Theophania

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An event or manifestation in which a deity visibly appears to humans
2. A celebration or acknowledgment of a divine revelation or appearance, often linked to religious traditions
3. A moment of significant divine intervention where a god is made known to people

Etymology: "Theophania" is an alternative spelling of "theophany," and the two forms share a single history. The word combines the Greek "theós," meaning "God," with "phaínō," meaning "to shine" or "to appear." Put together, the parts describe a god becoming visible to humans, a manifestation rather than a celebration in its original sense. The word reached English through Late Latin "theophania," which was itself built from those Greek elements. The "-phany" ending is the same Greek root that appears in "epiphany," where "epi-" means "upon," so an epiphany is literally an appearance upon someone. A theophany is the specific case where that appearance is divine.

Synonyms: theophany, divine manifestation