The Solemnity of the Feast of the Epiphany - January 7, 2024 - Liturgical Calendar

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January 7, 2024 (USCCB website material)

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The solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, the wake mass Lord, we pray that the radiance of your majesty shines upon our hearts so that we may pass through the shadows of this world and reach the brightness of our eternal home. Through your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, He lives and reigns with you forever in union with God, the Holy Spirit.

Epiphany Mass during the day: O God, who this day revealed your only begotten Son to the nations by the guidance of the stars, that we who already know you by faith may behold the beauty of your sublime glory. , grant by your mercy. Through your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, He lives and reigns with you forever in union with God, the Holy Spirit.

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At the Epiphany of the Lord, after singing the Gospel, the deacon or cantor, in accordance with the ancient custom of the Holy Church, announces: Easter and moving holiday announcements Follow this formula:

Today the Church celebrates: The solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord. “The Lord and Ruler is coming; the kingship is His, the government and the powers.” With these words, the Church declares that today’s feast day fully fulfills all the purposes of Advent. . Epiphany thus marks the liturgical culmination of the Advent-Christmas season. —Pius Parsch

The optional commemoration of St. Raymond Peñafort, which is normally celebrated today, will be replaced by Sunday’s liturgy.

The Solemnity of Epiphany is celebrated on January 6th or, as decided by the Bishops’ Conference, on Sundays from January 2nd to January 8th. The young Messiah will be revealed as a light to the nations. nevertheless, Magnificat At the Second Vespers we are reminded that within this solemnity there are three mysteries. The worship of the baby Christ by the Magi, the baptism of Christ, and the wedding feast at Cana. Additional candles and lamps may be placed around the sanctuary and elsewhere in the church to honor Christ revealed as the light of the Gentiles (bishop’s ceremony). It is customary to replace the statue of the shepherd in the crib with the three wise men and their gifts. —liturgical year ritualsMsgr. Peter J. Elliott, Ignatius Press.

The Feast of the Epiphany was observed in the Eastern and some Western churches before it was celebrated in Rome, and it seems that it was originally a feast of the Nativity. For the church where it was kept, January 6th corresponded to Christmas in the Roman Church (December 25th). This festival was introduced to Rome in the second half of his 6th century and became a supplement to the Christmas festival, becoming, as it were, a crown.

Epiphany means manifestation. What the Church celebrates today is the manifestation of our Lord to the whole world. After Jesus was made known to the shepherds of Bethlehem, He was revealed to the Magi who came from the East to worship Him. In Christian tradition, the first fruits of the Gentiles have been seen in the Magi. They guide all peoples on earth and therefore Epiphany is an affirmation of universal salvation. St. Leo brings this point out beautifully in his homily read at Matins, in which he explains how the beginning of the Christian faith in the veneration of the Magi, the hordes of pagans, It indicates the time to depart in pursuit of the star that attracts it. To seek the Savior.

It is also the meaning of the great prophecy of Isaias that the liturgy specifies to be read at the beginning of the night and at the Epistle of Mass. When the church sings, it returns to this same idea of universal salvation. to the Magnificat of the 2nd Vespers, applying to herself the words about the union with Christ symbolized by the baptism of her children, foreshadowed by the marriage feast at Cana, the baptism of Christ in the water of the Jordan River. sang the antiphon. Previously, Epiphany was an additional day for solemn baptism.

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The Solemnity of Epiphany—14th Day
Epiphany is a big celebration, especially in Spanish-speaking countries. The situation around the house looks different. The infant Jesus in the manger now wears a small golden crown and is clothed in rich robes. The figures of the wise men arrived in Bethlehem and the Nativity scene was completed.

The church extends its reach to the homes of believers on Epiphany. The custom of blessing homes on this day probably originates from the following words from the Gospel: “And when they entered the house, they found the Child and Mary his mother, and worshiped him as they fell down.” The priest blesses the house if he is present, but if he is not present, the father of the family may bless it. .

Readings of the Solemn Mass of Epiphany, cycles A, B, and C:

of first reading taken from Prophet Isaiah 60:1-6. The prophet tries to encourage the exiles by prophesying a bright future for the new Jerusalem, which has not yet been rebuilt. God’s special radiance illuminates it. The Gentiles will bring their wealth there. People come from both the east and the west. The Feast of the Epiphany is a holiday that commemorates the revelation of God to the Gentiles. This manifestation began when the Magi came to Bethlehem to pay homage and offer gifts to the newly born king of the Jews. Isaiah’s words were not understood by his audience to refer to this event, but they were only really fulfilled when the Magi came to welcome Christ. .

of Second reading taken from St. Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians 3:2-3; 5-6. St. Paul’s thoughts in a Roman prison were not for himself or for the fate that awaited him. Instead of the mission Christ gave him, he considers preaching the gospel to Gentile nations. He has already accomplished so much and is doing everything in his power to continue the good work even in prison. He writes a letter to the Gentile converts from Rome reminding them of their great privilege in being called to the Christian faith. They are now God’s new chosen people and members of the mystical body of Christ.

of Gospel of today’s holiday, It is from Matthew 2:1-12. The Magi are the central figures of today’s Epiphany. They were pagans who did not know the true God of the Jews. But the true God revealed to them that the King he had promised to the Jews had come. The expected prince was born. They came to Jerusalem, the capital of Judah. Of course, I expected the whole city and country to be happy. Rather, they found suspicion and hatred in the reigning king, and within days that hatred turned to murder. Although some religious leaders had knowledge of their past history, they were completely indifferent to the present and future. These leaders knew that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. They must have realized that the wise men were convinced of the truth revealed to them. They were not supposed to travel this long on a “foolish errand”. Nevertheless, the thought of going to Bethlehem with the wise men did not occur to them. Years later, these leaders refused to listen to Christ and, despite His miracles, believe that He is not only the promised Messiah, but the true Son of God. They refused to acknowledge the claims of Christ. These were the people who rejected Jesus because he had mercy on sinners and spoke about his future life. What they wanted from the Messiah was political power, freedom and prosperity on earth. Like Herod, they ended with murder, the crucifixion of the “King of the Jews.” The pagan kings were not much inferior to the indifferent leaders of God’s chosen people. Let us take the Magi as our model and resolve to follow them to Bethlehem and give everything we have and ourselves to Christ.

—Adapted from Sunday reading session From Father Kevin O’Sullivan, OFM

The solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord,

There is a station San Pietro in the Vaticano (St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican):This station is located inside St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican to preserve the dignity of the Feast of the Epiphany. Epiphany means manifestation. It is the mystery of Christmas, the manifestation of Christ to the world. God is no longer just showing up to the Jews. In the person of the Three Wise Men, He is revealed to all peoples as the Light of the Nations. The original cathedral was built by Constantine in 323 on the site where St. Peter was buried.