Los Angeles herald., 1910-01-02

IN HE celebration of the twelfth day
after Christmas, or Epiphany, was
IL in olden times one of the most
important festivals in the calendar, and
its half sacred, half carnival charac-
ter. taking its color and meaning from
the nationllities which gave it birth, is
full of interesting and charming fam
cies.
The first mention of Epiphany is
made by Clemens of Alexandria. 1t Is
a Greek word meaning "the holy day
of lights" and takes it's name from a
legend of the River Jordan becoming
aglow with lights at the moment OF
Christ's baptism.
In Russian and Italian folk lore
there is legend of the wise men ana
the old woman, and to this legend we
owe many of the songs and customs
which time and custom has woven
about it, This is the legend: AS the
wise men were on their way TO Wor-
ship the Christ, they came upon an old
woman sweeping her house and they
invited her to join them. The old
woman, however. refused to leave her
work undone and waited until she had
finished her sweeping. She then start
ed out in search of the travellers, but
cOulQ not IluU lllelu Slle Is SUN wan
dering over the earth, like the Wan
dering Jew, trying to find the child and
pay her tribute. In Italy, she goes by
the name of Befana; in Russia she is
known as Babgushka. On the twelfth
night the poor old lady is supposed to
creep down the chimney and leave
gifts for the children, and thus tries
by remembering all the children to
find the Christ and make her tardy Of
fnrnu She iS really the Santa Clans of
Italy and Russia.
In Florence it is carnival time. The
people parade the streets in masks and
costumes, singing, blowing horns and
yelling. In Spain, not Befana, but one
of the wise men is the Santa Claus of
the children.
In France, Twelfth Day was called
La Fete des Rois and it was magnifi-
Gently celebrated at court. After the
return of the Bourbons, the court no
longer played at king and queen and
the revelry gave place to pious GUS
tom of giving aims.
In parts of England on Twelfth night
they used to set up as high as possible
a sieve of oats, in which a dozen
lighted candles were placed with one
large one in the center. This typified
our Savior and his apostles-lights
of the world. The farmers of Devon
shire celebrate by going out in the
orchards with their farm hands, carry
ing an immense jug of cider and by
singing all sorts of songs. Formerly
in England the religious observance of
Twelfth Day consisted of the king and
queen making the gift of myrrh,
frankincense and gold. In many parts
of England we still hear of the was
sail bowl which is handed round after
Twelfth Night supper. 1t is filled with
mixture of sugar, nutmegs, ale and
roasted apples.
In England and America it is a
Christian observance closing the series
of Christmas observances, celebrated
on the sixth of January, twelve days
after Christmas. 1t is celebrated in
commemoration of the manifestation of
Christ to the Gentiles as the Son of
God. 1t was early instituted in the
far east in celebration both of his ma
tivity and of his baptism. In the west
ern countries of Europe the day has
been observed since the fourth century
with specific reference to the visit of
the magi or the three kings