Wise Men Adoration(Bartolomé Esteban Murillo,1618-1682) Photo: Public Domain (Wikipedia)
Epiphany Day occurs on 6 January and marks the end of the Christmas season except for the Orthodox Christians who follow the Julian calendar. In England it is celebrated as the Twelfth Night (remember the song the Twelve Days of Christmas). Many cultures celebrate it with special foods and it is considered unlucky by many to leave Christmas decorations up after the Epiphany. The Roman Catholic Church celebrates it on 6 Jan but not as a day of obligation. Usually it is celebrated in a Sunday mass that falls before or just after the date (2-8 January).
The Flight into Egypt (Albrecht Dürer 1471-1528) Photo: Public Domain
The Feast of the Holy Family was instituted as liturgical celebration of the Roman Catholic Church to venerate the Holy Family–Jesus, Saint Joseph and Blessed Mary–as a model for all Christian families. The feast was first introduced in 1893 by Pope Leo XIII and set on the Sunday after the Epiphany. However in 1969 it was moved to the first Sunday after Christmas to make it part of the Christmas season.
St. Stephen from The Demidoff Altarpiece(Carlo Crivelli–circa 1435–circa 1495) Photo:Public Domain
If you remember the Christmas carol Good King Wenceslas you heard the name. Stephen was a deacon in the early Christian church who was accused of blasphemy and put on trial by Jewish authorities in Jerusalem. After a trial in which he denounced them, Stephen was stoned to death. One of the witnesses to the event was Saul of Tarsus, who later converted and is known today as the apostle Paul. Stephen is considered the first martyr for the faith, the reason his feast day immediately follows the celebration of Jesus birth. All the major Christian congregations–Anglican, Catholic, Lutheran, Oriental Orthodox, and Eastern Orthodox–all venerate him as a Saint and celebrate the feast day (Western churches on 26 December, 27 Dec Orthodox, and 8 Jan Oriental Orthodox). In some countries (mainly Western Europe)it is a public holiday.
In the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand it is celebrated as Boxing Day, a secular holiday that falls on the same day as Feast of Stephen. Traditionally it is the day in which servants and tradespeople receive the “Christmas box” from their employers. While that tradition may still hold true, it is either a second Christmas day for some or an extra shopping day (though in some countries it apparently is a day when a lot of returns to retailers takes place). It is also a major sports day as well.
The Adoration of the Shepherds (Gerard van Honthorst 1590–1656) Image: Public Domain (Wikipedia)
“….And it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us! And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God Bless Us, Every One!” (Dickens, A Christmas Carol)
The Twelve Days of Christmas is a rare song in the pantheon of Christmas music. Most songs follow a certain pattern of a beginning, middle, and end but this song is cumulative meaning each verse builds on the previous one until the end is reached and then counts back down to the beginning to end the tune. It is unclear what the exact origins of the song are or what it was originally meant to mean. Some argue that it was a children’s memory game, which considering how the lyrics are laid out does make sense. It is also suggested French in origin.
The song was likely around for quite a while before it was printed in 1780 in a British children’s book called Mirth Without Mischief. It was presented as a memory game for children to play but had no music accompaniment. The song grew in popularity and became part of the English Christmas tradition for many kids. There are some variations that use ten rather than twelve but the most widely accepted version of the song uses twelve days. The twelve days are generally from Christmas to Epiphany (Twelfth Day) depending upon when you count it. Most count from Christmas Day but some the day after. Gifts varied in the different versions but the one most people are now familiar with was published in 1909 with composer Frederic Austin fitting the words to the melody heard today.
While most people consider the song and the gifts non-religious, there are some who argue the song was used to train children in Catholicism when it was banned in England (1588-1829). There is little evidence to support this claim and it is noted that none of the lyrics indicate anything different between Catholic and Protestant. Most Catholic religious dismiss the notion of it being a tool for Catholic catechism as well.
The song is also used as an economic barometer of sorts. Often it used, mostly for fun, to price the gifts to see how they cost in the past and now. Some are a bit tricky to calculate these days but can approximate though pricing ten lords a leaping is a head scratcher for most but the cost of 10 male ballet dancers will fit the bill.
There are many popular renditions out there but here is a recent one by country singer Sara Evans and her daughters. Enjoy!
