Bible Dictionaries
Epiphany

Holman Bible Dictionary

The term “epiphany” comes from a Greek word which means “appearance” or “manifestation.” In Western Christianity the festival of Epiphany, observed on the sixth of January, celebrates the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles, the coming of the Magi to see the child Jesus (Matthew 2:1-12 ). The twelve days between Christmas and Epiphany have often been called the “Twelve Days of Christmas.”

In much of Eastern Christianity, Epiphany is a celebration of the baptism of Jesus, a recognition of His manifestation to humanity as the Son of God (Mark 1:9-11 ). In the early centuries, before the observance of Christmas, Epiphany celebrated both the birth of Jesus and His baptism. See Church Year .

Fred A. Grissom