Epiphany And Christmastime

[Chrysologus]

Can someone please tell me when and why the United States hierarchy moved the solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord from December 6 to the second Sunday after Christmas? It seems a strange decision because it creates a difference of tradition between Catholics and Protestants regarding an imporant holiday. Also, does anyone know if there's such thing as "Christmastime" (sometimes spelled "Christmastide") in the official liturgical calendar? It's usually reckoned as the twelve days between Christmas and Epiphany (hence the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas" and the play The Twelfth Night), but moving Epiphany basically destroyed that. I'm mostly wondering because I've noticed that, as Catholics, we're always in a liturgical season (even if it's just "Ordinary Time"), except from January 2 to January 10! It seems like a strange "hole" in the calendar. Thanks.

[cappie]

I assume you mean the 6th January? The 6th December is the Feast of St Nicholas.

The Epiphany is a liturgical feast commemorating the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles in the person of the magi and his divinity manifested at his baptism and the changing of water into wine at Cana. All three of these have been celebrated th the Eastern Churches from the 3rd century. It was in the West that the "Three Kings" began to predominate in the Middle Ages, though the Bible never mentions they were kings or their number.

In many "Catholic Countries" Epiphany is a public holiday but since the Second Vatican Council the Vatican has given to local Bishops Confrences the choice to move different feasts to the closest Sunday so they may be observed by the greatest number of faithful. Protestant Communities do not have the obligation to attend church as we do and so in countries such as USA or Australia where it would he difficult to observe the Epiphany with due solemnity the Bishops made the decision to transfer the feast to the closest Sunday.

The season of Christmas concludes in the western Church with the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord next Sunday. Ordinary Time then commences.