Today is Ephihany
The day that the magi arrived to bring gifts to the newborn Christ child
It's the end of Christmas
And those who keep a traditional Christmas calendar
wait until tomorrow to take down their Christmas tree
(Actually those who keep a traditional Christmas calendar don't even put up the Christmas tree until Christmas Eve -- we're traditionalist on taking it down but not on putting it up)
Traditional food for Epiphany
is Gallette des Rois
(French for King's Cake)
We make our King's Cake early in the morning
for a tea time treat
It's quite different from the Mardi Gras King's Cake of New Orleans
but we favor the French one over the Southern one
A creamy almond filling is encased in puff pastry
Inside there is a wee figure of baby Jesus --
the person who finds the trinket in his or her slice becomes kin for the day
and . . . will have to offer the next cake!
And the three kings we celebrate:
 |
| Balthasar of Arabia, Melchior of Persia, and Gaspar of India. |
We three kings of Orient are;
Bearing gifts we traverse afar,
Field and fountain, moor and mountain,
Following yonder star.
O star of wonder, star of night,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect light.
King forever, ceasing never,
Over us all to reign.
O star of wonder, star of night,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect light.
Frankincense to offer have I;
Incense owns a Deity nigh;
Prayer and praising, voices raising,
Worshiping God on high.
O star of wonder, star of night,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect light.
Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume
Breathes a life of gathering gloom;
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,
Sealed in the stone cold tomb.
O star of wonder, star of night,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect light.
Glorious now behold Him arise;
King and God and sacrifice;
Alleluia!, Alleluia!,
Rings through the earth and skies.
O star of wonder, star of night,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect light.
1 comment:
Very interesting, I loved singing that song in church when I was little!
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