Today is Epiphany: Christmas is Over, Carnival Season Begins

“Busó monsters” in Mohács

On January 6, Epiphany, the Christmas holiday season comes to an end and the most joyful time of winter, carnival season, begins.

Epiphany is one of the most important holidays in Western Christianity, carrying religious, cultural, and folk traditions. On this day, we say goodbye to Christmas, take down the tree, and prepare for the Carnival season, that lasts until the beginning of Lent.

The liturgical name of the holiday is Epiphania Domini, meaning the manifestation of our Lord. As Christian tradition holds it, on this day the church commemorates the three appearances of Jesus Christ: when the Magi from the East arrived in Bethlehem with gifts, when Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River, and when he turned water into wine as his first miracle at the wedding in Cana.

The story of the three kings has been an integral part of the Epiphany tradition for centuries. Although the Bible does not refer to them as kings, nor does it specify their number, in Christian culture they became known as Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar. Their gifts, gold, frankincense, and myrrh, had symbolic meaning and inspired countless works of art.

What does Epiphany mean?

The name Epiphany comes from the ceremony of the blessing of water. Folk belief attributed special powers to holy water: it was believed to have healing and protective properties and was also an important element in the blessing of houses.

The priest would write the year and the letters G. M. B., the initials of the three kings, on the lintel of the door with chalk.

There were also many folk customs associated with Epiphany. During the Three Kings’ procession and stargazing, children or young people went from house to house, singing and offering good wishes. Few of these traditions have survived to this day, but many people still associate Epiphany with taking down the Christmas tree.

The holiday also marks the beginning of the Carnival season, which is a celebration of the end of winter and the approaching spring. The Carnival season is a time of balls, parties, and weddings, as these could not be held during Lent.

In Hungary, the most famous carnival event is the Busójárás (“Busó walking” or “march of the monsters”) in Mohács (southern Hungary), while in Europe, the carnivals in Venice and Rio in South America have become world-famous.

Carnival is inseparable from foods that symbolize abundance: meat dishes, cabbage, and the inevitable carnival doughnuts. Epiphany is therefore not only the end of a holiday, but also the beginning of a new, joyful period, when the gloom of winter is slowly replaced by the promise of spring.

Via Magyar Nemzet; Featured image: MTI/Kacsúr Tamás

The post Today is Epiphany: Christmas is Over, Carnival Season Begins appeared first on Hungary Today.

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