WHEREAS, Epiphany is a Christian feast intended to celebrate the revelation of God to mankind in human form in the person of Jesus. The feast is also called the Twelfth Day, as in the twelfth day after Christmas, Three Kings Day; or
El Día de los Reyes
in Latin American countries; and
WHEREAS,
The observance had its origins in the Eastern Christian churches, and was originally a general celebration of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ and included the commemoration of: his birth; the visit of the Magi, or "Wise Men", who arrived in Bethlehem; and
WHEREAS, In Spanish tradition, on January 6th three of the Wise Men: Melchor, Gaspar, and Baltazar, representing Europe, Arabia, and Africa, arrived on horse, camel and elephant, bringing respectively gold, frankincense and myrrh to the baby Jesus; and
WHEREAS, Commemorating the observances varies among countries. One of the biggest celebrations in the world occurs in Puerto Rico. The children of Puerto Rico and all throughout Latin America celebrate this day with songs and dancing. The night before Three Kings Day, children throughout Puerto Rico leave out a box of hay and a bowl of water underneath their beds. They do this for the camels that the Three Kings travel on. As a thank you for providing the hay and the water the Three Kings leave gifts for the children. When the children wake up the next day they find toys underneath their bed; and
WHEREAS, In France, on Epiphany people eat the
gâteau des Rois
in Provence. This is a kind of king cake with a trinket or a bean hidden inside. The person who gets the piece of cake with the trinket becomes king for a year; and
WHEREAS, In Spain, Argentina, and Uruguay, children and many adults polish and leave their shoes ready for the Kings' presents before they go to bed on January 5th Sweet wine, snacks, fruit and milk are left for the Kings and their camels; and
WHEREAS, In Philadelphia, The Feast of Three Kings has been celebrated by Councilman Juan F. Ramos and his father who dressed up as one of the Three Kings and distributed candy and gifts to area children and senior citizens at different locations throughout Philadelphia for many years; now therefore
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby declare Sunday, January 6, 2008, Three King Day in the City of Philadelphia.
End