Happy Twelfth Night and Feast of the Epiphany (Three Kings Day)

[Vouthon]

For the last time, I wish fellow Christians on RF a "Merry Christmas!"

"The Lord and ruler is coming; kingship is his, and government and power." With these words, the Church proclaims that today's feast brings to a perfect fulfillment all the purposes of Advent. Epiphany, therefore, marks the liturgical zenith of the Advent-Christmas season. "

— Pius Parsch
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I am currently disassembling my Christmas tree and taking down all remaining festive decorations.

That's because tonight is 'Twelfth Night' - immortalized in Shakespeare's famous play of the same name - the last day of Christmastide (the twelfth night after Christmas Day itself) and the eve of the Feast of the Epiphany (January 6th) which celebrates the visitation of the child Jesus by the Magi, or wise men, from Persia.

"The Solemnity of the Epiphany is celebrated on January 6. The young Messiah is revealed as the light of the nations. Yet, as the antiphon for the Magnificat at Second Vespers reminds us, three mysteries are encompassed in this solemnity: the adoration of the Christ Child by the Magi, the Baptism of Christ and the wedding feast at Cana. Extra candles and/or lamps may be placed around the sanctuary and in other parts of the church to honor Christ revealed as the Light of the Gentiles (Ceremonial of Bishops). It is customary to replace the images of the shepherds at the crib with the three Magi and their gifts."

— Ceremonies of the Liturgical Year, Msgr. Peter J. Elliott, Ignatius Press.​

See:


Twelfth Night - Wikipedia

"Twelfth Night" is a reference to the twelfth night after Christmas Day, called the Eve of the Feast of Epiphany. It was originally a Catholic holiday and therefore, like other Christian feast days, an occasion for revelry. Servants often dressed up as their masters, men as women and so forth.

The actual Elizabethan festival of Twelfth Night would involve the antics of a Lord of Misrule, who before leaving his temporary position of authority, would call for entertainment, songs and mummery; the play has been regarded as preserving this festive and traditional atmosphere of licensed disorder.[7]

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After tomorrow's feast-day ends, we leave behind Christmastime entirely and return to "ordinary time" in the liturgy; until the season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday (17th February) and we then enter six weeks of fasting or Lenten sacrifice (i.e. giving something up or deciding to positively do something pious) for Holy Week, in advance of Easter Sunday (which this year falls on the 4th April 2021).