Today marks the celebration of the Epiphany. In the liturgical calendar the day highlights the story of the baby Jesus' visit from the Magi in Matthew 2, as well as the story of Jesus' adult baptism by John the Baptist. It is the 12th and final day of the Christmas season, which means it may well be time to say goodbye to your Christmas tree. The word 'epiphany' comes from greek and means 'mainfestation' or 'appearence', and celebrates the mainfestation of God in human form in Jesus Christ.
Across the world, particularly in the Catholic and Orthodox traditions, the day is a time of fervent, colourful celebration and display. For those for whom the day merely marks the sad, uneventful end of Christmas festivity, here's a glimpse of how others are delighting in the day of January 6th across the world:
Time for an ice-breaker? Above, Bulgarian men break the ice as they wade in the icy waters of the Tundzha river, in front of others who are dancing and singing (see below) during a celebration to commemorate Epiphany Day in the town of Kalofer.
Today Pope Francis leads the Epiphany mass in Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, and kisses the statue of baby Jesus.
Technically in the Gospel of Matthew, there aren't specifically three Kings, only three gifts. Nonetheless a tradition has developed naming three Kings: Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar, who represent Europe, Arabia and Africa respectively. Here a man (centre) dressed as Caspar, one of the Three Wise Men, and his assistants throw sweets from a float during the traditional Epiphany parade in Malaga, southern Spain.
Below, crowds delight in the shower in confectionery.
Greek Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew holds a wooden crucifix during the Epiphany day celebrations by the Golden Horn in Istanbul, Turkey.
Greek Orthodox faithful Nikolas Solis, 29, a pilgrim to the Golden Horn from Greece, kisses a wooden crucifix as he is the first to retrieve it in the traditonal swimming contest.
Wise men bring gifts from afar: a man dressed as one of the Three Kings receives a baby pacifier from a girl during the Epiphany parade in Gijon, Spain.
Volunteers of San Carlos Borromeo parish dressed up as the Three Wise Men give away gifts in the shanty town settlement of 'El Gallinero', in the outskirts of Madrid, Spain.
