Epiphany



Photographs and video by Lakshmi Srinivas, teacher; text by Christina Chand Class 10E St Mark's Senior Seconadry Public School ,Meera Bagh, New Delhi India. Every year the week after Christ the King’s Feast, Christians all over the world begin a season of waiting, hoping and praying for the Saviour who is to come. Four weeks of Advent followed by Twelve days of Christmas ends with the Feast of Epiphany on January 6 which the church now celebrates on the first Sunday after New Year, this year on January 8.

In the season of Advent the Wreath plays an important role in aiding the family to prepare for the birth of Jesus. The wreath has four candles, lit on each Sunday and symbolizes the victory of light over darkness. The circle with the evergreen leaves symbolizes the eternal love of God. The twelve days of Christmas are usually spent in making those visits to relatives that never got done through out the year. These days are also spent in prayerful reading of the birth of Christ from the gospels. And at the end of it all, before the star is put off and the crib and tree are put away, The Feast of Epiphany is celebrated to remember the three wise men of the East who came to worship the King of the Universe. That night the star is lit for the last time as the wise men were kept for the first time in a solemn procession. All in all, an ace season of Advent- Christmas-Epiphany, to renew one self, revel in the joy of Jesus’ birth and restore faith in Him for all mankind to savor.

In Goa the most colorful celebration is the one at Cuelim in North Goa.On the top of the hill in the village of Cuelim stands the chapel of Nossa Senhora dos Remidos( Our Lady of Remedies).On this day the faithful enact the journey that the Three Wise men took up. They found their way from distant lands to the manger of the Infant by studying the stars and following a bright star of Bethlehem to bring gifts to the Christ child. The three of them, Balthazar, Gaspar, and Melchio carried gold, frankincense and myrrh. The gold stands for Christ’s royalty, the frankincense or incense stands for the fact that he is God, and myrrh, a resin used for burial, kind of foresees the death of the child for salvation of mankind.

The main altar in the church is in honor of Our Lady, who stands with Infant Jesus in her one arm, while the other holds a small vase. This vase is said to enclose the panacea of all ills. A large number of Hindu devotees yearly make a pilgrimage to the Mount to worship the Madonna, bringing with them offerings of flower, incense and candles.

In the southern part of India, Epiphany is celebrated as a fair. Families come together and cook a sweet rice porridge called Pongal. Incidentally, Pongal is the name of the sweet dish prepared during the Hindu festival Pongal from 14-16 January. Three boys dress in regal robes and splendid crowns representing the Three Kings. Celebrations include widely attended processions, a fitting end to the Ace Season of Joy. View images in a Smilebox Video.