The celebration of the Feast of Epiphany seems to be changing all the time. I still observe it as falling on January 6th and today, January 13th is Octave of Epiphany. Traditionally this marked the very end of the Christmas season (except for those who think it ends on February 2nd) and is considered the day when the Magi departed and began their journey homeward.
This charming sculpture of the dream of the three kings is carved on a column of the Romanesque Cathedral of Saint Lazare in Autun, in Burgundy. What a finely carved sculpture it is. The angel’s finger touches the hand of one of the kings and seems to awaken him. The fine detail and curvature in the bed covering and pillow add a curvature and drape that appears as delicate as fabric even though it’s stone. The wary awakened look of the king as the angel touches him suggests that he is considering the warning not to return to their country by the way they had arrived.
The Dream of the Magi. Cathedral of Saint Lazare in Autumn, Burgundy Carved between 1120 - 1135