Feast of the Epiphany

The Magi by Henry Siddons Mowbray (1915)

The Solemnity of the Epiphany - where we recall the visit of the Magi to the stable in which Jesus Christ was born - is, in ordinary times, a holyday of obligation. The coronavirus pandemic has caused so much change in society and the church is clearly not immune from its effects.

Here is a simple resource, for use at home, featuring an old custom of ‘chalking the door’. Using chalk blessed on the Feast of the Epiphany (where available) a priest or head of the household marks the main door of the house invoking the Lord’s blessing on all who live inside (and, of course, in these strange times, those who work therein). We would encourage this practice which requests God’s blessing on the household even if you cannot obtain blessed chalk or holy water at this time, as a sign of God’s loving protection and a witness in our streets.