A light to enlighten the nations

The solemnity of the Epiphany is one of the oldest celebrations in Christianity. As early as the first centuries of the Church, it was experienced as the moment when Christ makes himself visible to the world. If Christmas is traditionally associated with the joy of the Lord’s birth, awaited and prepared for during the season of Advent, the Epiphany also expresses this same joy, broadening its meaning. For a long time, until the fourth century, January 6 was the principal date on which believers celebrated the Savior’s entry into human history. Far from replacing Christmas, the Epiphany completes it: it is the moment when Christ openly manifests himself, revealing himself to all peoples.