Season of Epiphany
About the season
In the Maronite Liturgical Calendar, January 6 marks the beginning of the Epiphany Season. The word "Epiphany", comes from the Greek, means "self-manifestation". The Syriac word for Epiphany is ‘Denho’. It has the same meaning as manifestation. The Season extends to the beginning of Lent.
After His Baptism, Jesus, while at prayer, receives the anointing of the Holy Spirit to consecrate Him to announce to the poor the good news of their salvation. This event marks the beginning of Jesus' public ministry and it manifests both His Sonship to the Father and the presence of the Holy Spirit within Him.
The Sundays of the season are followed by three fixed Sundays, which serve as commemorations, marking the conclusion of the Epiphany season.
In the Maronite Liturgical Calendar, January 6 marks the beginning of the Epiphany Season. The word "Epiphany", comes from the Greek, means "self-manifestation". The Syriac word for Epiphany is ‘Denho’. It has the same meaning as manifestation. The Season extends to the beginning of Lent.
After His Baptism, Jesus, while at prayer, receives the anointing of the Holy Spirit to consecrate Him to announce to the poor the good news of their salvation. This event marks the beginning of Jesus' public ministry and it manifests both His Sonship to the Father and the presence of the Holy Spirit within Him.
The Sundays of the season are followed by three fixed Sundays, which serve as commemorations, marking the conclusion of the Epiphany season.
The Sundays of the Epiphany Season
• Epiphany of our Lord
• First Sunday after Epiphany -John Testifies About Jesus
• Second Sunday after Epiphany John’s Disciples Follow Jesus
• Third Sunday after Epiphany -The encounter of Nicodemus and Jesus
• Fourth Sunday after Epiphany -The personal encounter of the Samaritan woman and Jesus at the well
Three Weeks of Commemorations
•Sunday of the Commemoration of the Priests .
•Sunday of the Commemoration of the Righteous and the Just.
•Sunday of the Commemoration of the Faithful Departed.
Maronite Traditions
-People bring bottles of water to the church to be blessed during the liturgy.
-Many children are baptised and confirmed on this day.
-The priest visits the houses and blesses them with the water.
-People make the traditional sweets for Epiphany: Maakroun, Zlaabyi and Awamet,
-The dough which is dunked in the oil represents Christs’ descent into the Jordan River
-Dough is kneaded and before is it baked a small amount of the risen dough is set aside to leaven the next batch. This process continues throughout the year.
-People stay awake until midnight because according to the Maronite tradition Jesus will pass over and bless the homes.
-Windows, doors and the grain houses are left open so that they can be blessed and protect the homeowner from poverty.
-When Jesus pass over at midnight, people believe that all creation bows for Him at except the fig tree
-A midnight mass is celebrated
-The water is taken home and can be sprinkled on everything or consumed
-People say to other on that day: “Deyim, Deyim" (He is in our life forever).
• Epiphany of our Lord
• First Sunday after Epiphany -John Testifies About Jesus
• Second Sunday after Epiphany John’s Disciples Follow Jesus
• Third Sunday after Epiphany -The encounter of Nicodemus and Jesus
• Fourth Sunday after Epiphany -The personal encounter of the Samaritan woman and Jesus at the well
Three Weeks of Commemorations
•Sunday of the Commemoration of the Priests .
•Sunday of the Commemoration of the Righteous and the Just.
•Sunday of the Commemoration of the Faithful Departed.
Maronite Traditions
-People bring bottles of water to the church to be blessed during the liturgy.
-Many children are baptised and confirmed on this day.
-The priest visits the houses and blesses them with the water.
-People make the traditional sweets for Epiphany: Maakroun, Zlaabyi and Awamet,
-The dough which is dunked in the oil represents Christs’ descent into the Jordan River
-Dough is kneaded and before is it baked a small amount of the risen dough is set aside to leaven the next batch. This process continues throughout the year.
-People stay awake until midnight because according to the Maronite tradition Jesus will pass over and bless the homes.
-Windows, doors and the grain houses are left open so that they can be blessed and protect the homeowner from poverty.
-When Jesus pass over at midnight, people believe that all creation bows for Him at except the fig tree
-A midnight mass is celebrated
-The water is taken home and can be sprinkled on everything or consumed
-People say to other on that day: “Deyim, Deyim" (He is in our life forever).