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A few days ago, on January 6th to be exact, we celebrated the Epiphany as it should be around a delicious and traditional "Galette des Rois". You may have been declared king or queen of this special day.
But do you know where this tradition comes from? What it represents for Christians? What is really celebrated on Epiphany? That's what we'll find out in this article! Between legends and traditions, let's discover together the history behind this day which is nowadays centered around the "galette des Rois" and its bean.
What happens on January 6th?
In the calendar of many people, believers and non-believers alike, January 6 coincides with the feast of the Epiphany!
The perfect opportunity to enjoy a "galette des rois" surrounded by friends and family.
However, the Epiphany is above all a festival of Christian origin which means in Greek "appearance" and which celebrates the arrival of the Magi to Jesus.
You have certainly already heard of the Three Wise Men. The story goes that these three wise men, who came from distant lands, followed the shepherd's star to meet the baby Jesus and offer him gifts.
But who are they really, what do they represent? Let's discover more about the destiny of these 3 wise men.
Who are the Magi?
First of all, it is important to point out that before the 6th century, there was little information about the Magi who went to the cradle of the little Jesus!
It is in the Gospel according to Matthew that we hear about the Magi for the first time, without any real details. No name, no description.
They are then Magi coming from the East and coming to prostrate themselves and offer gifts to Jesus.
It is thus from the 6th century that we heard for the first time about Gaspard, Melchior and Balthazar. 3 wise men who traveled many miles accompanied by their faithful steed to meet Jesus.
These wise men represent in fact all the peoples of the earth, coming from Africa, Europe or Asia, both young and old.
For this reason, today, the Magi are represented with different portraits.
Melchior comes from Europe, he represents an old person, with white hair and a long beard. He offers gold to Jesus.
Gaspard comes from Asia and is represented as a young man, of "red" color, without beard. He offers incense to Christ.
Balthazar comes from Africa, he is a black man with a beard. He offers myrrh to Jesus.
You should know that the information and descriptions of the Magi have varied greatly over the ages and according to the interpretations.
Why do we eat the galette des rois ?
The "galette des rois" is not really a religious event. It is rather a pagan tradition that was called "saturnalia" and during which the Romans celebrated Saturn.
For the occasion, masters and slaves shared a cake in which a bean (a symbol of fertility) was placed. The one who found the bean became the king of the day.
If the slave found the bean, he could then ask for what he wanted during that day.
Later on, this custom merged with the celebration of the Epiphany celebrated by Christians on January 6th.
It must be said that this tradition of the "galette des rois" perfectly embodied the symbol of sharing that the Christian celebration of the Epiphany also represented.