Epiphany Feast
The twelfth day of Christmas, when the magi reach the child at Bethlehem after asking Herod the Great where he was born. Matthew 2:11 is the verse the day turns on - gold, frankincense and myrrh, brought by foreigners who read a star.
When it falls
The verses for the day
- And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. {presented: or, offered}Matthew 2:11
- Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.Matthew 2:2
- Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. {shine...: or, be enlightened; for thy light cometh}Isaiah 60:1
The place
Bethlehem, meaning "House of Bread," is most famous as the birthplace of Jesus Christ. Located about 10 kilometers south of Jerusalem, it was also the hometown of King David and the setting of the Book of Ruth. The prophet Micah foretold that the Messiah would come from this small town. Today, the Church of the Nativity marks the traditional site of Jesus' birth.
Jerusalem is the holiest city in Judaism and Christianity, central to the biblical narrative. King David captured it and made it his capital, and his son Solomon built the First Temple there. It was the site of Jesus' crucifixion, resurrection, and the birth of the Christian church at Pentecost. The city has been destroyed and rebuilt multiple times throughout history.
