_c_--Epiphany (Greek _Epiphania_, _Theophania_ or _Christophania_,) is a festival in commemoration of the manifestation of Jesus Christ to the world as the Son of God, and referring to the appearance of the star which announced our Saviour's birth to the Gentiles, and the visit of the Magi, or wise Men of the East to the infant Jesus. This festival is held on the 6th of January invariably, consequently is not a movable feast, though the length of Epiphany-tide depends upon the date of Easter. As Easter may happen as early as the 22d of March or as late as the 26th of April (a variation of thirty-five days), so Epiphany-tide may consist of no less than twelve days nor more than forty-seven, as the season always ends the day before Septuagesima Sunday. (See tables at the close of this chapter.)
Septuagesima, Sexagesima, Quinquagesima. There being exactly fifty days between the Sunday next before Lent and Easter Day, inclusive, that Sunday was termed Quinquagesima, i. e., the fiftieth; and the two immediately preceding Sundays were called from the next round numbers Sexagesima, the sixtieth; and Septuagesima, the seventieth.
The Paschal Season extends from Septuagesima Sunday to Low Sunday, a period of seventy days. It takes its name from the Paschal festival or Easter, whose services end with Low Sunday, the octave, or eighth day, of Easter. It begins with Septuagesima Sunday because the church services then begin to prepare the minds of the faithful for the services of Lent, which are themselves the preparation for Easter. May not Septuagesima Sunday be so called because there are just seventy days in the Paschal Season?
Shrove-tide literally means confession-time, and is the name given to the days immediately preceding Ash Wednesday. These days were so called because on them, and especially on the last of them (Shrove Tuesday) people were accustomed to confess their sins as a preparation for Lent. In most Roman Catholic countries it begins with Quinquagesima Sunday, the Sunday before Lent.
Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, (Latin _dies cinerum_, the day of Ashes), was so called because it was customary on that day for penitents to appear in sackcloth, upon which occasion ashes were sprinkled upon them.