Epiphany processions across Poland

Photo: PAP/Bartłomiej Zborowski

The day is also a public holiday in Poland, reintroduced in 2011 after a break of over five decades.

Seven years ago, Epiphany processions started to be organized by the parishes and various local communities. This year they were held in over 330 towns and localities across Poland. In Warsaw itself, there were two such events, on both banks of the Vistula River.

The main ceremony started at noon at Castle Square, the entrance to the Old Town, with the Angelus said by Kazimierz Cardinal Nycz, the Metropolitan of Warsaw. He then led the procession of thousands of people to a nativity crib in the Piłsudski Square, where the event ended with the singing of Christmas carols.

Tariku Abebe, a university lecturer from Ethiopia, Zhen Wen Liu, a Chinese physician based in Warsaw and Poland’s Jaroslaw Kasperek, a notary by profession, posed as the Three Kings. The children in their retinue were dressed in three colours, red symbolizing Europe, green for Asia and blue for Africa. In many towns, funds were raised for the organization of next year’s World Youth Days with Pope Francis in Kraków.

Photo: PAP/Bartłomiej Zborowski

Most Polish Catholics today bring the blessed piece of chalk from the church and use it to inscribe the date – 2015 – and the letters C, B and M above the front door of the house. They stand for the names of the Three Magi: Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar, and also abbreviate the Latin phrase 'Christus mansionem benedicat' - 'May Christ bless the house'.

The Feast of Epiphany commemorates the arrival of the Three Wise Men in Bethlehem to pay tribute to Jesus, twelve days after his birth. The term 'epiphany' means 'to reveal' and so in the Catholic tradition by bringing gifts to the Christ child, the Three Magi reveal Jesus to the world as Lord. In many countries, including Poland, the Feast of Epiphany is known as Three Kings' Day. (mk)