Horses, Frangipane Cakes, and a DSK Doll: The Feast of the Epiphany

[xchrom]

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/01/horses-frangipane-cakes-and-a-dsk-doll-the-feast-of-the-epiphany/266819/


Americans may be familiar with the "king cake" of Mardi Gras, the festival that comes at the end of the Epiphany season, just before Lent: the cake is often described as resembling a cinnamon roll, which is a fair enough description if a cinnamon roll were to be sprinkled garishly with green, yellow, and purple. Somewhere in the cake the baker hides a small baby figurine for some poor eater to discover.


January 6 is the Feast of the Epiphany, going by the Gregorian calendar. That's the day the Magi -- or the Three Kings, or the Three Wise Men -- arrived in Bethlehem to visit Jesus, according to Christian tradition. Though Epiphany is certainly marked in America by Catholics and Protestants alike (many, but not all, Orthodox Christians in the U.S. go by the Julian calendar, which places Epiphany on January 19), the festivities are nothing compared to those in predominantly Catholic countries, with rich traditions of Epiphany cakes, processions for the Three Kings, and more. Below are some photos from January 6 Epiphany celebrations in France, Mexico, Peru, Poland, and Romania. We'll be back with Epiphany photos from areas following the Julian calendar on January 19, which include midnight plunges into frozen lakes.

In France, la galette des Rois (literally: "the cake of kings&quot is made of puff pastry and frangipane. Being civilized folk, those French people, they reject eating babies and instead opt to eat Dominique Strauss Kahn. I kid. Different figurines, or even a bean, are put in. Here's a set of figurines from 2011 which does, indeed, include Dominique Strauss Kahn in a lineup of French political figures. Vote on whether you'd be more disturbed to find a plastic infant or a porcelain DSK in your cake in the comments section. (Robert Pratta/Reuters)


Let's hop over the Atlantic ocean and several years forward to the present day. Below, people line up in Mexico City to receive roscón de reyes (literally: "king's ring&quot pastry in a pre-Epiphany celebration on January 3, 2013. (Edgard Garrido/Reuters)

[Freddie]

1. Interesting, thanks for sharing!

Most American Christians (like myself) seem to mark Epiphany as the day to take their lights down and un-decorate.

[rug]

2. It's the official end of the 12 days of Christmas.

I didn't know how many holiday customs this feast day had. Thanks.

[cbayer]

3. And the official beginning of the Mardi Gras season and King's cakes!

[WolverineDG]

4. woo hoo!!

when presented with a king cake (or rosca as we call them here), I get the smallest piece possible. He who finds the baby has to bring the goodies on Mardi Gras.

[cbayer]

5. In New Orleans, he who finds the baby has to buy the next king's cake.

I miss Mardi Gras.