epiphany iii (presentation at the temple)

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Epiphany III (Presentation at the Temple) Painting

Gottfried Helnwein

Painting, Mixed Media on Other

Size: 122 W x 82.7 H x 1 D in

About The Artwork

"Epiphany III (Presentation at the Temple)" 1998 210 cm x 310 cm mixed media (oil and acrylic on canvas)

Original Created: 1998

Subjects: Children

Materials: Other

Styles: Realism

Mediums: Mixed Media

Details & Dimensions

Painting: Mixed Media on Other

Original: One-of-a-kind Artwork

Frame: Not Framed

Ready to Hang: No

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Gottfried Helnwein (born October 8, 1948 in Vienna) is an Austrian-Irish fine artist, photographer, installation and performance artist.Helnwein studied at the University of Visual Art in Vienna (Akademie der Bildenden Knste, Wien). He was awarded the Master-class prize (Meisterschulpreis) of the University of Visual Art, Vienna, the Kardinal-König prize and the Theodor-Körner prize. He has worked as a painter, draftsman, photographer, muralist, sculptor, installation- and performance artist, using a wide variety of techniques and media. His early work consists mainly of hyper-realistic watercolors, depicting wounded children, as well as performances - often with children - in public spaces. Helnwein is a conceptual artist, concerned primarily with psychological and sociological anxiety, historical issues and political topics. As a result of this, his work is often considered provocative and controversial.Viennese-born Helnwein is part of a tradition going back to the 18th century, to which Messerschmidt's grimacing sculptures belong. One sees, too, the common ground of his works with those of Hermann Nitsch and Rudolf Schwarzkogler, two other Viennese, who display their own bodies in the frame of reference of injury, pain, and death. One can also see this fascination for body language goes back to the expressive gesture in the work of Egon Schiele. Helnweins subject matter involves the complexities of the human condition. His disturbing yet provocative images of physically and emotionally wounded children have been seen as metaphors for larger global issues. He portrays the innocence of adolescence against the backdrop of historical events like the Holocaust to highlight the fragility of humanity in an unstable world.Another strong element in his work are comics. Helnwein has sensed the superiority of cartoon life over real life ever since he was a child. A biographical story, explains his obsession with Disney characters. Growing up in dreary, destructed post-war Vienna, the young boy was surrounded by unsmiling people haunted by a recent past they could never speak about. What changed his life was the first German-language Disney comic book that his father brought home one day. Opening the book felt like finally arriving in a world where he belonged:"...a decent world where one could get attened by steam-rollers and perforated by bullets without serious harm.

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• The Deeper Meaning of the Presentation in the Temple

By Clement Harrold

For many Catholics, the fourth joyful mystery—the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple—can be a difficult scene to meditate on. What’s the episode about, anyway? And what might be its deeper meaning?

Beginning with the first question, it’s important to remember that the Presentation described in Luke 2:22-38 is not the circumcision of Jesus. That already took place eight days after His birth. Rather, the Presentation took place in order to fulfill two different dictates of the Mosaic Law.

The first of these, drawn from Leviticus 12, mandated that mothers needed to be purified forty days after giving birth to a male child. This is why the Presentation is celebrated in the Church’s calendar on February 2nd—also known as “Candlemas,” an allusion to Simeon’s words about the boy Jesus being “a light for revelation to the Gentiles” (Lk 2:32)—because the event takes place forty days after the nativity (counting December 25 as day one).

In order to make the purification, the mother in question was required to sacrifice a lamb as well as either a pigeon or a turtledove. The law made provision, however, for those families who were too poor to afford a lamb, in which case they could sacrifice two pigeons or two turtledoves instead. St. Luke goes out of his way to inform the reader that this is exactly what the Holy Family did, thereby reminding us of their material poverty (see Lk 2:24).

The second precept of the Mosaic Law which Mary and Joseph were following is the requirement from Exodus 13:2 that all firstborns be consecrated to God in a special way. More specifically, this ritual rested on the understanding that the firstborn naturally belonged to God, and so the child’s human parents were expected to “redeem” (from the Latin redimō , meaning to “buy back”) their child by paying five shekels to the priest.

All of this helps us to see that the Presentation in the Temple was about two important things: (1) the purification of Mary and (2) the redemption of baby Jesus. So far so good. But there are two other elements here which are worth paying attention to. For one thing, the Mosaic Law nowhere demanded that the purification or the redemption take place within the Temple. This means that the Holy Family was being extra devout by going to the Temple for this special day.

Additionally, there is one detail in the Presentation narrative which is startling for its absence. While St. Luke does mention that Mary and Joseph bought the two turtledoves, he never takes the time to mention the paying of the five shekels to redeem baby Jesus. In other words, he cites the redeeming-of-the-firstborns precept laid down in Exodus 13:2, but he leaves out a description of this redemption taking place. Why might that be?

For the late Pope Benedict XVI, in his Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives , the answer was obvious. St. Luke leaves a literary silence in the passage in order to drive home the point that the infant Jesus belongs to His Heavenly Father:

Evidently Luke intends to say that instead of being “redeemed” and restored to his parents, this child was personally handed over to God in the Temple, given over completely to God. . . . Luke has nothing to say regarding the act of “redemption” prescribed by the law. In its place we find the exact opposite: the child is handed over to God, and from now on belongs to him completely. (p. 3)

Understanding this detail can help us bring the fourth joyful mystery to life in a new way. The Presentation isn’t just another boring religious ritual. On the contrary, it is a deeply symbolic moment pointing to Jesus’s divine identity, and to Mary and Joseph’s perfect cooperation with His divine mission.

Further Reading:

http://jimmyakin.com/how-the-accounts-of-jesus-childhood-fit-together

https://www.ncregister.com/blog/whats-happening-at-the-presentation-of-the-lord

Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives (Image, 2012)

Clement Harrold is a graduate student in theology at the University of Notre Dame. His writings have appeared in  First Things ,  Church Life Journal ,  Crisis Magazine , and the  Washington Examiner . He earned his bachelor's degree from Franciscan University of Steubenville in 2021.

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Epiphany III (Presentation at the Temple)

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Nie hätte ich erwartet Ihre hochkarätigen Werke hier vorzufinden. Größte Hochachtung vor Ihrem künstlerischen Schaffen, das in seiner Vielschichtigkeit und Tiefe unauslöschlich bleibenden Eindruck hinterlässt.

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Epiphany III (Presentation)

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EPIPHANY III (PRESENTATION)  - By Gottfried Helnwein

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Presentation at the Temple

Ambrogio lorenzetti (siena, documentato dal 1319 al 1348).

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AMBROSIUS LAURENTII DE SENIS FECIT HOC OPUS ANNO DOMINI MCCCCXLII

Inscribed at the bottom with the painter’s name and the date, 1342, this masterpiece was painted for the chapel of San Crescenzio in the transept of the Cathedral of  Siena. It was part of a small group of altar pieces, dedicated to the Virgin Mary and her life, painted by Siena’s most important artists in the first half of the 14th century for the five transept altars in the Cathedral.

Ambrogio Lorenzetti’s work shows the presentation at the temple and the purification of Mary, forty days after giving birth, according to Hebrew rituals. Mary, who can be recognised by her usual blue cloak and red dress, is holding her son out to Simeon and to the prophetess Anna, both of whom recognise the Child as being the Messiah. Anna is holding a scroll citing a passage from the Gospels, narrating this event (Luke 22,38). On the altar, the priest is sacrificing the gifts brought by Mary and Joseph. Joseph is shown alone, on the far left. The temple, for which we can see both interior and exterior, according to mediaeval custom, is imagined by Ambrogio Lorenzetti as a church, with columns, starry vaults, paintings and windows. The converging widths of the polychrome marble floor serve to enhance the idea of depth, showing the artist’s interest in depicting spatiality.

The painting is extraordinary for its wealth of details, inspired by daily life, such as the jewellery decorating the women’s ears, or the childish pose of Jesus, who is shown sucking his thumb, giving a highly spontaneous character to the holy subject. The altarpiece is without its original pinnacles and two side panels depicting saints. Originally, therefore, it must have been a tryptych, similarly to the other side altarpieces from the transept of the Cathedral of Siena, like the Annunciation by Simone Martini. At the top, outside the frame, are the prophets Moses and Malachi.

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Gallery Text

This composition formed part of Giaquinto’s program of ten altarpieces designed for the sacristy of the church of San Luigi di Palazzo in Naples. Here the Neapolitan artist portrays the fulfillment of the Virgin’s Purification, an event taken from the Gospel of Saint Luke in which Mary presents the Christ child to the Lord after forty days of ritual “purifying.” Like other works from the series, this painting stresses the Virgin’s faith and humility in carrying out this obligation for new mothers, in spite of her divine purity, which made such a ritual unnecessary. Giaquinto focuses the narrative by casting a softened light on the central scene, with the Virgin balanced to her right by the priest Saint Simeon, and to her left by a kneeling maid offering two turtledoves.

Identification and Creation

Physical descriptions, acquisition and rights.

The Harvard Art Museums encourage the use of images found on this website for personal, noncommercial use, including educational and scholarly purposes. To request a higher resolution file of this image, please submit an online request.

Publication History

• Giuseppe Sigismondo, Descrizione della città di Napoli e suoi borghi , Presso I Fratelli Terres (Naples, 1788), p. 332
• Burton B. Fredericksen and Federico Zeri, Census of Pre-Nineteenth-Century Italian Paintings in North American Public Collections , Harvard University Press (Cambridge, MA, 1972), p. 85
• Civiltà del '700 a Napoli, 1734-1799 , Centro Di (Naples, 1979), pp. 300-302, cat. no. 163c, repr. p. 301
• Irene Cioffi and Prof. Nicola Spinosa, The Golden Age of Naples: Art and Civilization Under the Bourbons, 1734-1805 , exh. cat., Detroit Institute of Arts and The Art Institute of Chicago (Detroit, 1981), pp. 107-116, cat. no. 25c., repr. 114
• Edgar Peters Bowron, European Paintings Before 1900 in the Fogg Art Museum: A Summary Catalogue including Paintings in the Busch-Reisinger Museum , Harvard University Art Museums (Cambridge, MA, 1990), p. 59, color plate; pp. 109, 358, repr. b/w cat. no. 777
• R. Ward Bissell and Andrea Derstine, Masters of Italian Baroque Painting , Detroit Institute of Arts (Detroit, MI, 2005), pp. 94, 97, under no. 30, repr. as fig. 3

Exhibition History

• The Golden Age of Naples: Art and Civilization Under the Bourbons, 1734-1805 , Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit, 08/10/1981 - 11/01/1981; The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, 12/21/1981 - 03/08/1982
• Ideal [Dis-] Placements: Old Masters at the Pulitzer , Pulitzer Arts Foundation, St. Louis, 10/24/2008 - 10/03/2009
• 32Q: 2220 18th-19th Century , Harvard Art Museums, Cambridge, 11/16/2014 - 01/01/2050

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This record has been reviewed by the curatorial staff but may be incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. For more information please contact the Division of European and American Art at [email protected]

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Timeline Between Presentation in Temple and Flight to Egypt

Then, according to Old Covenant law, Mary had to wait an additional 33 days before her purification and presentation of her Son in the Temple (Lev. 12:1-7; Luke 2:22-24).

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Gottfried Helnwein - Epiphany III (Presentation at the Temple) 1998, 210 cm x 310 cm, mixed media (oil and acrylic on canvas)

Gottfried Helnwein – Artwork and Bio of the Austrian Artist

Gottfried Helnwein is an Austrian visual artist born on 8 October 1948 in Vienna, Austria. Gottfried grew up in a Catholic home and was responsible for organizing plays and art exhibitions in his youthful days. When he got older, Gottfried enrolled at the Höhere Bundes-Graphische Lehr- und Versuchsanstal t in 1965, a school for graphic and visual arts.

Gottfried furthered his education in 1969 at the University of Visual Art in Vienna, studying for the next four years. He was an excellent student and won many awards, including the Theodor-Körner Prize and the Master-class prize. Despite being widely considered provocative, Gottfried’s artworks were appreciated for the quality of their technique and realism.

In 1985, Gottfried Helnwein held a successful solo exhibition show at the Albertina Museum in Vienna. He later moved to Germany the same year and bought a castle in Cologne. In 1969, Gottfried Helnwein opened a studio in New York, working between Germany and USA. However, after living in Cologne for twenty-eight years. he moved to Dublin, Ireland, in 1997. Five years later, he opened another studio in Los Angeles and has since lived and worked in Ireland and Los Angeles.

What was Gottfried Helnwein Known For?

Gottfried Helnwein was known for his hyperrealistic paintings, usually about the emotionally and psychologically scarred child. Gottfried primarily used watercolor in creating his artworks, though he possesses the versatility to employ a wide range of media. He depicts historical issues, as well as sociological and psychological anxiety.

Who was Gottfried Helnwein Influenced By?

Gottfried Helnwein was influenced by Arnulf Rainer and Hermann Nitsch, two Austrian artists who worked on abstract and experimental art. These artists painted in a similar tone as Gottfried, their paintings being depictions of pain and injury. The influence of Egon Schiele’s focus on body language is also evident in Gottfried’s works.

What Art Movement is Gottfried Helnwein Associated With?

Gottfried Helnwein is associated with the Hyperrealism art movement.

Gottfried Helnwein Artwork

Below are some of the artworks of Gottfried Helnwein

Epiphany III (Presentation at the Temple)

Midnight mickey, mother, is it you.

Self Portrait

The Incident

The Intrusion

Unknown Title

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Why do Catholics celebrate the feast of the Presentation?

This feast day celebrates both the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, as well as the Purification of Mary, which was required by the Mosaic Law forty days after the birth of a child.

The Church celebrates the feast of the Presentation of the Lord on February 2, also called Candlemas for the custom of using lighted candles. In the early Church it was often celebrated on February 14th, 40 days after the Epiphany, in keeping with the practice of celebrating Christmas on that date in the East. Among the Orthodox it is known as the Hypapante (“Meeting” of the Lord with Simeon).

DEEPEN YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF SACRED SCRIPTURE

Through this free ebook, the scriptural rosary: joyful mysteries ..

The Holy Rosary is an amazing prayer, encouraged by popes, loved by saints, and prayed by the faithful. Many miracles have come from this beautiful devotion. At its heart, the Rosary is a meditation on Sacred Scripture, on the lives of Jesus and Mary.

Through this Scriptural Rosary, we hope that you will be able to better meditate on each Hail Mary and deepen your understanding of Sacred Scripture. Use the form below to get your free copy of, The Scriptural Rosary .

Why is the Presentation of Jesus important?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (paragraph 529) teaches,

The presentation of Jesus in the temple shows him to be the firstborn Son who belongs to the Lord. With Simeon and Anna, all Israel awaits its encounter with the Savior-the name given to this event in the Byzantine tradition. Jesus is recognized as the long-expected Messiah, the “light to the nations” and the “glory of Israel,” but also “a sign that is spoken against.” The sword of sorrow predicted for Mary announces Christ's perfect and unique oblation on the cross that will impart the salvation God had “prepared in the presence of all peoples.”

It is also important to note that, as a poor family, the Holy Family gave an offering of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. However, the Lamb whom they brought to the Temple was the Lamb of God.

At what age was Jesus presented in the temple?

He was presented when He was still a newborn, only 40 days old.

“In the mysterious encounter between Simeon and Mary, the Old and New Testaments are joined. Together the aging prophet and the young mother give thanks for this Light which has kept the darkness from prevailing. It is the Light which shines in the heart of human life: Christ, the Saviour and Redeemer of the world, ‘a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for the glory of his people Israel.’” – Pope St. John Paul II

Who are Simeon and Anna in the Bible?

The Gospel of Luke 2:22-40 states:

And when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And inspired by the Spirit he came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to thy people Israel.” And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed.” And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher; she was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years from her virginity, and as a widow till she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she gave thanks to God, and spoke of him to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. And when they had performed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

Regarding Simeon and Anna, Pope Benedict XVI said,

Even the priests proved incapable of recognizing the signs of the new and special presence of the Messiah and Saviour. Alone two elderly people, Simeon and Anna, discover this great newness. Led by the Holy Spirit, in this Child they find the fulfilment of their long waiting and watchfulness. They both contemplate the light of God that comes to illuminate the world and their prophetic gaze is opened to the future in the proclamation of the Messiah: “Lumen ad revelationem gentium!” (Lk 2:32). The prophetic attitude of the two elderly people contains the entire Old Covenant which expresses the joy of the encounter with the Redeemer. Upon seeing the Child, Simeon and Anna understood that he was the Awaited One.

“… while we are still at the dawn of Jesus’ life, we are already oriented to Calvary. It is on the Cross that Jesus will be definitively confirmed as a sign of contradiction, and it is there that his Mother’s heart will be pierced by the sword of sorrow. We are told it all from the beginning, on the 40th day after Jesus’ birth, on the feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, so important in the Church’s liturgy.” - Pope St. John Paul II

What does the name “Simeon” mean?

This is a Hebrew name that means “he has heard” or “God has heard.”

When is St. Simeon’s feast day?

The Church celebrates his feast day on the day after Candlemas, February 3.

Was Simeon a prophet?

In Hebrew navi, a prophet is one who tells, a spokesperson of God, speaking divine truth, or foretelling what will be the consequences for the future. On both counts, Simeon was a prophet, who revealed the truth about who Jesus was, as well as the implications for Israel, for Jesus Himself and for Mary.

What does the name “Anna” mean?

Originally taken from the Hebrew name Hannah, it means “favor” or “grace.”

When is St. Anna’s feast day?

Anna the Prophetess shares a feast day with St. Simeon on February 3.

“In the encounter between the old man Simeon and Mary, a young mother, the Old and New Testaments come together in a wondrous way in giving thanks for the gift of the light that shone in the darkness and has prevented it from prevailing: Christ the Lord.” - Pope Benedict XVI

What did Simeon say when he saw Jesus?

St. Simeon offered this prayer,

Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to thy people Israel. (Luke 2:29-32)

Called the Nunc Dimittis, for the first words in the Latin Vulgate, it is one of the three major Canticles used in the Church’s liturgy. It is said each evening at the end of Night Prayer, the last Divine Office of the Liturgy of the Hours, or Breviary. The other Canticles are that of Zechariah, used for Lauds or Morning Prayer, and of Mary (the Magnificat), used for Vespers or Evening Prayer.

What did Simeon say about Mary?

After speaking of Jesus, St. Simeon then spoke to Mary of her role of accompanying her Son in His redemptive suffering. Simeon reveals, as well, Mary’s own mission of intercession and compassion for us, her spiritual children.

Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed. (Luke 2:34-35)

“This is the meeting point of the two Testaments, Old and New. Jesus enters the ancient temple; he who is the new Temple of God: he comes to visit his people, thus bringing to fulfilment obedience to the Law and ushering in the last times of salvation.” - Pope Benedict XVI

Who is Anna in the Bible?

Anna is the prophetess who saw the Holy Family at the Presentation of Jesus at the temple. The Gospel of Luke 2:36-38 tells us about Anna:

And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher; she was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years from her virginity, and as a widow till she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she gave thanks to God, and spoke of him to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.

What does the Purification of Mary mean?

The purification was ritual, preparatory to worship, in this case after the momentous events of childbirth and the time of rest or “laying in” afterwards. Thus, the Jewish priest purified himself by bathing before entering the holy place, and, similarly, the priest at Mass washes his hands before beginning the Eucharistic Prayer and handing the Body and Blood of Christ.

Mary, although morally pure, fulfilled her religious obligations by being purified 40 days after Jesus’ birth. Throughout her life, the Blessed Mother was always obedient to God’s Will, in this case expressed through the laws given to Israel through Moses.

“Simeon’s words seem like a second Annunciation to Mary, for they tell her of the actual historical situation in which the Son is to accomplish his mission, namely, in misunderstanding and sorrow. While this announcement on the one hand confirms her faith in the accomplishment of the divine promises of salvation, on the other hand it also reveals to her that she will have to live her obedience of faith in suffering, at the side of the suffering Savior, and that her motherhood will be mysterious and sorrowful.” — Pope St. John Paul II

Why is it called Candlemas Day?

This is the day when candles are blessed in the Church and traditionally have been lit in celebration of the feast.

Pope St. John Paul II said, “Christian traditions of the East and West have been interwoven, enriching the liturgy of this feast with a special procession in which the light of candles both large and small is a symbol of Christ, the true Light who came to illumine his people and all peoples.”

How many days after Christmas is Candlemas celebrated?

Candlemas is celebrated 40 days after Christmas. According to Leviticus 12, women should be purified 40 days after a son’s birth (33 days after the boy’s circumcision) and 80 days after a daughter’s birth. The purification was ritual, and preparatory to worship, in this case after the momentous events of childbirth and the time of rest or “laying in” afterwards.

Is Candlemas the end of Christmas?

In the Ordinary Form of the Latin Rite, the liturgical forms and calendar as revised after the Second Vatican Council, the last day of the Christmas Season is the Baptism of Our Lord, when His hidden life ended and His public ministry began.

However, the Church maintains an Extraordinary Form of the Latin Rite which utilizes the forms and calendar in use prior to the Council. In this usage, the Christmas Season continues until the Feast of the Presentation. Many Catholics, therefore, maintain their Christmas decorations through Candlemas.

What is the significance of Candlemas Day?

Pope St. John Paul II said,

The prophetic words spoken by the aged Simeon shed light on the mission of the Child brought to the temple by his parents: “Behold this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against ... that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed” (Lk 2:34-35). To Mary Simeon said: “And a sword will pierce through your own soul also” (Lk 2:35). The hymns of Bethlehem have now faded and the cross of Golgotha can already be glimpsed; this happens in the temple, the place where sacrifices are offered. The event we are commemorating today is thus a bridge as it were, linking the two most important seasons of the Church's year.

What do you eat on Candlemas?

Pancakes are the traditional choice on Candlemas. In Mexico, people eat tamales on this feast day, and in France, they eat crepes.

What are the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary?

The Joyful Mysteries include:

• The Annunciation
• The Visitation
• The Nativity of Our Lord
• The Presentation in the Temple
• The Finding of Jesus in the Temple

What is the World Day for Consecrated Life?

The Presentation is celebrated in the Church as the World Day for Consecrated Life. Pope St. John Paul II instituted this annual celebration in 1997 as a day of prayer for religious men and women and other consecrated persons. This recalls the special offering which they have made to the Lord through their vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. In Rome, the Holy Father celebrates a special Mass for them at St. Peter’s, which the religious living in Rome attend.

Pope Benedict XVI said,

The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple is an eloquent image of the total gift of one’s life for all those, men and women, who are called to represent “the characteristic features of Jesus — the chaste, poor and obedient one” (Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, Vita Consecrata, n. 1) in the Church and in the world, through the evangelical counsels. For this reason Venerable John Paul II chose today’s Feast to celebrate the Annual World Day of Consecrated Life.

• HISTORY & CULTURE

Why Epiphany marks the end of Christmas for many believers

Also known as Three Kings’ Day or Theophany, the holiday falls on the last of the 12 days of Christmas. Here’s what it is and how we celebrate it.

After the 12th day of Christmas, believers take down their festive decor. But they don't let January 6—or January 19 for many Orthodox Christians who still abide by the Julian calendar —pass by without another Christmas-connected celebration.

Tied to biblical accounts of Jesus Christ's birth and baptism, the holiday of Epiphany is a chance for Christians to reflect on the nature of God's physical manifestation on Earth and pay homage to three important visitors in the biblical account of Jesus' birth.

The holiday falls during the Christmas season. But opinions differ on when that season actually ends: Christmas is observed both as one day, a 12-day period that ends on Epiphany, or an even longer season that lasts until Candlemas, a holiday that celebrates Jesus Christ’s presentation at the temple and which is usually celebrated by Christians on February 2.

( How Christmas has evolved over centuries .)

Today, Epiphany is celebrated differently by various Christian denominations. Here's what to know about Epiphany—also called Theophany or simply Three Kings' Day.

Origins of Epiphany

Though it's known by different names in different cultures and countries, Epiphany has its origins in the Christian church's belief that Jesus Christ was the human incarnation of God.

The first known references to the Christian ritual suggest it was common by the fourth century A.D. In the 200s, theologian Clement of Alexandria wrote that a sect of Syrian Gnostic Christians, the Basilidians, celebrated Christ's baptism in January. By 361, Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus wrote that Christians called that January festival Epiphany.

It took its name from the Greek word ἐπῐφᾰ́νειᾰ / epipháneia , which refers to a deity's physical manifestation or revelation to mortals.

How Orthodox Christians celebrate Epiphany

In the Orthodox Church, the holiday is known as Theophany and commemorates Christ's baptism. After fasting, Orthodox Christians attend a church ceremony where a priest blesses water, then uses it to bless the congregation. They then take holy water home and use it to bless themselves and their homes all year long.

( Why Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas in January .)

Orthodox Christians believe that all water is sanctified on Theophany, and in Eastern Europe many take icy dips in lakes in a bid to wash away their sins.

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How non-orthodox christians celebrate epiphany.

Among Catholics and other non-Orthodox Christians, Epiphany focuses on another important event in Christ’s life: the arrival of the Magi , three wise men from the East sometimes characterized as kings. The gospels give different accounts of the Magi's visit to Bethlehem.

The Gospel of Matthew recounts the story of Herod I , whom Rome had appointed the king of Judea or "king of the Jews," and his suspicions of the prophesied birth of a new king of the Jews. When the Magi spoke of their plan to follow a star that would lead them to the child, the Gospel writes, Herod attempted to use them as scouts who could lead him to his rival.

( Who were the three kings in the Christmas story? )

But when the Magi arrived in Bethlehem, they worshiped the infant Jesus and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Since they were not Jewish, the fact that the Magi saw Jesus as worthy of worship is considered proof that the baby was God's manifestation on Earth—central to the idea of epiphany.

After finding and worshiping Jesus, the Magi left by another road rather than disclose his location and endanger the child. Furious, Herod ordered the execution of all male children aged two and below in the Bethlehem area, an event now known as the Massacre or Slaughter of the Innocents.

Epiphany traditions around the world

The Magi's gifts—and their rumored royal status—gave rise to a variety of colorful customs in nations where Epiphany is commonly observed. In France, the holiday is traditionally celebrated with galette des rois , or king cake. The round cake is layered with frangipane, a sweet almond paste, and connoisseurs check their slice to see if it has a bean baked into it. The recipient of the bean is crowned "king" for a day.

In the United States, Epiphany kicks off the Carnival season. Throughout Carnival, people eat yellow, green, and white-frosted king cakes that, instead of a bean, contain a figure of a baby thought to represent the baby Jesus. Though the cakes are particularly popular in Louisiana, where New Orleans is particularly known for its Mardi Gras celebrations , it can be found nationwide.

( These are the 7 secrets to celebrating Mardi Gras like an insider .)

In Latin America, people bake rosca de reyes (bread of kings), a sweet bread baked into a crown-like circle. Though traditions vary slightly throughout the region, some children put out grass and water the night before Epiphany for the animals who accompanied the three kings and receive gifts from the kings the next morning for their good behavior.

Other customs are just as fanciful: In Italy, for example, Epiphany is also known as Befana , a folk festival that celebrates the legend of an old woman or witch who went by that name. As the story has it, la Befana sheltered the Magi on their way to Bethlehem. After the wise men left, she decided to follow them in search of the baby Jesus. As she searches, the kindly old woman brings gifts to well-behaved children across Italy—a tradition similar to Santa Claus.

Another travel-themed tradition practiced throughout Europe and becoming more common in some parts of North America is known as "chalking the door." The custom involves writing the initials of the Magi, who are traditionally known as Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar, on or above the door of one’s home. Those initials—C.M.B.—also stand for the phrase Christus mansionem benediciat , Latin for "may Christ bless this dwelling." Believers also add numbers for the current year and plus signs that represent Christianity's cross.

Related Topics

• CHRISTIANITY

Why some people celebrate Christmas in January

What is Advent—and why do we mark it with treat-filled calendars?

Why Easter is celebrated with bunnies and egg hunts

This Christmas, the White House Will Celebrate FDR

How Christmas has evolved over centuries

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Category : Icons of the presentation of Jesus Christ at the Temple

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