On the first day of Christmas
My true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree!
Two turtle doves
On the second day of Christmas
My true love sent to me
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree!
My true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree!
Two turtle doves
On the second day of Christmas
My true love sent to me
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree!
Growing up, I always wondered when and what exactly were the 12 days of Christmas. Being raised non-religous, the song was sung as part of the secular Christmas history tradition, even with a mother raised Catholic. When I became a fundie Christian, none of these days were celebrated, acknowledged, or even known, yet the high school youth group joyfully performed a hysterical rendition of such at the Christmas pageant, with the youth pastor standing up arms outstretched at "Five Golden Rings", this a memory of fondness from my fundaze. Thus, the true meaning and significance of the lyrics were lost upon me until now, as I researched the information about the day, Epiphany. (Not that I am going to go off and become a Catholic or Orthodox, rather I find researching the different types of religious holidays a fascinating study for my own personal spirituality as well a deeper understanding of humanity.)
Twelve days after Christmas on January 6th (for non-orthodox), Epiphany, or Theophany in Eastern Christian religions, is the celebration of the manifestation of God in the body of Jesus Christ. For the western religions that honor epiphany it is the recognition of the coming Magi, (Three Kings or Three Wisemen) to the birth of Jesus Christ. For the eastern religions that celebrate, it is the remembrance of the baptism of Jesus Christ by John the Baptist and thus the revelation of Jesus manifested to the gentiles. Epiphany Eve, the night before Epiphany is called "Twelfth Night", marking the coming of the manifestation of God throughout the world.
Some churches acknowledge Epiphany as both the baptism and the visitation of the Magi. Epiphany is celebrated mostly by Catholics and Orthodox Christians.
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