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Epiphany is the last day of the 12 days of Christmas. It commemorates the
visit of the three wise men to Jesus. In the persons of the Magi, who were
not Jews, Jesus was manifested to all the nations of the Earth. Epiphany
means "manifestation".

Jesus wasn't baptised as a baby. His cousin John (remember John the
Baptist?) baptised him as an adult. I think Theophany does refer to Jesus'
baptism, but it didn't happen when he was a baby, and it's not the same as
the Epiphany. He was circumcised, as all Jewish baby boys are, when he was 8
days old. Maybe that's where the confusion comes in.

After Jesus was baptised he went into the desert where he fasted for forty
days. Lent is the season which commemorates this event. Ash Wednesday is
the first day of Lent. The day before Ash Wednesday is Mardi Gras (Fat
Tuesday in French). Mardi Gras is only one day long. Carnival is a
different story. The Lenten season lasts from Ash Wednesday until midnight of
Holy Saturday (the day before Easter). It is 46 days long because Sundays
are not counted when adding up the 40 days. It seems that Lent always begins
sometime in February.

Jodye


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