The Feast of Epiphany

January 6, Christians celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany, and the church calendar moves into what is known as the Epiphany octave. It is the period for remembering, and thinking about, the journey  of the Magi (Wise Men, Three Kings) to see the Christ child.

In addition to the Biblical account, there are a number of literary improvisations on the story of the Magi, the best known, probably, being T.S. Eliot's poem ("A cold coming we had of it/Just the worst time of the year/For a journey"). But there are other writings attuned to Epiphany, and two of the most rewarding are "Journey of the Magi" by Paul William Roberts and "The Four Wise Men" by Michel Tournier. 

Roberts, primarily a journalist, who lives in Toronto, tells the often funny story of his retracing, by car and camel, of the Magi's route, from Iran through Iraq and Syria to Israel. Tournier's novel is fanciful, a bit fantastic, and ultimately profound and moving.  

A work we remember with great pleasure, but have mislaid, even forgotten its title, is a charming narrative poem that ends with the Magi returning home, but leaving a camel for the child and his friends to ride and play with in the great sandbox of the desert.

We wish us all, in the year 2012, a few epiphanies of our own.