Every January 6, many Christians celebrate Twelfth Night, also known as Epiphany or Three Kings Day. And if you have ever been in Germany during this time or year, you may have spotted curious-looking formulas above some doorways.
What Chalking the Door on Twelfth Night looks like
Catching sight of a combination of numbers and letters inscribed in chalk over the doorway of a home or parish, you may wonder what they mean. Actually, it isn’t as mysterious as you might think. The two numbers at the beginning of the chalking refer to the century and the two numbers at the end to the current year. The letters in the middle represent the initials of the three Magi – Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar – who followed the star to Bethlehem to the newborn King. They are also the first letters of the words in the Latin phrase, Christus Mansionem Benedicat (May Christ bless this house). Letters and numbers are connected by + signs representing crosses. If you were to travel to Germany this year, the inscription would look like this:
20 + C + M + B + 19
(Caspar, Malchior and Balthazar 2019)
Chalking of the door – a Twelfth Night tradition in Germany. Photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2018. www.walled-in-berlin.com
The Purpose of Chalking the Door on Twelfth Night
The chalking of the door is a house blessing. It symbolizes the occupant’s commitment to welcome Christ into their home throughout the year. https://onepeterfive.com/the-chalking-of-the-doors-an-epiphany-tradition-explained/ It is a century-old practice in many parts of the world, although less known in the United States. Its timing varies in practice. In some places, it is done on New Year’s Day. But most often, it is performed on the Twelfth Day of Christmas, the traditional feast day of the Epiphany. U.S. dioceses observe the day on the Sunday between January 2 and January 8.
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Tags: chalking of the door, Christus Mansionem Benedicat, Epiphany, The Kings Day, The three Magi, Twelfth Night
