EPIPHANY, a Christian festival, otherwise called the Manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles, observed on the sixth of January, in honour of the appearance of our Saviour to the three magi or wise men, who came to adore him and bring him presents. The feast of epiphany was not originally a distinct festival, but formed part of that
of the nativity of Christ, which being celebrated twelve days, the first and last of which were high or chief days of solemnity, either of these might properly be called epiphany, as that word signifies the appearance of Christ in the world.
The word in the original Greek, επιφάνεια, signifies appearance or apparition, and, as some critics think, was applied to this feast, on account of the star which appeared to and guided the magi. St Jerome and St Chrysostom take the epiphany for the day of our Saviour's baptism, when he was declared to men by the voice, Hic est filius meus dilectus, in quo mihi complacui, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; and accordingly it is still observed by the Copts and Ethiopians in this view. But others contend that the feast of Christmas, or the nativity of our Saviour, was held in different churches on this day, which had the denomination epiphany or appearance, by reason of our Saviour's first appearance upon earth at that time. And it must be allowed that the word is used amongst the ancient Greek fathers, not to signify the appearance of the star to the magi, but that of our Saviour to the world; in which sense St Paul uses the word epiphania in his second epistle to Timothy (i. 10.)