O Kings' Day is celebrated every year in January 6th. According to Christian tradition, this date recalls the day when the wise men found the Child Jesus.
The kings were reportedly told of his birth and arrived to meet him after being guided by a star.
According to the biblical account, the kings, who were called Belchior, Gaspar and Baltazar, presented the Child. The gifts offered were, respectively, gold, incense and myrrh.
The Kings and the meaning of gold, frankincense and myrrh
Each gift has a different meaning, which reveals not only the identity, but also the mission of Jesus. In the same way, each wise man represents a locality, that is, together they represent humanity.
Belchior, or Melchior, represents Europe, Gaspar represents Asia, Baltazar represents Africa. That's because it was from these places that each of them departed, giving rise to their trip.
- O gold offered by Belchior, of European origin, represents royalty. It was offered to the gods.
- O incense carried by Gaspar from Asia represents divinity. It was used to purify the environment.
- THE myrrh taken by Balthazar from Africa represents its human and therefore mortal characteristics. It was used as a medicine.
Twelfth Night in Brazil
The day of the wise men takes place at dawn from the 5th to the 6th. The revelry of the kings, however, has a longer duration, from December 24th to January 6th.
This is a popular Brazilian festival present in some states of Brazil. In Minas Gerais, it is an Intangible Heritage of the State.
Traditionally, the feast of kings ends the Christmas season. That's why on that day the Christmas tree is dismantled, as well as all the decorations and symbols related to the period are kept.
It is worth remembering that celebrations in our country were influenced by Portuguese festivities.
Feast of Twelfths
It is common for people to make sympathies on the day of kings. Popularly, it is said that putting three pomegranate seeds in the wallet increases the chances that money will not run out during the year, for example.
Twelfth Night Song
Listen to the typical Twelfth Day music:
Twelfth Night in Europe
The Twelfth Night tradition is different in Europe. Widely celebrated among Europeans, the Kings' Day is a holiday in some European countries.
In Portugal, there is a typical cake of this festive season, the bolo rei. There is a bean in it and, generally, whoever picks the piece of cake where the bean is must buy the cake the following year.
On the night from 5 to 6, people sing verses and walk from house to house, where they are greeted with snacks and liqueurs.
At Spain, this is the day to receive presents, as happened with the Baby Jesus.
You may also be interested in: January commemorative dates