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</style><title>THREE KINGS DAY - January 6, 2022 - National Today</title><div class="original-url"><br><a href="https://nationaltoday.com/three-kings-day/?back=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fsearch%3Fclient%3Dsafari%26as_qdr%3Dall%26as_occt%3Dany%26safe%3Dactive%26as_q%3Dwhat+is+three+Kings+Sunday%26channel%3Daplab%26source%3Da-app1%26hl%3Den">https://nationaltoday.com/three-kings-day/?back=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fsearch%3Fclient%3Dsafari%26as_qdr%3Dall%26as_occt%3Dany%26safe%3Dactive%26as_q%3Dwhat+is+three+Kings+Sunday%26channel%3Daplab%26source%3Da-app1%26hl%3Den</a><br><br></div><div id="article" role="article" style="-webkit-locale: "en"; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="system exported">
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<div class="page" style="text-align: start; word-wrap: break-word; max-width: 100%;"><h1 class="title" style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 1.95552em; line-height: 1.2141em; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; text-align: start; display: block; max-width: 100%;">Three Kings Day – January 6, 2022</h1> <noscript style="max-width: 100%;"><iframe src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-56ZZKBC" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript> <noscript style="max-width: 100%;"><img height="1" width="1" style="display:none" src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=315068065503197&ev=PageView&noscript=1"></noscript> <div style="max-width: 100%;"> <div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div role="main" style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><header style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"> <picture style="max-width: 100%;"> <source media="(min-width: 768px)" srcset="https://nationaltoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/three-king-day-1-1200x834.jpg" src="" style="max-width: 100%;"> <source srcset="https://nationaltoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/three-king-day-1-640x514.jpg" src="" style="max-width: 100%;"><img src="https://nationaltoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/three-king-day-1-640x514.jpg" alt="" class="" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0.5em auto; display: block; height: auto;" data-unique-identifier=""> </picture></div></div></header><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><p style="max-width: 100%;">On the twelfth day of Christmas, January 6, we celebrate Three Kings Day! Celebrated most in Europe, Spain, and Latin America, ‘El Dia de los Reyes’, as it’s called in Spanish, marks the glorification of baby Jesus by the Three Wise Men.</p></div></div></div></div><div style="max-width: 100%;"><section style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><p style="max-width: 100%;">Christmas celebrations must go on until Three Kings Day on January 6! For Christians, Christmas Day is just the beginning of the festivities, as it kicks off the celebrations for the Twelve Days of Christmas.</p></div></div></div></section><section style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><h2 class="clear" style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 1.43em; max-width: 100%; clear: both;">History of Three Kings Day</h2><p style="max-width: 100%;">In Mexico and many other Latin American countries, Santa Claus isn’t as popular as he is in the United States. Rather, it is the Three Wise Men who are the bearers of gifts and leave presents in or near the shoes of small children. The holiday is also known by the name Epiphany and dates back to the 4th century. A grand feast would be held on this day to honor the occasion of Jesus’ baptism and to pay homage to the Three Wise Men.</p><p style="max-width: 100%;">Many believe mysterious events preceded Jesus’ birth with perhaps the most notable being the appearance of the star in Bethlehem. This new star appeared in the evening sky just prior to the arrival of Jesus. Three wise men, or Magi as they were known, whose names were Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar, traveled a far distance to pay homage to Christ. They brought with them fine gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.</p><p style="max-width: 100%;">Three Kings Day, or El Dia de Reyes, remains an important holiday for Catholics. In addition to gift-giving, there is also a culinary treat that is specific to the holiday. Known as Rosca de Reyes (King’s Cake), this holiday dessert is a symbolic pastry. Shaped in a circle to signify a king’s crown, this sweet bread holds a special surprise. Inside is a small plastic figurine representing the baby Jesus. Whoever finds this token is obligated to host an upcoming party for the occasion Dia de la Condelaria (Candlemas Day) which occurs each year on February 2.</p></div></div></div></section><section style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><p style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;">200 AD</p><div style="max-width: 100%;"><p style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;">From Rome to Egypt</p><div style="max-width: 100%;"><p style="max-width: 100%;">Though Three Kings Day originated in the Greek-speaking eastern half of the Roman Empire, Clement of Alexandria writes that followers of Basilides in Egypt also celebrate the day of Jesus' baptism. </p></div></div></div></div><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><p style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;">December 25, 380 AD</p><div style="max-width: 100%;"><p style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;">Theophany </p><div style="max-width: 100%;"><p style="max-width: 100%;">St. Gregory of Nazianzus refers to the day as 'the Theophany', saying that it commemorates the holy nativity of Christ.</p></div></div></div></div></div><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><p style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;">385 AD</p><div style="max-width: 100%;"><p style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;">Epiphany</p><div style="max-width: 100%;"><p style="max-width: 100%;">The pilgrim Egeria describes a celebration in Jerusalem and Bethlehem that she calls "Epiphany", which commemorates the Nativity. </p></div></div></div></div><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><p style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;">1969</p><div style="max-width: 100%;"><p style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;">The Twelfth Day of Christmas</p><div style="max-width: 100%;"><p style="max-width: 100%;">Revisions of the General Roman Calendar makes the date of Three Kings Day variable, occurring on the Sunday between January 2 and 8, though it is still more widely celebrated 12 days after Christmas on January 6. </p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></section><section style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"><b style="max-width: 100%;">Gifts</b></span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">On January 5, the Three Kings are added to nativity decorations and children leave their shoes out over night waiting for a visit from the wise men. When they wake up in the morning, they will find that the Kings have left them gifts inside and near their shoes.</span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"><b style="max-width: 100%;">Rosca de Reyes</b></span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">King’s cake, Rosca de Reyes, is the highlight of the Three Kings Day celebrations. The cake is shaped into an open circle, or wreath, and studded with candied fruit and nuts to represent the jewels in the Magi’s crowns. The tradition of the cake requires that a tiny baby Jesus doll is hidden within the cake. Whoever receives the serving with the Baby Jesus must host February’s Candlemas celebration. </span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"><b style="max-width: 100%;">Al fresco feast</b></span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">In its core, Three Kings Day is in fact a feast day. So it makes perfect since that on this day, families enjoy a big filling meal. In Latin American countries, this feast is enjoyed </span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><i style="max-width: 100%;">al fresco</i></span><span style="max-width: 100%;">, outdoors. Traditional dishes include black beans and rice with some families switching out the beans for peas or corn, soups and salads that feature yucca, nopales, and plantains, and a slow cooked meat sautéed with onions, garlic, and herbs. </span></p></div></div></div></section><section style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"><b style="max-width: 100%;">60,000 Rosca de Reyes</b></span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">California’s Northgate Gonzalez Market sells about 60,000 Rosca de Reyes each year. They start selling the original, small rosca just before Thanksgiving. About a week before Christmas, they sell the cakes in four sizes and two varieties: original and filled. One year, the fillings consisted of guava and cheese or pineapple and cajeta. </span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"><b style="max-width: 100%;">2,065.43 meters World Record</b></span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">In 2019, chefs from La Universidad Vizcaya de las Americas were awarded the Guinness record for the longest Rosca de Reyes bread in the world. Measuring at 2,065.43 meters, the lengthy traditional bread beat the previous world holder for the longest loaf, which was Switzerland. Carlos Tapia of Guinness World Records for Latin America verified the length of the bread and its new world record, noting that the previous record held by Switzerland measured in at 973.24 meters. The ring also included more than 7,000 dolls inside of the pastry. </span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"><b style="max-width: 100%;">200,000 people annually</b></span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">Every year in Mexico on the eve of Three Kings Day, a mile-long Rosca de Reyes cake is made to celebrate the holiday. More than 200,000 people gather annually in Zocalo Square to eat a piece of the King’s cake or take some home to save for later. Starting in 2018, Mexico City’s government emphasized that a portion of the delicacy shall be made without sugar so that people who need to avoid sweets are also able to partake in the tradition. </span></p></div></div></div></section> <section style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><h2 class="clear" style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 1.43em; max-width: 100%; clear: both;">Three Kings Day <abbr title="Frequently asked question" style="max-width: 100%;">FAQ</abbr>s</h2><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><h3 class="clear" style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 1.25em; max-width: 100%; clear: both;">Why do we celebrated Three Kings Day? <i style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"></i></h3><div class="clear" style="max-width: 100%; clear: both;"><p style="max-width: 100%;">Three Kings Day is considered the end of Christmas celebrations, representing the day the Three Wise Men gave gifts to Jesus Christ.</p></div></div></div><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><h3 class="clear" style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 1.25em; max-width: 100%; clear: both;">What do they eat on Three Kings Day? <i style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"></i></h3><div class="clear" style="max-width: 100%; clear: both;"><p style="max-width: 100%;">A traditional Three Kings Day meal consists of a starter of soup or salad, a main course of picadillo meat with rice and beans (though some families exchange beans for corn or peas), and a King’s cake for dessert. </p></div></div></div><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><h3 class="clear" style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 1.25em; max-width: 100%; clear: both;">Is Three Kings Day a religious holiday? <i style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"></i></h3><div class="clear" style="max-width: 100%; clear: both;"><p style="max-width: 100%;">Three Kings Day is a religious Christian and Catholic holiday mostly celebrated in Europe, Latin America, and Spain.</p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></section><section style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><ol style="max-width: 100%;"><li style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><h3 class="clear" style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 1.25em; max-width: 100%; clear: both;">Get a “Rosca de Reyes”</h3><p style="max-width: 100%;">The King Cake tradition is alive in New Orleans as well as across South America, and recipes to make one are found fairly easily online. Imagine a deliciously sweet cake with cinnamon and sugary sauce, with a variety of fillings depending on how decadent you’re feeling.</p></div></li><li style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><h3 class="clear" style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 1.25em; max-width: 100%; clear: both;">Read the Bible</h3><p style="max-width: 100%;">If you’re going to celebrate a Christian festival, why not read the gospel it’s all based on. Twelfth night (Epiphany) marks the baptism of Jesus Christ by John the Baptist. The word “Epiphany" also means “manifestation" and celebrates the revelation of God in human form as Jesus Christ. Start at Matthew 2:11, and see what happens.</p></div></li><li style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><h3 class="clear" style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 1.25em; max-width: 100%; clear: both;">Jump in some freezing cold water</h3><p style="max-width: 100%;">In Prague, there’s a traditional Three Kings swim in the Vltava River. People wear speedos, some of them wear crowns, and then they jump from a barge into the water. Afterwards they drink mulled wine and eat delicious, warming Czech snacks.</p></div></li></ol></div></div></div></section><section style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><h2 class="clear" style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 1.43em; max-width: 100%; clear: both;">5 Facts About Three Kings Day</h2><ol style="max-width: 100%;"><li style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><h3 class="clear" style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 1.25em; max-width: 100%; clear: both;">It has many names</h3><p style="max-width: 100%;">Three Kings Day is also widely known as Epiphany, Little Christmas, Theophany, Baptism of Jesus, Denha, and Dia de Los Reyes.</p></div></li><li style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><h3 class="clear" style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 1.25em; max-width: 100%; clear: both;">Customary cakes</h3><p style="max-width: 100%;">In some cultures, small ring-shaped cakes called Rosca de Reyes are baked with a plastic baby figurine inside, representing baby Jesus.</p></div></li><li style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><h3 class="clear" style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 1.25em; max-width: 100%; clear: both;">There may have been more than three Magi</h3><p style="max-width: 100%;">The Bible does not specify the names or number of Magi who visited the baby Jesus.</p></div></li><li style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><h3 class="clear" style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 1.25em; max-width: 100%; clear: both;">Jesus received interesting gifts</h3><p style="max-width: 100%;">Gifts of gold, resin myrrh, and frankincense oil were given to Jesus, each serving symbolic importance.</p></div></li><li style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><h3 class="clear" style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 1.25em; max-width: 100%; clear: both;">Treat filled shoes</h3><p style="max-width: 100%;">Just like stockings are hung on Christmas for receiving presents, children fill their shoes with treats for the camels of the Three Wise Men and leave them out.</p></div></li></ol></div></div></div></section><section style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><h2 class="clear" style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 1.43em; max-width: 100%; clear: both;">Why We Love Three Kings Day</h2><ol style="max-width: 100%;"><li style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><h3 class="clear" style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 1.25em; max-width: 100%; clear: both;">A reason for more gifts</h3><p style="max-width: 100%;">Christmas isn’t the end of presents! In Europe, children look forward to receiving more gifts on Three Kings Day, lining their shoes up outside their doors so the Three Kings will know to leave their gifts inside.</p></div></li><li style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><h3 class="clear" style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 1.25em; max-width: 100%; clear: both;">An excuse for more eating</h3><p style="max-width: 100%;">Three Kings Day is celebrated in South America with a delicious dinner crowned with a “Rosca de Reyes” or King Cake for dessert. The “Rosca de Reyes” is a round cake with a plastic Jesus figurine hidden inside, and the person at the party who finds the baby Jesus has to make tamales for everyone on the Day of the Candles, which comes on February 2.</p></div></li><li style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><h3 class="clear" style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 1.25em; max-width: 100%; clear: both;">It has fun traditions</h3><p style="max-width: 100%;">Many families leave a box of grass or hay and some water for the Three Kings’ camels (and horses and elephants) to eat. The camels usually leave a trail of hay behind that children can follow to find their gifts.</p></div></li></ol></div></div></div></section><section style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><h2 class="clear" style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 1.43em; max-width: 100%; clear: both;">Three Kings Day dates</h2><div class="scrollable" style="max-width: 100%; overflow-x: scroll; word-wrap: normal;"><table style="max-width: none; font-size: 0.9em; text-align: start; word-wrap: break-word; border-collapse: collapse;"><thead style="max-width: 100%;"></thead><tbody style="max-width: 100%;"><tr style="max-width: 100%;"><td style="max-width: 100%; padding: 0.25em 0.5em; border: 1px solid rgb(216, 216, 216);">2021</td><td style="max-width: 100%; padding: 0.25em 0.5em; border: 1px solid rgb(216, 216, 216);">January 6</td><td style="max-width: 100%; padding: 0.25em 0.5em; border: 1px solid rgb(216, 216, 216);">Wednesday</td></tr><tr style="max-width: 100%;"><td style="max-width: 100%; padding: 0.25em 0.5em; border: 1px solid rgb(216, 216, 216);">2022</td><td style="max-width: 100%; padding: 0.25em 0.5em; border: 1px solid rgb(216, 216, 216);">January 6</td><td style="max-width: 100%; padding: 0.25em 0.5em; border: 1px solid rgb(216, 216, 216);">Thursday</td></tr><tr style="max-width: 100%;"><td style="max-width: 100%; padding: 0.25em 0.5em; border: 1px solid rgb(216, 216, 216);">2023</td><td style="max-width: 100%; padding: 0.25em 0.5em; border: 1px solid rgb(216, 216, 216);">January 6</td><td style="max-width: 100%; padding: 0.25em 0.5em; border: 1px solid rgb(216, 216, 216);">Friday</td></tr><tr style="max-width: 100%;"><td style="max-width: 100%; padding: 0.25em 0.5em; border: 1px solid rgb(216, 216, 216);">2024</td><td style="max-width: 100%; padding: 0.25em 0.5em; border: 1px solid rgb(216, 216, 216);">January 6</td><td style="max-width: 100%; padding: 0.25em 0.5em; border: 1px solid rgb(216, 216, 216);">Saturday</td></tr><tr style="max-width: 100%;"><td style="max-width: 100%; padding: 0.25em 0.5em; border: 1px solid rgb(216, 216, 216);">2025</td><td style="max-width: 100%; padding: 0.25em 0.5em; border: 1px solid rgb(216, 216, 216);">January 6</td><td style="max-width: 100%; padding: 0.25em 0.5em; border: 1px solid rgb(216, 216, 216);">Monday</td></tr></tbody></table></div></div></div></div></section></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div> </div></div></div><br><br><div dir="ltr">Sent from my iPhone</div></body></html>