This Thursday, January 6, is Epiphany! As every year, it's an opportunity to celebrate the first gourmet event of the year with the tasting of the galette des rois.
Originally, Epiphany was celebrated on January 6, but Vatican II (1962-1965) decided that it would be celebrated on the first Sunday following January 1, so that the faithful living in countries where January 6 is not a day off can go to mass.
The word "epiphany" comes from the Greek and means "appearance" or "advent". Epiphany corresponds to the day when the Magi from the East, guided by the light of a star, arrived in front of the cradle of Jesus, in the stable where he was born, and offered him gold, frankincense and myrrh.
It was not until the 13th century that the Church instituted the typically French tradition of the galette des rois. It was divided into as many portions as there were guests, with an additional portion intended for the first poor person who passed.
If the celebration of the Epiphany has crossed the centuries keeping the tradition of a candy that is shared with a bean and a crown as a key, it has gradually lost its religious character.
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