Epiphany Celebration

Epiphany, known as the Twelfth Day of Christmas, is an ancient celebration originally practiced in the Eastern Church (centered in Constantinople) in the 3^rd Century A.D. and by the fourth century it had become common practice in the Western Church (the Church of Rome).

Today, churches that celebrate Epiphany recognize that it begins with Christmas Day and lasts for twelve days until January 6. The meaning of Epiphany today points to the mission of the church as we offer the light of the Gospel to the world. 

2 Timothy 1:10 (NLT) says:

And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News.

The Greek word ἐπιφάνεια, or epiphaneia means to appear or to make manifest.  That word is used in 2 Timothy 1:10 and it refers to the birth of Christ and his appearance after the resurrection and the Second Coming. 

Epiphany is the climax of Advent and begins the Twelve Days of Christmas, ending with the Twelfth Night. 

Shakespeare wrote the play, “Twelfth Night” in 1600-1601 A.D., and at that time the last day of Epiphany referred to the Eve of the Feast of Epiphany.  While Epiphany started as a church holiday in the 3^rd-4^th Century, by the time the 17^th Century rolled around it had commonly become known as a festival. 

Common themes in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night point to confusion and mistaken identity.  Everything in Shakespeare’s play is topsy-turvy. 

As we look back to Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night depicting the festival and compare that to the party we should be celebrating today and the great party we will celebrate when Christ returns, our Renaissance brothers may not have been so far off as we might think.

It seems like we think we know what to expect from life, how to handle life’s confusion, and how to recognize mistaken identity, but it is through Christ alone that we are given illumination.  When we celebrate Christ’s birth on December 25 we are celebrating the coming of the light of the world. 

The festival (party) that takes place following the appearing (birth) of Christ is intended to be a celebration. 

Every time we participate in communion we are celebrating Christ’s body and blood.

The Second Coming of Christ will be THE great party, the best party we have ever (or will ever) be invited to attend.  Christ is planning for you to be at the party. 

Celebrate the coming of Christ.

You are invited to the table.

A place has been set for you.   

Come.

Celebrate.