Culture

Three Kings Day: Feast of the Epiphany

by Jordan Yerman | January 6, 2011 at 08:26 am

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12 Days of Christmas End with the Epiphany

January 6 is the Feast of the Epiphany, or Three Kings Day. The Epiphany, a Christian holiday, is the last of the 12 Days of Christmas. Three Kings Day (Dia de los Reyes Magos) marks the day when the Three Wise Men, Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar, visited the baby Jesus in Bethlehem, presenting him with the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Epiphany: Definition and Cake

The definition of "epiphany" is manifestation: Jesus' birth was manifested in the form of a bright North Star, which the Three Wise Men followed to Bethlehem. Three Kings Day is big in Latino communities, and is often when kids open their presents.

In Europe, the Epiphany is celebrated with a King Cake, which has a tiny figurine hidden inside: if you get the piece of cake with the king, then you are "king or queen for a day".

In Eastern Orthodox tradition, the Epiphany celebrates Jesus Christ's baptism in the Jordan River.

By the way, frankincense and myrrh are types of tree resin used to make perfume and incense.

Oh, and here are some photos of Epiphany celebrations from around the world.

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According to the Bible story, on the night when Christ was born, three wise kings saw a bright star, followed it to Bethlehem, found the baby Jesus and presented it with gold, frankincense and myrrh.