receive his blessing. Their garments become were wrapped in genuine purple silk from St. increasingly fantastic and their faces are often Helena's lifetime so some ancient parties Wise Men from the East modeled on contemporary rulers. By the unknown have been passing as the Magi for fourteenth century, the youngest Magus is eight centuries. Sandra Miesel portrayed as a black African in many Northern Regardless of authenticity, the Three Holy European paintings. In subsequent centuries, Kings have had great cultural impact on We Three Kings of Orient are, Bearing gifts other racial types joined the trio, including Cologne as the city's male patron saints. Their we traverse afar… East Indians, Asians, Incas, and Canadian crowns appear on the arms and banner of the Indians, so that the Wise Men could represent city as well as on the seals of her archbishop Who were these gift-bearing kings, these all nations. and university. The Magi themselves bear Wise Men of the East? What has their mission The thirteenth century Golden Legend heraldic arms. 's are a golden star and meant to Christians across the ages? gives the Magi's names in Greek as Apellius, crescent on a blue field; 's six gold The Wise Men—not yet called kings— Amerius, and Damascus; in Hebrew as stars on a blue field, and Balthasar's a red-clad make only a single appearance in Holy Galgalat, Malgalat, and Serchin; and in Latin Moor holding a lance with pennant on a Scripture. St. Matthew's Gospel (Mt 2:1-12) as Caspar, Balthasar, and Melchior—the golden field. tells of their arrival in Jerusalem shortly after favorite set. There are inconsistencies about Thus Scripture and legend have combined the birth of . They have come seeking the which Magus is which but in Germanic lands, to honor the Wise Men of the East as universal newborn King of the Jews because they had Casper (gold) is elderly; Melchior symbols of mankind adoring God Incarnate. seen his star rise in the East. Herod, the () is middle-aged; and Balthasar May these first pilgrims who traveled by the current ruler, knows nothing of an upstart () is young. The gifts are presented in light of a star "guide us to the Perfect Light." princeling but learns that prophecies place him order of age. in . Herod directs the Wise Men to The center of the Magi's cult is Cologne. Originally published in the Catholic Herald search there for the Child and keep him The cathedral there boasts a splendid golden (London) for , 2007. Reprinted by informed. Following their star, the Wise Men shrine holding their relics that has drawn permission of the author. find Jesus with his Mother. They worship him swarms of pilgrims since the twelfth century. and bestow gifts of gold, frankincense, and The Kings' protection is traditionally invoked The Evangelization Station myrrh. Warned by an angel, they do not reveal against travel dangers, plague, fever, and Hudson, Florida, USA the Child's location to jealous Herod but return sudden death. Their initials C+M+B form a E-mail: [email protected] secretly to their own land. In ancient texts of Scripture the Wise Men protective acronym for mundum www.evangelizationstation.com benedicat ("Christ blesses the world"). The are Magoi in Greek and Magi in Latin. The singular form, Magos/Magus, is the source of faithful carry this symbol on holy cards or Pamphlet 438 chalk it over their doors to ward off evil. our English word "magician" but had multiple meanings in Biblical times. A magus could be The alleged remains of the Magi are claimed to have been discovered in the East by a Zoroastrian priest from Persia, an occultist, a magician, or a charlatan. Because the New St. Helena and brought to Milan in 400, whence they were looted by Frederick Testament Magi study the stars, their mystic

Barbarossa in 1162 and given to Cologne. wisdom presumably includes astrology. Hence Historian Patrick Geary has argued some recent Bible translations call them persuasively that Milan never had any relics of "astrologers," a less evocative term than the the Wise Men. Yet the bones in the shrine more traditional "Wise Men." Some early Christians equated the Magi these Gentiles and Jews worship God 75 years before Christmas is mentioned as a with Chaldean star-readers from Babylon, Incarnate to show that salvation is offered to holy day in Rome. masters of the occult familiar throughout the all men. By the late fourth century Christmas was Roman Empire. St. Justin Martyr and St. Irenaeus of Lyons was the first Church also being celebrated in the East so Epiphany Tertullian thought they were Arabians but Father to equate the Wise Men's gifts of gold, lost its Nativity connection there. The Baptism most believers in Patristic times took their frankincense, and myrrh with Christ's roles as of the Lord became the chief focus of Persian origin for granted. King, God, and Sacrifice. This became the Epiphany and the subject of its special feast Church Fathers were quick to see deeper dominant reading, still familiar through the day icon. The public manifestation of Christ as symbolism in this curious episode, first beautiful Victorian , "We the Divine "beloved Son" outranked the through its Old Testament parallels. Origen Three Kings of Orient Are." But other private homage of the Magi, who were suggested that the Magi were descendants of interpretations also appeared in which the gifts relegated to the background of Nativity icons. the pagan prophet Balaam who had predicted stand for the virtues of faith, chastity, and Nevertheless, the that "a star shall rise out of Jacob" (Num. purity of heart or else for almsgiving, prayer, has been a popular subject for artists since 24:17). Other Old Testament figures including and mortification. Late Antiquity. The earliest surviving the priest-king Melchizedek (Gen. 14:18-20), The Christ Child's adoration by the Magi examples are catacomb paintings from the the generous Queen of Sheba (1 Kgs. 10), and is known as his Epiphany ("Manifestation") second and third centuries and carvings on the faithful Three Young Men in the Fiery because it announces his mission to redeem stone coffins from the first half of the fourth Furnace (Dan. 3) were also seen as the world. Ancient Christendom spoke of century. On the coffins, three nearly identical counterparts of the Wise Men from the East. multiple manifestations (initially including the Magi process toward the enthroned Madonna Strangers who worship the new King of Nativity) by linking the revelation of the and Child. Their gifts allude to the alms the Judah and bring gifts fulfill Messianic newborn Christ with his later baptism in the deceased person had given in his lifetime. prophecies. "The kings of Tarshish and the Jordan and his first miracle at Cana. These key Famous mosaics depicting the Magi also Isles shall offer gifts; the kings of Arabia and points in his mission, which were imagined to appear in the churches of S. Maria Maggiore Seba shall bring tribute" (Ps. 72:10). "All they have occurred on the same calendar date, also in Rome (440) and S. Apollinare Nuovo in from Sheba shall come, bearing gold and used to be celebrated in the pre-Vatican II Ravenna (561). The Magi are represented in frankincense, and proclaiming the praises of Roman breviary. As an Epiphany antiphon at exotic "Eastern" garb, wearing tunics, the Lord." (Isa. 60:6) Because the Scriptures Vespers proclaims, "We honor the holy day leggings, and soft peaked caps. They observe speak of tributary kings, Tertullian called the adorned with three miracles: today the star led imperial Roman court etiquette by presenting Magi kings. Origen specified that they the Magi to the crib: today wine was made their gifts with covered hands or on trays. The numbered three to match their gifts and their from water for a wedding: today Christ willed gold is often in the form of a royal wreath and named kingdoms. St. John Chrysostom to be baptized by John in the Jordan." In the star appears as an emblem of divine preached about twelve Wise Men but his medieval Europe, Epiphany was often kingship. interpretation failed to find favor. connected with the miracle of the loaves and By the tenth century, Western artists are These foreigners, the first Gentiles to see fishes and with the raising of Lazarus. portraying the Wise Men with crowns. They the Light, recognize what Herod and the The traditional date of Epiphany is grow distinguishable because they have come Temple priesthood cannot: the newborn January 6th although in some places, including to stand for the three ages of man, the three Savior. The wealthy, learned, alien Magi of St. the United States, the feast is transferred to the known continents of the Old World, and three Matthew's Gospel complement the poor, nearest Sunday. Epiphany is an older feast races descended from the sons of Noah. In ignorant, local shepherds of St Luke's Gospel. than Christmas for it is attested in the East later medieval art the Magi lay aside their Foreshadowing the universality of the Church, from the first half of the third century, at least crowns to interact with the Christ Child and