Norwich ― In Christian tradition, the magi, or wise men, were said to have followed a guiding star to Bethlehem to pay homage to the newborn Jesus Christ with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

To honor the event, many Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Anglicans and other Western churches observe a feast on Jan. 6, known as the Epiphany, Epiphany of the Lord or the Feast of the Three Kings.

“It’s referred to as both,” said Angel Santiago, who usually organizes the annual Three Kings event at Saint Mary Church on 70 Central Ave. “Culturally, in Latin American countries and Spain, they call it the Three Kings Day. As an event in the church it’s called the Epiphany.”

Santiago, also a member of the St. Mary parish, had already coordinated the sixth annual Feast of the Three Kings, an event to be held in the basement of the church Sunday that would have included a party, but it was canceled as weather conditions made travel difficult for the 200 to 300 people who were expected to attend from around the state, he said.

“We do it every year on the first Sunday of the year,” said Santiago. “Normally, it’s an event that we ask the community to bring food that we can share.”

The event typically also features live music performances from a Meriden group and from members of the local Haitian community, he said.

“We also have, like a group of kids that perform theatrical things,” Santiago said. “We do a performance like the Nativity, or like a dancing performance.”

He said the event also features a raffle for adults. The proceeds go toward the restoration of the church, which has been in progress for the past two years.

“One of the towers was practically collapsing,” Santiago said. “And if that happens it could go right to the front street. So we had to get together a restoration committee and decide if we were going to demolish the whole thing or restore it. We decided to restore it, because we found out we could apply for some government funds.”

“I think by the spring the tower’s going to be done. Then we’ll continue with the side of the church,” he added.

Meanwhile, in spite of cancellations of the raffle, the music and the feast planned for 11:30 a.m., an hour beforehand approximately 45 people had trudged through snow and slush of the church parking lot, through the back entrance of the church to line the pews of St. Mary.

At that time, the Rev. Robert Washabaugh delivered a bilingual service, starting by addressing the largely Hispanic crowd in Spanish, then delving into English for a reading from the Gospel of Matthew, wherein lies the story of the magi:

“When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.’”

The altar was decorated with red and white poinsettias. Churchgoers took them home after mass had ended, earmarking the end the holiday season for the church and the ushering in of “ordinary time.”

Washabaugh followed the magi story with a sermon.

“Gold. Incense. Myrhh. Those aren’t the gifts,” he told the crowd.

“The light that is Jesus’s love. God’s love. When you feel it. When you get it inside. That’s the gift. It can make you go through anything in life. It can make you go through all the trouble in the world and still have a smile and a sense of peace in your heart. That’s what he wants us to have. That’s the great mystery. He wants it for everyone. And he’ll give it to us.”

d.drainville@theday.com