L ' Epiphany (or' Epiphany of the Lord), in contemporary language, is a Christian feast celebrated on January 6, that is, twelve days after Christmas. With Easter, Ascension, Pentecost and Christmas, the Epiphany is so high that the Church celebrates the Solemnity.
The term derives from the greek epiphany ἐπιφάνεια, epifaneia , which can mean event, appearance, coming , divine presence, and the verb ἐπιφάινω, epifaino I appear. The form 'Eπιφάνια (St. John Chrysostom) takes the value of "Birth of Christ", as well as "Epiphany" as we understand it. There is also the word epiphany.
History
ἐπιφάνεια The term was used by the Greeks to indicate the action or manifestation of a deity (with miracles, visions, signs, etc. ..) In the third century
[1] the Christians began to commemorate the Epiphany term , divine manifestations (such as miracles, signs, visions, etc.). Jesus In particular, among these events were highlighted: the adoration of the ; Magi, the baptism of Jesus and the first miracle at Cana. Today this term means, however, the first public manifestation of divinity, with the visit of the Magi.
In the Orthodox world, some use the term to indicate the Epiphany feast that always falls on January 6 (or thirteen days later in the churches that follow the Julian calendar) and is more currently chiamataTeofania. This day is celebrated the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan, while the visit of the Magi, commemorated by the Latin-rite Catholics and other Western churches into a feast in itself, in the churches of the Byzantine rite is celebrated on the day of Christmas . [2] .
Epiphanius tells us the baptism of Jesus as the manifestation of his divinity:
| " [...] When all the people were baptized, Jesus also came and was baptized by John. And when it came out of the water, the heavens opened and he saw the Holy Spirit as a dove descended and penetrated him. And a voice came from heaven, saying, Thou art my son directly in you I am well pleased. And then again today I have begotten you . And at that moment a great light shone all over the place. Seeing John said to him: Who are you? And again, a light from heaven to him: This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Then he fell at his feet said, "Please Lord, battezzami you! But he opposed it, saying, "Wait, so why should things be fulfilled " | |
| ( Epiphanius, Haer. XXX 13.7) |
Regarding the birth of Jesus the text of the Gospels, like all other works of ancient writers, is the result of a historical, philological and doctrine that requires choices between different alternatives. For example, Epiphanius cites a passage from the Gospel of Luke 3.22 different from the one from the current Bible translations, this discrepancy is present in several codes, including the code Bezæ the words of God are made σὺ εἶ ὁ υἱὸς μου ὁ ἀγαπητὸς, εγὼ σήμερον γεγέννεκα σε ( up and I agapetos huios mou, ego semeron gegenneka if , Thou art my beloved Son, this day I have begotten you ) instead of ἐν σοὶ εὐδόκησα ( eudokesa en soi, you I am well pleased ) [3] .
The Magi Magi have been interpreted as the influence of Isaiah 60.3, and were attributed to them the names of Melchior (Semitic), Gaspare (Hamitic) and Balthazar (Iapetus).
According to the Gospel of Matthew (2.2), the Magi (not specified in that number), led by a star in Judea (αστερα from ἀστήρ, star or star), bring a gift to baby Jesus, acknowledged as " King of the Jews "(Matthew 2:2: βασιλευς των ιουδαιων), gold (tribute to his kingship), frankincense (homage to his deities) and myrrh (anticipation redemptive suffering of his future) and love .
With the Epiphany is celebrated the first manifestation of the divinity of Jesus to all humanity, with the solemn visit, offering gifts highly significant and the Adoration of the Magi, authoritative representatives of a people completely alien the Jewish world and the Mediterranean. Event of fundamental importance to the Christian tradition, which was reflected in numerous works of art.
In Orthodox Christian churches (they follow the Julian Calendar), January 7 we celebrate the birth of Jesus, due to a difference of thirteen days between the Gregorian calendar, in use in the West since 1582, and prior to the Julian calendar, still used in some Orthodox churches.
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