About Epiphany

Historical Background

Reprinted from Book of Worship © 1986 Office of Church Life and Leadership, 2002 Worship and Education Ministry Team, United Church of Christ. Used by permission.

“Epiphany, which means manifestation or disclosure, is observed on January 6. Its origins are rooted in the winter solstice holiday of the eastern regions of the Roman Empire. In Jerusalem, the day was transformed by the church into a festival of the incarnation. Egeria, a Spanish woman of the fourth century, provided an eyewitness account of the celebration of Epiphany in Bethlehem. Although other Christians in the eastern provinces celebrated both Jesus’ birth and baptism on this day, in the region of Jerusalem only the incarnation was observed.

“At a very early time in the East, the visit of Jesus to the marriage feast of Cana became part of the Epiphany celebration. In later developments in the West, the visit of the Magi became the predominant theme of the day. Today, these several strands continue to influence Epiphany, with the baptism of Jesus being observed on the first Sunday of the Epiphany season. Although the color of the day of Epiphany and the first Sunday of the season of Epiphany is white, different practices exist for the remainder of the season. Some churches, emphasizing the person of Christ, continue with white. Others, emphasizing the manifestation of Christ to the whole world, change to green from the second Sunday until the close of the season. Green is the color of the church in mission and symbolizes its life and growth. In some traditions, the last Sunday of the season is observed as the Festival of the Transfiguration, with white as the liturgical color.”

— quoted from the Introduction to Worship in the United Church of Christ, as posted on the UCC Web Site.

Here at Pilgrim Church

Our local custom at Pilgrim Church is to leave all the Christmas decorations up in the Sanctuary throughout Advent and Christmastide. On the first Sunday after Epiphany, we “degreen” the Church. During the worship service, we take down all of the decorations in the Sanctuary, leaving us with a very different-looking Church at the end of the service. This symbolizes the change of the Church season, and reminds us that we are no longer preparing for the coming of Jesus; he is here!