Amish Epiphany
While most of us consider the holiday season over after January 1st, some cultures celebrate Epiphany. This includes the Amish who honor this day by not working and spending time with friends and family. Epiphany is the Twelfth Day of Christmas, or January 6th. It is the traditionally accepted time that the three wise men, or Magi, visited the Christ child in Bethlehem. The word epiphany means to reveal (or show or make known). By coming to visit Christ and honoring him with gifts, the Magi revealed Christ to be Lord and King of all people.
The Old Order Amish will typically fast on Epiphany (also known as Alt Christtag or Old Christmas) by not eating breakfast. They usually do not have church services by may utter a few special prayers, especially poem or hymns from the Ausbund, or the traditional book of worship for the Amish. This book is compiled from the writings of Anabaptists imprisoned in Europe so much of the writing is on the dire side.
Here’s an example of a song or prayer from the Ausbund:
“Listen to me, all peoples of the earth. Listen to me, young and old, great and small. If you want to be saved, you need to leave sin, follow Christ the Lord, and live according to his will. Christ Jesus came to the earth to teach men the right way to go, to teach them to turn from sin and to follow him. He said: “I am the way the truth and the life, no-one comes to the father except through me.”
He who longs for Gemeinschaft (community) with Christ and who wants to take part in his kingdom, needs to do what Christ did while he was on the earth. He who wants to reign with Christ must first be willing to suffer for his name. The man who dies with Christ in this life will enter with him into the Father’s kingdom, in eternal joy. But the man who does not follow Christ is not redeemed by the blood of Christ and his sins will never be forgiven. Those whose sins have been forgiven should live no longer in sin. This is what Jesus Christ, our Lord, teaches us. Those who fall back into sin break their covenant with God. Even greater pain and suffering will be theirs — and their loss will be forever. Not all who say “Lord, Lord” will enter the kingdom. Only those who keep his covenant will be accepted by him. He who confesses Christ before the world and who stands for the truth to the end will be saved.
Help us to that, God, our Lord, that we may stay with Christ — that we may always walk according to his teachings, that we may commit no more sins, and that we may be an honour to his name, now and forever . . . into eternity! Amen.
– Michael Schneider, imprisoned in the castle at Passau in Bavaria, Ausbund 82 “
However, not all is somber on epiphany. After the breakfast fast the Amish may indulge in goodies prepared by the ladies of the homes they visit or they may bring a special treat to share. One yummy concoction is peanut brittle. Click here for the peanut brittle recipe.
One other holiday treat that the Amish like to bake and share is good old sugar cookies. Here’s a recipe used by Amish women.
