Pope to mark feast of Epiphany
(January 5, 2010) Pope Benedict XVI will mark the feast of the Epiphany of the Lord on Wednesday with a solemn Eucharistic celebration in St. Peters Basilica. The Jan. 6th feast, a holiday both in Italy and the Vatican, commemorates the visit of the three Magi, or the wise men from the East, to Baby Jesus. According to the Gospel narration, they followed the star of Bethlehem to the manger where the Christ child was born. The significance behind the visit of the Magi is the revelation of Christ as "Lord and King." The Wise Men were the first Gentiles, or those outside the people of Israel, to publicly recognize the divinity of Jesus, by way of their offerings of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Meanwhile for the Orthodox Churches that follow the Julian calendar January 6 is the eve of Christmas, and Jan. 7 is Christmas. The Feast of the Epiphany is the penultimate event in the Pope’s public celebrations during Christmas season. He will wrap up his Christmas schedule on Sunday, Jan. 10, baptizing infants in the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel during a Mass to mark the Feast of Baptism of Christ.
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