Epiphany of Our Lord

 

Today is the great feast of the Epiphany!  This feast is the 3rd greatest in the Liturgical Year coming after Easter and Pentecost! 

The Epiphany celebrates the Manifestation of Our Lord's Divinity first to the wise men (Gentiles), then at the Baptism of Our Lord and finally at the Wedding Feast at Cana where Our Lord worked His first miracle at Our Lady's request.  

Privileged Octaves of the 2nd Class do not give way to any other feast than those of the 1st Class.  The Mass everyday in the Octave is of Epiphany itself, except the Sunday within the Octave (Holy Family).  On the Octave Day which celebrates the Baptism of Our Lord, it is the Mass of Epiphany, except the Collect, Gospel, Secret and Postcommunion are different.  The 2nd Sunday after Epiphany celebrates the 3rd Manifestation of the Wedding Feast at Cana.

Ways to celebrate this feast:

Read The Liturgical Year, Vol.3 by Dom Gueranger every day during the Octave

Attend the Blessing of Chalk, Frankincense and Gold at church and bring some home

Have the three Wise Men arrive at your creche after travelling all 12 days of Christmas

Save a Christmas gift for your children and give it to them on Epiphany or have a family gift

Have an Epiphany party with a King Cake

Make star cookies or a star craft

Have a procession to the manger in your home bringing your gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh

Invite a priest over to give your home the Epiphany Blessing

If a priest cannot come, then the father of the home should chalk the letters over the doorway

Use Epiphany Water to bless yourself and your home often

Crown a statue of the Infant Jesus

Change out the white Christmas candles on your Advent wreath for gold candles.

Meditate on the 3 Manifestations of the Divinity of Our Lord and read their Gospel accounts

Leave up your Christmas decorations at least through the Octave of Epiphany or until Candlemas

                               Praise be to our Infant King!