Epiphany around the world in 2025


  How long until Epiphany?
Epiphany
  Dates of Epiphany around the world
2025 Various Jan 6
AndorraMon, Jan 6National Holiday
AustriaMon, Jan 6National Holiday
BelgiumMon, Jan 6Not A Public Holiday
CroatiaMon, Jan 6National Holiday
FinlandMon, Jan 6National Holiday
Germany Jan 6
Baden-WürttembergMon, Jan 6Regional Holiday
BavariaMon, Jan 6Regional Holiday
Saxony-AnhaltMon, Jan 6Regional Holiday
GreenlandMon, Jan 6National Holiday
LiechtensteinMon, Jan 6National Holiday
PolandMon, Jan 6National Holiday
Puerto RicoMon, Jan 6National Holiday
San MarinoMon, Jan 6National Holiday
SlovakiaMon, Jan 6National Holiday
SpainMon, Jan 6National Holiday
SwedenMon, Jan 6National Holiday
Switzerland Jan 6
GraubündenMon, Jan 6Regional Holiday
LucerneMon, Jan 6Regional Holiday
SchwyzMon, Jan 6Regional Holiday
TicinoMon, Jan 6Regional Holiday
UriMon, Jan 6Regional Holiday
US Virgin IslandsMon, Jan 6National Holiday
UruguayMon, Jan 6Government Holiday
Vatican CityMon, Jan 6National Holiday
2024 Various Jan 6
AndorraSat, Jan 6National Holiday
AustriaSat, Jan 6National Holiday
BelgiumSat, Jan 6Not A Public Holiday
CroatiaSat, Jan 6National Holiday
FinlandSat, Jan 6National Holiday
Germany Jan 6
Baden-WürttembergSat, Jan 6Regional Holiday
BavariaSat, Jan 6Regional Holiday
Saxony-AnhaltSat, Jan 6Regional Holiday
GreenlandSat, Jan 6National Holiday
LiechtensteinSat, Jan 6National Holiday
PolandSat, Jan 6National Holiday
Puerto RicoSat, Jan 6National Holiday
San MarinoSat, Jan 6National Holiday
SlovakiaSat, Jan 6National Holiday
SpainSat, Jan 6National Holiday
SwedenSat, Jan 6National Holiday
Switzerland Jan 6
GraubündenSat, Jan 6Regional Holiday
LucerneSat, Jan 6Regional Holiday
SchwyzSat, Jan 6Regional Holiday
TicinoSat, Jan 6Regional Holiday
UriSat, Jan 6Regional Holiday
US Virgin IslandsSat, Jan 6National Holiday
UruguaySat, Jan 6Government Holiday
Vatican CitySat, Jan 6National Holiday
2023 Various Jan 6
AndorraFri, Jan 6National Holiday
AustriaFri, Jan 6National Holiday
BelgiumFri, Jan 6Not A Public Holiday
CroatiaFri, Jan 6National Holiday
FinlandFri, Jan 6National Holiday
Germany Jan 6
Baden-WürttembergFri, Jan 6Regional Holiday
BavariaFri, Jan 6Regional Holiday
Saxony-AnhaltFri, Jan 6Regional Holiday
GreenlandFri, Jan 6National Holiday
LiechtensteinFri, Jan 6National Holiday
PolandFri, Jan 6National Holiday
Puerto RicoFri, Jan 6National Holiday
San MarinoFri, Jan 6National Holiday
SlovakiaFri, Jan 6National Holiday
SpainFri, Jan 6National Holiday
SwedenFri, Jan 6National Holiday
Switzerland Jan 6
GraubündenFri, Jan 6Regional Holiday
LucerneFri, Jan 6Regional Holiday
SchwyzFri, Jan 6Regional Holiday
TicinoFri, Jan 6Regional Holiday
UriFri, Jan 6Regional Holiday
US Virgin IslandsFri, Jan 6National Holiday
UruguayFri, Jan 6Government Holiday
Vatican CityFri, Jan 6National Holiday
2022 Various Jan 6
AndorraThu, Jan 6National Holiday
AustriaThu, Jan 6National Holiday
BelgiumThu, Jan 6Not A Public Holiday
CroatiaThu, Jan 6National Holiday
FinlandThu, Jan 6National Holiday
Germany Jan 6
Baden-WürttembergThu, Jan 6Regional Holiday
BavariaThu, Jan 6Regional Holiday
Saxony-AnhaltThu, Jan 6Regional Holiday
GreenlandThu, Jan 6National Holiday
LiechtensteinThu, Jan 6National Holiday
PolandThu, Jan 6National Holiday
Puerto RicoThu, Jan 6National Holiday
San MarinoThu, Jan 6National Holiday
SlovakiaThu, Jan 6National Holiday
SpainThu, Jan 6National Holiday
SwedenThu, Jan 6National Holiday
Switzerland Jan 6
GraubündenThu, Jan 6Regional Holiday
LucerneThu, Jan 6Regional Holiday
SchwyzThu, Jan 6Regional Holiday
TicinoThu, Jan 6Regional Holiday
UriThu, Jan 6Regional Holiday
US Virgin IslandsThu, Jan 6National Holiday
UruguayThu, Jan 6Government Holiday
Vatican CityThu, Jan 6National Holiday
2021 Various Jan 6
AndorraWed, Jan 6National Holiday
AustriaWed, Jan 6National Holiday
BelgiumWed, Jan 6Not A Public Holiday
CroatiaWed, Jan 6National Holiday
FinlandWed, Jan 6National Holiday
Germany Jan 6
Baden-WürttembergWed, Jan 6Regional Holiday
BavariaWed, Jan 6Regional Holiday
Saxony-AnhaltWed, Jan 6Regional Holiday
GreenlandWed, Jan 6National Holiday
LiechtensteinWed, Jan 6National Holiday
PolandWed, Jan 6National Holiday
Puerto RicoWed, Jan 6National Holiday
San MarinoWed, Jan 6National Holiday
SlovakiaWed, Jan 6National Holiday
SpainWed, Jan 6National Holiday
SwedenWed, Jan 6National Holiday
Switzerland Jan 6
GraubündenWed, Jan 6Regional Holiday
LucerneWed, Jan 6Regional Holiday
SchwyzWed, Jan 6Regional Holiday
TicinoWed, Jan 6Regional Holiday
UriWed, Jan 6Regional Holiday
US Virgin IslandsWed, Jan 6National Holiday
UruguayWed, Jan 6Government Holiday
Vatican CityWed, Jan 6National Holiday
  Summary

A major Christian celebration, Epiphany is celebrated on January 6th and commemorates the presentation of the infant Jesus to the Magi, or three wise men. In some countries, it may be known as Three Kings Day.

  Which countries observe Epiphany in 2025?
National Holiday Regional Holiday Not a public holiday Govt Holiday

When is Epiphany?

Though overshadowed by falling so soon after Christmas, Epiphany is one of the three major Christian celebrations along with Christmas and Easter.

It is always celebrated on January 6th and commemorates the presentation of the infant Jesus to the Magi or the three wise men. In some countries, it may be known as 'Three Kings Day'.

History of Epiphany

Interestingly, the bible doesn't mention how many wise men there were - just that three gifts were given and that they came from the east.

The common consensus is that there were between two and twenty wise men. They were likely to have been Zoroastrian Priests. It wasn't until about 500AD that three was accepted to be the standard number of wise men - the reasoning simply due to the number of gifts.

To further complicate matters, the wise men may not even have been men or wise. In 2004, a report by the general synod of the church of England concluded that 'magi' gives no indication as to number, or gender, or even to the level of wisdom.

The distinct lack of Biblical detail hasn't stopped the Magi being counted, coronated, and christened - the traditional names of the three kings are Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar, who are said to represent Europe, Arabia, and Africa respectively.

Epiphany is derived from the Greek word 'epiphaneia' and means manifestation. In religious use, the term means the appearance of an invisible divine being in a visible form.

The celebration of the Epiphany began in the Eastern Church and included a celebration of Christ's birth. However, by the 4th century AD, the various calendar reforms had moved the birth of Christ to December 25th and the church in Rome began celebrating January 6th as Epiphany. Armenian Orthodox Christians still celebrate the birth of Christ on January 6th as their Church was established before Rome made the date change.

Traditions of Epiphany

On the eve of Three Kings Day, children may go outside and pick up grass and put it in a shoebox under their beds, and then to sleep with the hope that presents would replace the vegetation. In the morning, the grass would be strewn across the floor, meaning that the Three Wise Men, and their respective camels, had come in the night to deliver gifts.  

Epiphany around the world

In Denmark, Epiphany was abolished as an official church festival in 1770. However, the previous evening, Twelfth Night, is celebrated in some homes by burning a special Twelfth Night candle with three wicks. When the candles thus go out, it symbolises the end of Christmas. Only a few locations in Denmark still celebrate the evening with a procession where people in fancy dress and go from house to house.

As Epiphany is not a public holiday in France, the traditions are instead observed on the first Sunday in January. Since the 14th-century people in France have eaten a cake called La galette des Rois to celebrate Epiphany. According to the tradition, the cake must be divided so that each guest gets a slice, plus an extra slice called the part du Bon Dieu/ Vierge/ Pauvre (Good Lord / Virgin / Poor ) which is kept in reserve should any unexpected stranger turn up. The cake is typically bought in a boulangerie and made of puff pastry with an almond filling. A charm is often hidden in the cake. The Lucky person that finds the charm then becomes the king or queen for the day.

As you travel east in Europe, water plays a more important in Epiphany celebrations with the throwing of a wooden cross into the sea to see who can recover it first a common tradition in Greece and Bulgaria.

The Orthodox Church celebrates Epiphany on January 19th, though the festival commemorates the baptism of Jesus (explaining the water festivities) by John the Baptist rather than the visit of the Magi. Jesus was baptised when he was about 30 years old, so Orthodox Epiphany has little to do with the Christmas story, though it still marks the end of the Christmas cycle.

Italy has gone in quite a different direction with Epiphany. It is the visit of a witch rather than kings which is the focus of festivities. Befana is an old soot-covered woman or witch who delivers presents to Italian children on the night before Epiphany.

In Mexico, children receive presents on Epiphany rather than Christmas Day.


Did you know?

Three facts about Epiphany

In Venice a traditional regatta that started as a joke in the late 1970s has been incorporated in the celebrations of Epiphany Day.

The word Magi comes from the greek word 'magos' (from which the English word 'magic' comes from)

In Mexico, crowds gather to taste the Rosca de Reyes - Kings' bread. In other countries, a Jesus figurine is hidden in the bread. Whoever finds the statue inside their slice throws a party on Candlemas - February 2nd.

More facts about Epiphany

Translate this page