice with a special strong beer to be particularly suitable for the ' Restorative ' antrinken ". But in some areas it is also quite common, is to drink the strength until the evening of the 6th of January.

Customs

Many old customs were transferred to the festival.

Epiphany

In the folk traditions of the West, the Epiphany, was reduced to the subject of the Magi, the wise men from the East.

• The nativity figures are supplemented at Epiphany to the three wise men from the East.
• Please blessings on a door of the city rain / Bayer. forest The star singing.

Based on an older tradition going for 50 years now parishioners as Epiphany dressed from house to house. Most are children and adolescents who perceive this task; collect in Catholic areas also acolytes, communion children or other young people of the respective parish who proclaim not only the Good News of the Gospel, but also donations for underprivileged children. The people who get involved, the carolers sing a song and / or say a poem or a prayer. Then they write on the front doors or the door bar with consecrated chalk the traditional blessing Please C M B with the respective year. For many, this is the abbreviation of the Magi Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar, for Latin skilled are the initials of prayer "Christ mansionem benedicat " ( Christ bless this house ).

• The Three Kings are in the tradition as the first missionaries, who also carried the Gospel to the whole world. For this reason, the Epiphany is the oldest mission hard. In Austria, the work of the Holy Apostle Peter for world mission gathers.

• In Austria, the so -called star singing of the respective diocese is carried out as " Dreikönigsaktion, aid agency of the Catholic youth group ". The as Epiphany and a star carrier beautifully clad girls and boys of the youth group go from house to house, singing, wearing texts and signify to the charity of their collection, mostly to support projects in developing countries. The annual number and the letters C M B are written with consecrated chalk on the doors. Of the girls and boys of the Catholic Youth Group Austria this abbreviation is also jokingly referred to as "Cool boys and girls " or " Kas ( cheese ) milk butter " depending on the area.

• In Spain, traditionally only bring the Three Kings to the children the gifts as they also brought the baby Jesus gifts. Set in a grand procession dragging with her entourage through the city ( cabalgata de los reyes ). When the kids come back home from the parade, the kings were already there and have left the gifts. The children often put before fodder for the camels of the kings on the window sill. If the children were not well behaved, there are instead of gifts a piece of coal - now mostly a chunk of sugar, which is black in color.

Blessings

In the Roman Catholic Church are at the Epiphany traditional chalk ( " benedicat mansionem Christ " for the house blessing of Epiphany ), incense ( in memory of the gifts by the wise men from the East ), as well as the Epiphany water ( in commemoration of the baptism of Jesus blessed in Jordan ). The Benediktionale looks for it before your own forms.

Shrovetide

In the Swabian- Alemannic carnival traditionally the carnival begins at Epiphany with different customs.

Weather rules

For the Epiphany weather rules apply:

Epiphany Cake

In some countries there is also the custom of the Epiphany cake: yeast cake in the shape of a crown.