Lectionary Preaching Workbook
The liturgical and theological function of the festival of Epiphany is to manifest the full glory of Christ to the world by providing a climax to the Twelve Days of Christmas. When Epiphany moved from the Eastern Church to the Western Church, it became a unitive festival, celebrating Jesus' birth, his baptism, and the first miracle he performed at Cana. Coelius Sedulius' fifth-century hymn, "When Christ's Appearing Was Made Known" (Hymn 85, LBW), illustrates this three-fold nature of the Epiphany.
