Epiphany Relic Exposition and Closing of the Jubilee Year
Date/Time
Date(s) - Jan 04, 2026
11:00 am - 4:00 pm
Together on this Solemnity of the Epiphany we will mark the closing of the Jubilee Year of Hope with a sacred relic exposition. The exposition includes relics from the crib and swaddling cloth of our Lord, stone from the spot of Jesus’ birth, veil of the Blessed Virgin Mary, cloak of Saint Joseph, bones of the three kings, relic of the tomb of the holy innocents, bones of Saints Ann and Joachim, bones of Saints Elizabeth and Zachariah, and the bone of Saint John the Baptist. Participants will also be offered the rare opportunity to venerate a statue of the infant Jesus that belonged to Padre Pio and was kissed by him.
Sunday, January 4, 2026
Relic Exposition – 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Confessions – 11:30 AM to 12:15 PM
Mass – 12:30 PM
Relic Presentation: Immediately Following Mass
Presenter: Joseph Santoro, External Program Coordinator
Divine Mercy Chaplet – 3:00 PM
What is the Epiphany?
In the Catholic tradition, the Solemnity of the Epiphany is also known as Three Kings Day. Epiphany commemorates the first pilgrimage in the Christian tradition: the journey of the Magi (Wise Men) to worship the infant Jesus and God’s revelation in Jesus Christ to all nations of the world. While the traditional date for Epiphany is January 6th, the Sunday observance on the first Sunday following January 1st is common in the United States.
Epiphany Sunday also marks the time-honored Christian tradition of “chalking the doors.” The formula for the ritual is simple. Take chalk of any color and write the following above the entrance of your home: 20 + C + M + B + 26. The letters have two meanings. First, they represent the initials of the Magi: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar who came to visit Jesus in the stable in Bethlehem. They also abbreviate the Latin phrase, Christus mansionem benedicat: “May Christ bless the house.” The + signs represent the cross, and the “20” at the beginning and “26” at the end mark the year. Taken together, this inscription is performed as a request for Christ to bless those homes so marked and that He stay with those who dwell therein throughout the entire year.