Here we are. The Twelve Days of Christmas (both before and after!) are over, and we have arrived at January 6th. For Christians, it is Epiphany, also called Theophany, or Three Kings' Day. Epiphany (from the Greek epiphaneia, meaning “manifestation”) is the holiday commemorating the first manifestation of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, represented by the Magi, the three wise men who, the Bible says, brought the Infant Jesus gifts and proclaimed him the Son of God. Matthew, in the Bible, tells of the kings who followed a star in the East to find the baby in the manger. Those three kings, Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar, brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
A number of hymns and carols deal specifically with this event, and the most popular and well known of those is, of course, We Three Kings of Orient Are. This carol was written by American John Henry Hopkins Jr. in 1857, while he served as the rector of Christ Episcopal Church in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. And he wrote the carol for a Christmas pageant in New York City!
We Three Kings of Orient are,
Bearing gifts we traverse afar,
Field and fountain,
Moor and mountain,
Following yonder Star.
O Star of Wonder, Star of Night,
Star with Royal Beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to Thy perfect Light.
We Three Kings of Orient Are - Chris Brunelle (voice & guitar)
We Three Kings of Orient Are - Alice Giles (harp) arr. by Carlos Salzedo
We Three Kings of Orient Are - Alexey Ryazanov (recorders)
In 1642 German hymnist Georg Weissel wrote the Epiphany hymn Nun liebe Seel, nun ist es Zeit (Well dear soul, now it's time). His words were set to music in a six-part motet by Johannes Eccard. It's a beautiful work; soothing on a day like today . . .
Nun, liebe Seel, nun ist es Zeit,
wach auf, erweg mit Lust und Freud,
was Gott an uns gewendet,
seinn lieben Sohn
vons Himmel-Thron
ins Jammerthal er sendet.
Well dear soul, now it's time
wake up, ponder with pleasure and joy,
what God turned to us,
his' dear Son
from the heavenly throne
in the valley of tears he sends.
O Jesu, unser Heyl und Licht:
halt über uns dein Angesicht,
mit deinen Strahlen walte,
und mein Gemüth
durch deine Güt
bey deinem Licht erhalte.
O Jesus, our salvation and light,
hold your face above us
rule with Your rays
and my mind
by Your kindness
receive by Your light.
Dein Glantz all Finsterniß verzehrt,
die trübe Nacht in Licht verkehrt,
leit uns auf deinen Wegen,
daß dein Gesicht
und herrlichs Licht
wir ewig schauen mögen.
Your splendor consumes all darkness,
the cloudy night in light traffic
guide us on Your way,
that Your face
and wonderful light
we like to look forever.
. . . And one last carol for Epiphany - Peter Cornelius' The Three Kings
The Three Kings
Three Kings from Persian lands afar
To Jordan follow the pointing star:
And this the quest of the travellers three,
Where the new-born King of the Jews may be.
Full royal gifts they bear for the King;
Gold, incense, myrrh are their offering.
The star shines out with a steadfast ray
The kings to Bethlehem make their way,
And there in worship they bend the knee,
As Mary's child in her lap they see;
Their royal gifts they show to the King;
Gold, incense, myrrh are their offering.
Thou Child of man, lo, to Bethlehem
The Kings are travelling, travel with them!
The star of mercy, the star of grace,
Shall lead thy heart to its resting place.
Gold, incense, myrrh thou canst not bring;
Offer thy heart to the infant King.
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