Above the front doors, the markings are this: "20 + C + M + B +16". This symbolizes the three wise men who worshiped Jesus: C for Caspar, M for Melchior, and B for Balthasar who followed the star of God’s Son who became human two thousand and sixteen years ago, and + meaning "May Christ bless our home and remain with us throughout the new year."
This is Fr. Don writing above the lintel of our doors:
We then shared a meal together in our newly blessed house.
Gene concocted a luscious lamb stew and made crusty bread. My contribution to our shared meal was a King's Cake because it was an Epiphany blessing. The King's cake signifies and celebrates the arrival of the three wise men in Bethlehem and the day Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. Most of the King's Cakes I found on Pinterest and the internet called for a dozen jams to make pretty window paned, stained glass effect atop the sweet dough. But with just two of us living in this house, we would never get through twelve jars of jelly or jam in our remaining life times. Not even if we each ate a tablespoon of jelly a day!
Further looking showed up another, simpler cake used in France sans all those jams. That is what I made with puff pastry.
Post Script: the Church calendar is sung here. I had never heard of this solemnity, but it is beautiful (part of the January 3 homily by Father Isaac Karuiki follows).
We feel truly blessed.
