Occurring
for 1 hour
In Common Worship Epiphany is a season, beginning on 6 January and continuing until the Feast of Candlemas on 2 February. It is a time of sustained reflection on the mystery of the Incarnation of our Lord.
Christians have grown accustomed to thinking of the Epiphany as exclusively about the ‘wise men’ or ‘Magi’, commonly thought of as ‘kings’ because of Old Testament allusions (e.g. Psalm 72.10, 11) and the costly nature of the gifts they presented. The fact that the New Testament mentions three gifts gave rise to the popular tradition of ‘three kings’. However, there is an older tradition which focuses on three revelations of Christ - the revelation of Christ to the Magi, who were probably Gentiles; the revelation of Jesus as the Son of God at his baptism in the river Jordan; and the revelation of his glory in the first miracle that he wrought at the wedding in Cana of Galilee, the turning of water into wine.
As the service proceeds, we focus on the Crib, and incense is offered as a sign of our worship of Christ the divine Son of God; on the Font, as commemorating the Baptism of the Lord we reaffirm our own baptismal covenant with words from the Baptism service; and on the Nave Altar, as we give thanks for the transforming grace of the Eucharist.
In all of this, we celebrate our union with Christ, as in saving love and power he unites us with himself and calls us to reveal his glory in the world.
Christians have grown accustomed to thinking of the Epiphany as exclusively about the ‘wise men’ or ‘Magi’, commonly thought of as ‘kings’ because of Old Testament allusions (e.g. Psalm 72.10, 11) and the costly nature of the gifts they presented. The fact that the New Testament mentions three gifts gave rise to the popular tradition of ‘three kings’. However, there is an older tradition which focuses on three revelations of Christ - the revelation of Christ to the Magi, who were probably Gentiles; the revelation of Jesus as the Son of God at his baptism in the river Jordan; and the revelation of his glory in the first miracle that he wrought at the wedding in Cana of Galilee, the turning of water into wine.
As the service proceeds, we focus on the Crib, and incense is offered as a sign of our worship of Christ the divine Son of God; on the Font, as commemorating the Baptism of the Lord we reaffirm our own baptismal covenant with words from the Baptism service; and on the Nave Altar, as we give thanks for the transforming grace of the Eucharist.
In all of this, we celebrate our union with Christ, as in saving love and power he unites us with himself and calls us to reveal his glory in the world.
Epiphanytide Lessons and Carols 14 January 6pm
14 Jan 2024, 6 p.m. for 1 hour
Epiphanytide Lessons and Carols 14 January 6pm
14 Jan 2024, 6 p.m. for 1 hour