Tribus miraculis ornatum, diem sanctum colimus:
Hodie stella Magos duxit ad praesepium:
Hodie vinum ex aqua factum est ad nuptias:
Hodie in Jordane a Joanne Christus baptizari voluit,
ut salvaret nos, Alleluia.
We observe this holy day, ornamented with three miracles:
Today a star led the Magi to the manger;
Today wine was made from water at the wedding;
Today in the Jordan Christ desired to be baptised by John,
so that He might save us, Alleluia.
Today we are singing Claudio Merulo's setting of this text - the Antiphon for Second Vespers on the Feast of the Epiphany at our Epiphanytide Carol Service. It is a wonderful reminder of the threefold meaning of Epiphany - today mainly eclipsed by the story of the Three Wise Men (pictured here on a wall painting by Percy Bacon & Brothers in Christ Church Southgate). Today in our lectionary we heard the story of the Wedding at Cana. Last Sunday we remembered the Baptism of our Lord. Singing this Antiphon has reminded me that all three were traditionally celebrated on 6th January, the Feast of the Epiphany.
Links
"The Triple Meaning of Epiphany" - http://the-american-catholic.com/2012/01/08/the-triple-meaning-of-epiphany/http://the-american-catholic.com/2012/01/08/the-triple-meaning-of-epiphany/
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