20+C+M+B+23

(Image from Stellar House Publishing)

For the past two years January 6th has been regarded in some quarters as the day when American democracy nearly fell. Future scholars will judge whether the events at the Capitol were historically significant (in my opinion, not very), but it should be noted that January 6th was already an important date in Christendom. (The retreat of religion from public life has not yet come to the point when the newer meaning has supplanted the old.)

The Feast of the Epiphany was an occasion for Catholic and Anglican services.

In a more observant time the Feast of Epiphany was celebrated in Church on January 6th, even if the sixth fell on a weekday. The children's Christmas pageant was held on Epiphany, rather than Christmas Eve, because that was when the Magi (three kings) by tradition visited the manger.

Chalking the door of St. Philip's, Uvalde, TX

Against the trend, an Epiphany ritual is being rediscovered.

From the Epiphany and continuing for days to come, more and more Episcopalians are joining other Christians around the world in writing this ancient yet ever-changing formula on their doors: 20+C+M+B+23.

The numbers, letters and symbols have been called “holy graffiti,” and some people suggest the combination looks like the start of an algebraic equation.

The letters C, M, B come from the traditional names for the wise men: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar, whose arrival at Mary and Joseph’s home is celebrated on the Epiphany. (Tradition also says that three men visited the infant Jesus because the gospel writer Matthew, the only one who describes such a visit but does not number them, says they brought three gifts, gold, frankincense and myrrh. Their names appear in a Greek manuscript from 500 AD translated into Latin, which many biblical scholars consider the source of the names.) The letters are also an abbreviation for “Christus Mansionem Benedicat,” which means “May Christ bless this dwelling.” The first and last numbers refer to the current year, and the plus signs in between represent the cross.

“Chalking the door,” as it is known, is seen as invoking Christ’s blessing not only on the physical house but on the people who live there and those who visit.

Maybe secularism is bottoming out, and we're on the verge of a fourth Great Awakening? Crazier things have come true.