> Today, 6 January, is the feast of ...
>
> * Epiphany - commemorates the visit of the Magi;
More precisely, it commemorates three "manifestations" of Christ: the aforesaid visit of the
Magi, the Baptism of Christ (at which the voice of the Father attested "This is my beloved
Son") and the Miracle at Cana by which St John says "he manifested his glory". All three
manifestations are held in balance in the Eastern liturgy; in the west, the visit of the Magi has
overshadowed the other two, at least in popular observance, but actually all three are still
mentioned in the Office for the day - cf. particularly the magnificat antiphons for Evening Prayer
II - and in numerous Epiphany hymns, e.g. "At the Lamb's high feast we sing" with its lines
"Manifest at Jordan's stream . . ." and "Manifest in power divine, changing water into wine."
Doctor Elasticus.
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