January 6
Updated November 6, 2026 · Edited by the JanuaryCalendar.com team
January 6 is Epiphany, or Three Kings Day, a major Christian feast and a public holiday in much of Europe, and Christmas Day for the Armenian Apostolic Church. The date also saw Harold Godwinson crowned King of England in 1066, New Mexico's statehood in 1912 and Franklin D. Roosevelt's Four Freedoms speech in 1941.
January 6 is the 6th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. 359 days remain in the year (360 in leap years). In 2027, January 6 falls on a Wednesday.
- Day of year
- 6
- Days left
- 359 (360 in leap years)
- Zodiac sign
- Capricorn ♑︎
- Birthstone
- Garnet
- ISO week (2027)
- Week 1
- Weekday (2027)
- Wednesday
Holidays and observances on January 6
- Religious Epiphany (Three Kings Day) (Christian churches worldwide) — Western churches recall the visit of the Magi; Eastern churches celebrate Theophany, the baptism of Jesus.
- Public holiday Epiphany public holiday (Spain, Italy, Austria, Poland, Sweden, Finland, Greece and others) — A day off in many European countries and in some German states.
- Religious Armenian Christmas (Armenian Apostolic Church) — Celebrates the birth and baptism of Jesus together on January 6.
- Cultural Little Christmas (Nollaig na mBan) (Ireland) — Also called Women's Christmas, traditionally a day of rest for women after the holidays.
- Astronomy Full moon (Wolf Moon) on January 6 in 2023 (Eastern Time)
Events on January 6 in history
- 1066 – Harold Godwinson was crowned King of England, a day after the death of Edward the Confessor.
- 1540 – King Henry VIII of England married Anne of Cleves, his fourth wife.
- 1838 – Alfred Vail and Samuel Morse successfully tested their telegraph at Speedwell Ironworks in Morristown, New Jersey, sending a message over two miles of wire.
- 1907 – Maria Montessori opened her first school, the Casa dei Bambini, in Rome.
- 1912 – New Mexico was admitted as the 47th US state.
- 1912 – German scientist Alfred Wegener first presented his theory of continental drift.
- 1929 – Mother Teresa arrived in Calcutta, India, where she later founded the Missionaries of Charity.
- 1941 – President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered his Four Freedoms speech in the State of the Union address.
- 1975 – The game show Wheel of Fortune premiered on NBC.
- 2021 – Supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the US Capitol in an attempt to disrupt certification of the 2020 election.
Famous birthdays on January 6
- 1822 – Heinrich Schliemann, German archaeologist who excavated Troy
- 1832 – Gustave Doré, French illustrator and painter
- 1878 – Carl Sandburg, American poet and Lincoln biographer
- 1883 – Kahlil Gibran, Lebanese-American author of The Prophet
- 1925 – John DeLorean, American automaker behind the DeLorean car
- 1946 – Syd Barrett, Founding member of Pink Floyd
- 1955 – Rowan Atkinson, English comic actor known as Mr. Bean
- 1959 – Kapil Dev, Captain of India's 1983 Cricket World Cup winners
- 1967 – A. R. Rahman, Indian composer, two-time Oscar winner
- 1982 – Eddie Redmayne, Oscar-winning English actor
What day is January 6?
Frequently asked questions
What holiday is January 6?
January 6 is Epiphany, also called Three Kings Day, which marks the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus in Western churches. Eastern churches celebrate it as Theophany, the baptism of Jesus, and the Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates Christmas.
Why do Armenians celebrate Christmas on January 6?
The Armenian Apostolic Church kept the early Christian custom of celebrating the birth and baptism of Jesus together on January 6. The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem follows the Julian calendar, so it marks the feast on January 19.
Is Epiphany a public holiday?
Not in the US or UK. It is a public holiday in countries including Spain, Italy, Austria, Poland, Sweden, Finland and Greece, and in some German states such as Bavaria.
What day of the week is January 6, 2027?
January 6, 2027 is a Wednesday. In 2028 it falls on a Thursday.
What zodiac sign is January 6?
People born on January 6 are Capricorns (December 22 – January 19) in Western astrology.