Gifts of the Magi
What was given to the Christ Child?
At Christmas, it is customary to give gifts to each other. This tradition goes back not only to the image of St. Nicholas, who became the prototype of Santa Claus thanks to his kind and generous heart. She also has evangelical roots. As it is said in Scripture, three wise men from the East came to bow to the newborn Christ. In Russian tradition, they are usually called Magi. These were scientists who were engaged in observing the starry sky. They brought gifts to Baby Jesus - gold, frankincense and myrrh. The Magi's names were Caspar, Balthasar and Melchior.
Where did the wolves come from?
Nothing is said about the names of the Magi in the Gospel - they are known from Tradition. Of the four Evangelists, only the Apostle Matthew writes about their worship of the newborn Christ, the rest have omitted this fact. But there is a logical explanation for this. Matthew wrote his gospel for the people of Israel, and therefore his text contains a lot of information that is fundamentally important for the Jews and that they understand perfectly. For example, the earthly “genealogy” of Christ, with which the Gospel of Matthew begins, references to ancient prophecies, quotations from psalms - all this is a kind of code by which Israel could recognize their Messiah. Why are the wolves here? The fact is that they, according to one version, were from Mesopotamia. The story of the Old Testament prophet Daniel was connected with this land. He lived in Babylon and predicted, among other things, such details as the time of the coming of the Messiah. Knowledge of this prophecy was preserved in Babylon. The Jews, in turn, knew the Old Testament very well, one of the books of which is just the Book of the Prophet Daniel. For the Jewish consciousness, it was quite logical to receive information that the wise men from the East, from Mesopotamia, came to bow to the born God.
Frankincense, gold, myrrh
Adoration of the Magi. Gentile da Fabriano, 1423
Actually, Christians revere the three wise men precisely because they were the first of the people who did not belong to the God-chosen people of Israel, who came to bow to Christ and recognized Him as the Messiah. They brought very symbolic gifts to the Savior. Gold was presented to Him as the King of kings. On the one hand, it is a symbol of the tribute that subjects bring to their ruler. On the other hand, gold has always been used to make the most luxurious things, and often sacred relics were also decorated with it. The cherubs on the Ark of the Covenant in the Jerusalem Temple were golden, the faces of the saints on the icons are decorated with golden halos, temples are often crowned with golden domes ... In addition, gold is also a symbol of wisdom (“golden words”, “silence is gold”) and eternity (by virtue of that this metal does not deteriorate over time). All these properties and meanings give a very deep understanding of why the gold was brought as a gift to Christ. After all, the King of kings is the wisest and most glorious, the One who has power and always uses it for good.
Frankincense, a precious aromatic resin, was presented to Christ as God and High Priest. This incense is traditionally used for incense performed by a priest. This symbolically expresses a person's reverence for God. In addition, censing reminds us that everywhere in the world, in everything, there is the Holy Spirit, the third hypostasis of God the Trinity. As for the rank of the High Priest… The Old Testament King David called Christ the Priest after the rank of Melchizedek, the ancient king, who was also a priest. Little is known about this man. But in the Book of Genesis one very symbolic episode is connected with him. When Abraham came to Melchizedek, he greeted the guest in a special way - he brought him bread and wine, that is, a prototype of the Eucharistic sacrifice of the New Testament. Therefore, Christ, Who established the Sacrament of the Eucharist, Whose Body and Blood in the form of bread and wine Christians receive during communion, with reference to Melchizedek is called the High Priest.
Myrrh, a funeral incense, was presented by the Magi to Christ as the One Who must die for people. Perhaps they knew from the prophecies what the fate of the Messiah would be, that He would endure persecution and suffering, ascend to the cross and give His life to save people from death.
And His death will be followed by the Resurrection - that for which He came and why He was so expected.
Where to look for Christmas Magi?
However, not only the gifts of the Magi were symbolic. No less important is the fact that the wise men went a long way to worship Christ. The Magi were driven by a desire to find God—perhaps one of the most important motives for worshiping Christ. The Magi were driven by the desire to find God - perhaps one of the most important motives in human life. This search led them to the Judean land. True, at first they went not to Bethlehem, but to Jerusalem, to King Herod, mistakenly believing that the King of kings should be sought in the palace of the ruler. The tragic consequences of this mistake are known: the insane Herod learned from the wise men that a new King of the Jews was born, found out from his sources that this happened in Bethlehem, and ordered that all children under two years old be exterminated there. They are now revered as the first martyrs for Christ.
And the Magi went further for the Star, ended up in the town of Bethlehem and met their God there. Their further fate is not known for certain. Tradition says that they preached Christ and were martyred in Mesopotamia. The Christian community treated their burial with special reverence. Why? The fact is that the three Christmas Magi are glorified as saints. True, among Western Christians their veneration is much more widespread than, for example, in Russia. But in the Berlin and German diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church, they are also loved and come to pray to them in the Cologne Cathedral - that is where their relics are now located. Previously, starting from the 5th century, the shrine was kept in Mediolanum (modern Milan). From there they were transported to Cologne in the 12th century by Friedrich Barbarossa. The inhabitants of the city fell in love with this shrine and decided to build a completely unique “ark” for it. In the Middle Ages, it was a good tradition to build a cathedral specially for the sake of preserving a great relic, so beautiful as never before in the city. And for the sake of the "three kings", as they called the Christmas Magi in Germany, they began to build the greatest masterpiece of Gothic - the Cologne Cathedral. In its very center - in the altar, in the reliquary of the work of the skilled craftsman Nicholas of Verden - the relics of the three wise men are to this day.
B+C+M
Popular love for the "three kings" persists in Germany to this day and manifests itself in a very special way. On January 6, in memory of their procession after the Star, the most interesting processions can be seen on the streets of Cologne and many other cities. Children, wrapped in shiny trains, with crowns on their heads and staves in their hands, go from house to house and knock on doors. They are happy to open: still, after all, the Christmas Magi came, the wise men from the East, who followed the Star of Bethlehem and bowed to Christ! A couple of hours ago, the “wise men” together with their parents were waiting in the cathedral for the start of the service, after which the ark with the shrine was opened to them, and one by one they passed under the high throne on which the ark was installed. Having “greeted” the Magi in this way, the children put on specially prepared costumes and scattered around the city to visit their neighbors. The Magi will perform Christmas songs and poems, and in return they will ask for something tasty or small money. The owner, who will give the Magi, in turn, will also receive a gift - a blessing. An inscription will appear on the jamb of its door: “B + C + M”, indicating the current year, for example, 2014. This means that Balthazar, Caspar and Melchior visited the house and blessed it. And today, not only in Cologne, but also in Bavaria and other religious lands of Germany, it is difficult to find a door that is not decorated with cherished letters.
The Gifts of the Magi themselves - gold, frankincense and myrrh - are kept on Mount Athos, in the monastery of St. Paul of Xiropotamsky. They are taken to different lands of Greece so that believers have the opportunity to touch the shrine. And on Christmas 2014, the Gifts of the Magi will be brought from the Holy Mountain to Moscow.
Gifts of the Magi - a great Christian shrine
Find out who the Magi are, what is the meaning of the Gifts of the Magi and what are the main events of the Nativity of Christ? Read where the Gifts of the Magi are located
Gifts of the Magi - a shrine
All Christians know about the great shrine of the Christian world, the Gifts of the Magi, from the Gospel: “When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, the Magi from the East came to Jerusalem and said: Where is the Born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and have come to worship him” (second chapter of the Gospel of Matthew).
Who are the Magi, what is the significance of these Gifts, and what are the main events of the Nativity of Christ?
Way of the Magi
The religious thinkers of the East, who are called Magi in the Gospel, first discovered the Holy Scriptures of the Jews, including the prophecy about the Bethlehem star of the seer Balaam: “A star rises from Jacob and a rod rises from Israel,” six centuries before the birth of Christ. The Magi were really well-read scientists and sages, not even astronomers or astrologers. They also knew about the date of the birth of the Messiah, predicted by King David, and that is why they followed the new luminary - the Star of Bethlehem.
Christmas is the birthday of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. The Gospel tells that because of the census, Joseph the Obrochnik and the Most Holy Theotokos were forced to come to Bethlehem, Joseph's homeland. Due to a simple household detail - the overflow of hotels for the poor, there was no money for expensive rooms anymore - they were forced to take refuge in a cave along with livestock, with domestic animals. Here the Virgin Mary gave birth to the Son of God and laid him in a manger, in straw. Simple shepherds called by the Angels came here to bow to the Infant, and wise magi led by the Star of Bethlehem.
It is historically attested that at the time of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ there was a certain new star in the sky, a celestial phenomenon - perhaps a comet. However, it lit up in heaven as a sign of the coming into earthly life of the Messiah, Christ the Savior. The star of Bethlehem, according to the Gospel, showed the way to the Magi, who came thanks to it to worship the Son of God and bring their gifts to Him.
At Christmas, they ask the Lord for the gift and upbringing of children, remember the simplicity of the Birth of the Divine Infant and try to do good deeds during Christmas time - the week between Christmas and Epiphany.
Initially, the eight-pointed star on the icons denotes the Nativity or Bethlehem. It is historically attested that at the time of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ there was a certain new star in the sky, a celestial phenomenon - perhaps a comet. However, it lit up in heaven as a sign of the coming into earthly life of the Messiah, Christ the Savior. The star of Bethlehem, according to the Gospel, showed the way to the Magi, who came thanks to it to worship the Son of God and bring their gifts to Him.
The Star of Bethlehem is an elongated rhombus inscribed in a square, this is how its eight rays are formed. Such a sign was theologically interpreted on the icon “The Savior in Strength”, becoming a sign of the power of Christ - it is no coincidence that the star of Bethlehem became His star.
The eight-pointed star of the Virgin, the octogram is an equilateral star. It can be seen on most of the images of the Mother of God. On the one hand, this is an image of the Star of Bethlehem, on the other -
Most often, the icon of the Mother of God is painted on a golden background, symbolizing the Divine Light, or on a heavenly background, symbolizing Heaven, where She is located. The dark cherry outer garment of the Mother of God, the maforium, has an image of gold embroidery of the three stars of the Mother of God: above the forehead and on the shoulders. They mean that the Mother of God before, during and after the birth of the Son of God by Her remained and remained the Virgin, shining with the virtue of chastity and others.
On the icon of the Virgin "The Burning Bush" Her image with the Son is inscribed in an eight-pointed star (but this is not the "star of the Virgin"). This is a fairly late iconographic type; it carries the same symbolism as the icon of the Savior in Power.
The fate of the Magi and gifts
The Holy Scripture does not say exactly how many Magi came to Christ, and they are counted according to the number of gifts (that is, three): the wise men “fell down and worshiped Him; and having opened their treasures, they brought him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh” (Matt. 2:11). Each gift of the Magi carries a special symbolism: gold was donated to the Lord as a King, frankincense as God, and myrrh (aka myrrh), that is, a precious aromatic substance used in the burial of the bodies of the dead, as the Son of Man.
After bringing the Gifts, the Magi had a revelation in a dream from God! That is, they were righteous people, despite their different religion, and God enlightened them. They were told not to return to Jerusalem, but to go to their homeland by a roundabout way. The sacred tradition of the Church tells us that all the Magi became Christians and even missionaries: after the Ascension of Christ, they were baptized by the Apostle Thomas, who after Pentecost by lot fell to preach in the lands around India and in India itself. It is believed that they even became bishops of the Churches in their respective areas.
There are also the holy relics of the Magi - they were acquired by the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Empress Helen in Persia, were in Constantinople, then in Milan, today - in Cologne Cathedral.
What do the Gifts of the Magi look like?
The honest Gifts of the Magi were preserved by the Mother of God Herself. She gave them to the bishops of the Jerusalem Church, and then the Gifts were transferred from Jerusalem to Constantinople, then to Mount Athos, and this is no coincidence. After all, Athos is the earthly lot of the Mother of God.
People often think that the Holy Gifts of the Magi were given in separate substances. This is not entirely true. Gold of the Magi is 28 gold plates-pendants in the form of squares, polygons and trapeziums. On the plates there is an elegant ornament, which is individual for each of them. Frankincense and myrrh are combined into 70 dark balls about the size of an olive.
Moreover, not only the gift of incense and myrrh is symbolic, but also their union: after all, they were presented to Christ, respectively, as God and Man, and they are merged, like two natures in the Lord - Divine and human.
Dates of Christmas
In the main Christian Churches, the church calendar is divided: the Orthodox Church celebrates holidays and days of remembrance of saints according to the old style (Julian calendar), the Catholic Church - according to the Gregorian (this is due to astronomical phenomena).
With regard to the Nativity of Christ, the Gregorian calendar is more convenient: after all, the week of holidays begins on December 24-25 with Christmas and continues with the New Year, but the Orthodox should celebrate the New Year modestly, calmly, in order to observe fasting. Nevertheless, an Orthodox person can also have fun on New Year's Eve, trying not to eat meat or any especially tasty things (if he is visiting). Also, children in Orthodox families should not be deprived of the New Year holiday, the joy of Santa Claus. It's just that many Orthodox families try to emphasize the significance of Christmas with more expensive gifts, more active joint visits to events, etc.
Note that Christmas is celebrated on December 25 and a number of Orthodox Local Churches, but all Orthodox celebrate Easter on the same day (this holiday shifts depending on the phases of the moon). The fact is that only on Orthodox Easter is the descent of the Holy Fire in Jerusalem.
Christmas celebration
Each church holiday has a special instructive, educational meaning. The holidays of the Church preserve the true purpose of the holidays - it is a renewal of life, a reminder of special events, and not just drunken fun, unbridled fun.
Many church holidays have become truly popular, omens were timed to them, they began to bring certain seasonal fruits for consecration, that is, the blessing of God in the church, to pray for certain things related to the holiday.
In the annual church cycle there are twelve holidays, called "twelfth" (in Church Slavonic duodecimal). These are the days dedicated to the most important events of the earthly life of Christ and the Most Holy Theotokos, as well as the most important historical events of the Church.
The traditions of their celebration have evolved over the centuries, and today they are celebrated all over the world, and, due to their prevalence, they cover even the lives of non-religious people. This is a church sermon, the glory of the name of Christ, which goes beyond the church fence.
In every Orthodox country, these holidays reflect traditions, national mentality and historical culture. So, in Russia and Greece, on different holidays, earthly fruits are brought for blessing. Elements of Slavic ritualism have been preserved, for example, in the traditions of caroling on the Christmas holiday in Ukraine, Russia and Belarus.
Thanks to the tolerance and love of the Orthodox Church, many ancient good traditions have come down to our days.
These days are like spiritual bright milestones of the year. Remembering this or that event, giving praise to the Lord and the Mother of God, we rejoice in God's love for people and again look at ourselves from the outside, trying to be worthy of this love. Believers try to confess and take communion on the Twelfth Feasts.
The twelfth holidays are divided according to their content:
- Lord's (Lord's) - eight holidays,
- Mother of God - four,
- commemoration days of sacred events.
It is interesting that Christmas belongs to the Lord's holidays, and the priests' robes on this day are Mother of God, that is, blue and silver. This is a tribute to the Mother of Christ, because this is Her holiday.
How to prepare for the celebration of the Nativity of Christ?
Looking forward to Christmas, it is worth paying more attention to meaningful preparation for the holiday, rather than dinner. Prepare, for example, for Confession and Communion by prayer and remembrance of sins. Confess the day before, because on the night of January 6-7 and even on the morning of January 7, churches are crowded. It will be difficult to confess, but to take communion is a doubly holiday, a double grace.
If you do not plan to take communion, read the Gospel aloud, with the whole family, or tell the children about the worship of the Magi, about the singing of the Angels and the joy of the shepherds, looking at the Christ Child, the King of the World, humbly lying in a manger. The writer Ivan Shmelev wrote about the traditions of preparing for Christmas and festive pre-revolutionary customs in his amazing novel “The Summer of the Lord”, written on behalf of a child. You can also read the Christmas chapters from it yourself on Christmas Eve.
May God-infant Christ protect you!
“And God said: let there be lights in the firmament of heaven [to illuminate the earth and] to separate the day from the night, and for signs, and times, and days, and years.” (Genesis 1:14)
The mention of the Magi forces us to turn to the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. However, little is said about these wanderers in the Bible. Christmas was described by two evangelists Luke and Matthew. But Luke, in general, does not mention a single word about the Magi. And Matthew devotes only 12 stanzas to them, in which information about travelers is very scarce.
According to the apostle Matthew, the Magi lived somewhere in the east. They saw a star in the sky and realized that it was a sign.
These were the three sorcerer kings, Balthazar, Melchior and Caspar, who, according to the Gospel of Matthew, presented their gifts to the newborn boy Jesus on Christmas night: frankincense, gold and myrrh.
There are Greek variants of their names (Appellicon, Amerin and Damascon) and Jewish ones (Magalat, Galgalat and Serakin). There are legends about the fourth sorcerer, whose name is Artaban (as the brother of the Persian king Darius). In early manuscripts, Balthazar is called Bethysareus.
Their names and royal rank are not mentioned in the Gospel; the tradition originated in the Middle Ages. The Orthodox Church does not consider them kings, did not count their number, did not give them names, and did not write them into the doctrine.
However, as it turns out, this is not the only reference in the Bible to the Magi. Even in the "Old Testament" you can find a prophecy about their appearance. So in the Prophecy of Isaiah (60:6) it says "All of them will come from Sheba, bring gold and frankincense, and proclaim the glory of the Lord." And the psalm (71:10-11) “The kings of Tarsia and the islands will bring tribute to Him; the kings of Arabia and Sava will bring gifts; and all kings shall worship him, all nations shall serve him.” So the images of the Magi received royal titles.
What do we know from the legends about the Magi-kings?
The story of the Magi is fraught with many mysteries. Who were they, where did they come from, why was the greatest mystery of Christianity revealed to them? Magi in the ancient world were called sages, soothsayers and astrologers.
Among the Slavs, over time, this word acquired a negative connotation, as they called sorcerers, warlocks, servants of evil. It is generally accepted that the Magi are pagan priests. But among the Slavs, sorcerers and priests belong to different (and even opposite) directions of Slavic paganism. Magi (volsvy) are fans of Volkh and Veles. Volkh is a werewolf god, he is also a wolf. The cult of the wolf is known not only in the north of the Slavic world. The cult of the wolf-fiery serpent was also among the southern Slavs (vuk): http://www.varvar.ru/arhiv/slovo/volhv.html
Hence comes the confusion in the Orthodoxy of the Magi with sorcerers.
But during the time of the Assyro-Babylonian kingdom, these were highly respected people. They were healers, soothsayers, performers of sacred rites. The Magi occupied the honorable places of advisers to the kings, because they knew how to interpret dreams, in which, as it was believed, the gods gave people advice, made horoscopes, predicted fate. The Greek historian Herodotus believed that they were a special caste of priests, like the Levites among the Jews.
Astrology was the science of its time, it was by the stars that astrologers studied nature. They received the secret of the birth of the Son of God not directly from the stars, but from God, who, with the help of astrology familiar to them, revealed to them a great secret.
How did the Persians learn the main secret of Christianity?
The entire Ancient East two millennia ago lived in expectation of great changes, and the appearance of the Messiah, promised by the Jewish prophets. Surprising as it may seem, the Persians, followers of the teachings of Zarathustra, were also in this expectation. The founder of their faith, Zarathustra, predicted that the appearance of a new star would anticipate the birth of the great Savior of mankind. Zoroastrianism has points of contact with both Judaism and Christianity. First of all, it is a monotheistic religion, with faith in one God, it is the expectation of the Savior, the desire to improve the world, the idea of resurrection, and life after death, it is faith in the first person named Yima...
In the first centuries of our era, Mithraism, which has Zoroastrian roots, was a serious competitor to Christianity, since Mithra (born December 25) was perceived as a savior, showing people the way to eternal life. Now practically no one will deny the influence of Zoroastrianism on Christianity through the mystery cult of Mithra.
Among the Mithraic ideas, akin to Christianity, one can note the legend of the born god and the shepherds who came to bow to the newborn, sprinkling with holy water, celebrating the resurrection as a day dedicated to God, communion with bread and wine, and also belief in the ascension of the God-man to Heaven. The priests of the cult of Mithras, as well as Christian theologians, promised the Mithraists the resurrection and immortality of the soul.
Even the symbolism of Christianity and Mithraism is extremely close - both there and there we meet the image of the cross, with the difference that the Mithraists depicted the cross in a circle. The cross in a circle is the oldest solar symbol that can be found in many traditions (in astrology, the Zodiac circle also has three crosses, dividing it into: cardinal, fixed and mutable crosses).
Mitra is a solar deity and the appearance of the cross in its symbolism is fully justified, since the four corners of the cross correspond to the four cardinal points on the annual path of the sun - two equinoxes and two solstices.
In Christianity, the cross has become a symbol of martyrdom and suffering, although something solar in its symbolism still remains - the bright feast of the Nativity of Christ is celebrated during the winter solstice - December 25th. http://ruavesta.narod.ru/articles/mithraism.htm
We see that initially the religion of Christ had much in common with Mithraism and Zoroastrianism, but from the time when it acquired the status of the state religion of the Roman Empire, the process of rejection of Eastern ideas began, which at the first stage constituted a significant part of the Christian theological doctrine. It was from this time that the destruction of all references to the Persian magi who came to bless the baby - the Savior, whose birth was predicted by the prophet Zarathushtra, began. The gospels, in which the name of Zoroaster was mentioned, were not canonized and fell into the category of apocryphal. From the 4th century Christianity entered a period of internal contradictions and a fierce struggle between parties for the right to a monopoly in the interpretation of the Gospel truths.
If we imagine that the Magi were ministers of the cult of Zoroastrianism, it is clear that they were ready to accept in a form understandable to themselves the news of the imminent birth of the Savior. They saw it in the compiled horoscopes, which determined not only the fate of people, but also countries, and even the whole world.
Speaking about the magic star that revealed the secret of the birth of Christ and showed the way to the Magi, perhaps we should separate the real sign of heaven and the appearance of the guiding star, which moved contrary to all laws and clearly had no astronomical origin.
Archpriest Konstantin Parkhomenko:
“In the Gospel of Matthew, we read that there was an amazing star that shone brightly in the sky and brought distant overseas guests from Persia to Bethlehem. Different points of view have been expressed at different times. There was a version that it was a comet. In 12 BC, Halley's comet actually flew by. In the Roman historian Cassius Dio, in the "Roman History" we read that there were many signs, in the sky over Rome there was a large Halley's comet, and everyone predicted that something very serious was coming. But still, the 12th year and the 5th-6th, in which, as we have already said, Christ was born, are distant from each other. Although we find the features of a comet in the story of Matthew, where it is said that the star went ahead of them and stopped.
Maybe it was a supernova explosion? In 5 BC, a supernova exploded in the constellation Capricornus. Modern scholars have been able to calculate that it was a very bright flash, and it is mentioned in many chronicles of the world, especially in Chinese chronicles.
It is possible that it was not a real star, but some kind of heavenly, angelic sign that God arranged as a miracle. Many holy fathers hold this point of view. If it was a star that was seen in Persia, it must be taken into account that at that time the journey from Persia to Palestine took at least a year, because people traveled on foot, with stops.
In 1599, the famous astronomer Johannes Kepler proposed his solution. He calculated in his tables that in 7 and 6 BC the glow in the sky continued as a result of the following phenomenon: the orbits of the planets Jupiter and Saturn coincided, later Mars joined them. Now this phenomenon is called the parade of planets. For the inhabitants of the Earth, it looks like a kind of glow.
There is a well-known interpretation of what each planet symbolizes. Jupiter is the royal planet, Saturn is the planet of Palestine, that is, the coincidence of these planets could lead to the idea that some kind of king appeared in Palestine. Specialist astrologers, the sorcerers could understand this and come to the capital Jerusalem to ask King Herod where the King of the Jews was born, whose star they saw in the East. Modern scholars believe that this view has serious grounds.
That the story of the star is not an evangelist's fantasy, but that there is historical information underneath. Personally, I am inclined to the point of view of Johannes Kepler about the coincidence of Jupiter and Saturn, and later Mars. Mars is a planet of war, and we remember the words of Christ "I did not come to bring peace, but a sword", war is declared on Satan and sin. Persecution was also raised against Christ by sinful people. That is, the appearance of Christ leads to a war in Palestine, to global upheavals.
Perhaps, having seen all this in the 7th year, the Magi gathered and reached the 6-5th year before Christ, who was born at that time, bowed to Him. It is important for Matthew to show that Christ came not only for the sake of the Jews, who, on the contrary, reject him, but He came to the people of all the earth. Jews reject and Gentiles worship. The Jewish king Herod wants to find and kill the Divine Infant, it is Matthew who cites the bitter words of Christ "he came to his own, and did not receive his own."
Professor David Hughes, an astronomer at the University of Sheffield, first published a review of theories behind the Magi Star back in the 1970s.
The best explanation for this, according to Hughes, is the so-called triple conjunction of the planets - when Jupiter and Saturn line up with the Earth. Moreover, this should have happened three times over a short period of time.
"This happens when the Sun, Earth, Jupiter and Saturn are located on the same straight line," Hughes explains (in astrology, Jupiter is responsible for the symbol of God, mercy; Saturn is for the symbols of God the Father, law, the Supreme Judge).
"After the planets line up in their orbits, the Earth begins to seem to "overtake" them, which makes it seem as if Jupiter and Saturn are changing their direction in the night sky," explains O'Bryan.
Even more significant to this phenomenon was the fact that the merger of the planets probably took place in the constellation of Pisces - that is, in one of the signs of the Zodiac. (the esoteric name of Christ is Pisces. With the birth of Christ, the Era of Pisces began. Pisces were always depicted in early Christian churches, which was confirmed by excavations in Israel of the first Christian churches)
"A planetary conjunction like this only happens once in about 900 years," says O'Brien. "So for the astronomers of Babylon 2,000 years ago, this must have signaled something extremely important."
The second possible explanation for the Star of Bethlehem could be the appearance of a very bright comet.
"When they approach the Sun, the ice begins to melt - the solar wind carries this substance into space, so there is a "tail" of cometary material," says O "Bryan. According to Professor Hughes, the tail, directed away from the Sun, - one of the factors that makes the comet version so popular.
Most of all, a rather bright comet that appeared in the constellation of Capricorn in 5 BC, which was described by Chinese astronomers, fits the time of the gospel events. (remember that Christ was born on December 25, when the Sun is in Capricorn)
Those who lean in favor of the "fifth year" version point out that the comet must have been in the southern part of the sky (that is, in the direction of Bethlehem) for an observer from Jerusalem, with its head very low above the horizon and its tail pointing vertically. up.
Another theory suggests that the birth of a new star could attract the attention of the Magi.
A number of astronomers believe that a new star could indicate the way for the Magi
There are records - again made by astrologers in the Far East - of a new star that lit up in the small constellation Aquila in the northern part of the sky in 4 BC. (In Christianity, the eagle is a spirit, ascension, inspiration, spiritual effort, the Last Judgment, the renewal of youth (Psalms, 103: 5) Looking at the Sun without blinking, it personifies Christ, who fixed his eyes on the Glory of God, bringing his chicks to the Sun, he is the Christ who lifts souls to the Lord, falling like a stone after a fish into the sea, the Christ who saves souls from the ocean of sins.
It was believed that the eagle personifies the resurrection and new life after baptism, the soul, renewed by grace. It also means the inspiration of the Holy Scriptures, and therefore its image is depicted on the lectern. An eagle holding a snake in its claws represents victory over sin; an eagle tormenting its prey is the devil. http://www.ezospirit.com.ua/index/orel/0-2012)
According to Dr. Robert Cockcroft, planetarium manager at McMaster University in Ontario, the new star is a "good candidate" for the Star of Bethlehem.
"It can emerge as a new star in a constellation and fade away again a few months later," he explains. "It's not very bright, which explains the lack of records of it in the Western world." According to Cockcroft, the flash of this star could serve as one of the indications for the Magi on their journey.
While other "signs" were needed to induce the Magi to travel west towards Jerusalem, he says, it would take at least several months before they could get there. By this time, the constellation Eagle (along with a new star) could be in the sky in the southern part. Bethlehem lies clearly south of Jerusalem, so that the Magi could "follow" this star, heading for Bethlehem."
So, all three Magi were astrologers (astrologers): Balthazar lived in India, Melchior lived in Persia, and Caspar lived in Africa.
Melchior.
In those days, there lived in the kingdom of Media and Persia a great sorcerer, wise for years and clothed with wisdom, skillful in reading heavenly signs and interpreting dreams: a sage with a long white beard and eyes the color of the sky - Melchior, son of Madai, son of Japheth, son of Noah, son of Adam .
But there was no peace in his soul. From the day of the death of his noble wife, a veil of tears covered the world in his eyes, and his heart trembled under the snow of sorrow:
“What is the use of becoming one flesh in the joy of love, if death should tear us apart? What is the lie here? Is it in my heart, which continues to beat and love you, or in your body, which no longer responds to me, returning to non-existence?
And he remained for a long time on a high tower and looked at the clear night skies of the mountains with eyes tired from tears from under the cap of snow-white hair.
And here she is, finally - a star that shone in the east of the Tigris River, which is in the kingdom of Media and Persian. The moment Melchior saw her, his heart turned green again, like a tree bud bursting in spring: the star knew the secret of love and death. He descended from the tower and ordered the servants to saddle their horses. He put myrrh and aloes in the casket, covered the incense with a silk scarf and linen sheets. Then he sat on his faithful white horse and set off on the road with a heart pure as heaven, led by the hand of a star.
Balthazar
And here she is at last - a star that shone east of the river Pishon, which is in the lands of Saba and Havilah.
In those days, a noble and valiant ruler lived in the kingdom of Sava and Havila: his troops were always victorious, although he was never the first to declare war; his trade prospered, although his scales always measured correctly; his judgments were strict, although he never condemned an innocent: a king with a thick black beard and bronze-colored eyes - Balthazar, the son of Sava, the son of Eber, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Adam.
But there was no peace in his soul. Although he was married to the most tender of the princesses of Arabia, and gave birth to beautiful children with her, the pitiless light of the desert eclipsed the world in his eyes, and his heart trembled under the yoke of the heat of the day:
“What is the use of wearing a crown and ruling over people if you have to constantly curb violence and injustice and punish the guilty? What is the lie here? In the praises of those who praise me as a deity for my victories, or in the curses of those who call me a tyrant, seeking to take my place?
And he remained for a long time in the gallery of his palace in Sana'a and surveyed the velvet night skies of the desert with his golden eyes, restlessly shaggy his curly beard.
And here she is at last - a star that shone in the east of the river Pishon, which is in the lands of Saba and Havilah. The moment Balthazar saw her, his heart blossomed again, like the desert after the first downpour: the star knew the secret of domination and brotherhood. He descended from the gallery, handed over the administration of the kingdom to his queen, and summoned twelve warriors from his retinue. From the palace treasury he took gold and silver, precious stones and the finest pearls. Then he climbed on the back of the most enduring of his camels and set off on the road with a heart pure as heaven, led by the hand of a star.
“A star rises from Jacob, and a scepter rises from Israel,” sang Balaam, a man with an open eye.
And here she is at last - a star that shone east of the Gihon River, which flows in the land of Cush, in Ethiopia.
In those days there lived in the kingdom of Kush a young noble prince, the youngest son of the King of Kings, equally skilled in hunting lions and in weaving melodies on the harp; a prince with ebony skin, still a beardless youth with eyes the color of the night: Kaspar, son of Cush, son of Ham, son of Noah, son of Adam.
But there was no peace in his soul. Although the prince was young and strong and handsome, the heavy clouds of the rainy season darkened the world in his eyes, and his heart trembled under the wind of anxiety:
“What is the use of being born full of gifts if you are not destined to rule over anything? My brothers, by right of seniority, will become one king, another a military leader, a third a high priest! What is the use of worrying, finding myself in a golden ring of laughing maids, if I have to marry the one whom the Tsar will choose for me? What is the lie here? In the laws inherited from my ancestors that hold my life captive, or in the desire of my heart to be free, like the lion of the savanna?
And he remained for a long time on the heights of Aksum and surveyed the wild night skies with long obsidian eyes, throwing back a regal braid with woven lapis lazuli beads.
And here she is at last - a star that shone in the east of the river Gihon, which is in the land of Cush. The moment Kaspar saw her, his heart overflowed its banks, like a stream on a flood day: the star knew the secret of freedom and life. He went down to the city and, without saying anything to the Tsar, his father, called the page to him. In the bag, he put fragrant resin - tears of incense tree, an alabaster vessel full of pure nard, and cinnamon sticks. Then he climbed onto the kindest and most docile of the royal elephants and set off on the road with a heart as pure as heaven, led by the hand of a star.
So, seeing the Star of Bethlehem, the Magi set off and, wandering around Asia, met each other. Considering that all three were sophisticated magi-astrologers, they could well calculate the place and time of their meeting!
By God's providence, it was these strangers who received the revelation that the Messiah, whom the world had been waiting for so long, should be born in Judea. A magical star led them from a distant land, and was supposed to indicate the place where to look for an amazing baby. But before entering the capital, the star disappeared from the horizon, and the travelers decided to find out about it from the current king, who, perhaps, was related to the Savior.
At that time, Judea was ruled by the cruel tyrant Herod, who, more than anything else, was afraid of losing power. The mere suspicion that his throne was being encroached upon was enough for the most brutal reprisal. Herod killed his three sons and a brother, flooded the country with informers, and ruled through bribery, intrigue, and murder.
When they reached Jerusalem, they came to Herod. The Gospel tells us this:
“When Jesus was born in Bethlehem (Bethlehem) of Judea, in the reign of King Herod, then the kings-sorcerers from the countries of the East came to Jerusalem and asked:
- Where is the Newborn who is destined to become the king of the Jews? In the countries of the East we saw His Star and came to bow before Him.
When King Herod learned of these inquiries, he was embarrassed and alarmed, and with him the whole city of Jerusalem. He called together all the high priests and scribes of the people and asked them:
Where is Christ to be born?
And they answered:
In Bethlehem of Judaea, - so it appears in the prophetic books.
Then Herod invited the Magi kings to his place and, in a confidential conversation, found out from them exactly the time of the appearance of the Star. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said:
Go there and find out carefully everything you can about the Baby, and if you find him, then bring me news of this; then may I also go there to bow before Him.
After hearing these words of the king, they went.
And that Star, which they saw in the countries of the East, showed them the way until it stood over the house where the Child was. And when they saw the Star there, they were filled with great joy.
Two thousand years ago, Bethlehem was a small, unremarkable town in which only 10-15 boys were born a year. But King David came from here, and it was here that the child was born, whose coming was predicted by the great prophets.
They entered that house and saw the Child and Mary, His Mother, and reverently bowed before Him, opened their treasures and presented their gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh. (They brought gold as a gift to the Tsar, incense as God, because it was used in worship, and myrrh as a person who is about to die, and it was customary to rub the bodies of the dead with fragrant oils).
Some apocryphal sources tell of a certain "test" of the Magi. Arriving in Bethlehem, the Magi found the Mother of God and the Child, having previously asked the Mother of God a number of questions, the answers to which convinced them that before them were Those whom they were looking for.
Believing that the Mother of God was before them, they exclaimed: “O mother to mothers, all the Persian gods have glorified you! Great is your glorification, for you have risen above all the glorious!"
To understand who is in front of them, the Magi allegedly handed the child all the gifts at once. He, without hesitation, took all three at once, since he had all three incarnations that symbolized gifts - he was at the same time God, King and Man.
When the Magi, having fulfilled their mission, set off on the return journey, an Angel appeared to them in a dream, who ordered them to go home by another way. They went back another way, and Herod, not waiting for the news of the babies, in a fit of insane rage and fear, did a terrible thing - he ordered to exterminate all babies under two years old. But the baby Jesus was saved, the Lord protected the Holy Family, and through an angel Saint Joseph received a revelation that he and his family needed to hide in Egypt. (Matthew, chapter 2)
Those. the magi-astrologers were saved, returned to their homeland and lived there to a ripe old age, and their story about the journey was written on a golden board.
There are legends about the later life of the Magi, that they were baptized by the Apostle Thomas.
Christian historians of the Middle Ages tell a legend about the last meeting of the Magi. In the Turkish city of Sheva, more than half a century after their first meeting, the Magi gathered for the last time to bow to Christ, being at that time the deepest elders (more than 150 years old). http://shkolazhizni.ru/archive/0/n-25791/
According to legend, the relics of the Magi were found by Empress Helen and were first laid in Constantinople. In the 5th century, the relics of the Magi were transferred from there to Mediolan (Milan), and in 1164, at the request of Frederick Barbarossa, to Cologne. There they rest to this day, in a unique temple, on top of which, instead of a cross, there is the Star of Bethlehem. (Video plot of the tour of one of the greatest cathedrals in the world - Cologne Cathedral https://youtu.be/PTsduhBUO4E)
In the West, there are separate days of honoring each of the Magi, as well as the general "Feast of the Three Kings." It is celebrated on January 6 and is accompanied by special colorful carnivals and performances, on this day bonfires are lit and special treats are prepared.
In the Orthodox calendar, there are no separate days of veneration of the Magi, because Orthodox theologians consider the Magi to be sorcerers, consciously and deliberately referring astrology to witchcraft, although it has nothing to do with magic and witchcraft, but is a science that studies the patterns of processes in time. So meteorology can be considered magic ... After all, meteorology, studying the patterns of atmospheric phenomena, predicts the weather!))
Illustration by Richard Keane "Adoration of the Magi"
Honest Gifts of the Magi January 12th, 2014
Adoration of the Magi. Mosaic at Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna, 6th century BC
In fact, I am very far from any religions, but since well-known events are taking place, I became interested in what it is - the GIFTS OF THE MAGICIANS. Here's what happens...
The Gospel does not say exactly how many Magi came to the Child, but it is generally accepted that there were three of them - according to the number of gifts. Their names - Caspar, Melchior and Belshazzar - are first found in the works of the Venerable Bede the Venerable. In some narratives, there is also information about their appearance: Caspar turns out to be a "beardless youth", Belshazzar - a "bearded old man", and Melchior - "dark-skinned" or "black", originating from Ethiopia.
Gifts of the Magi. Photo: Igor Belokopytov
So, having entered, the wise men “fell down and worshiped Him; and having opened their treasures, they brought him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” Each of these gifts had a symbolic meaning. Gold was brought to Jesus as the King of the Jews, frankincense as God. Smyrna (myrrh) - an expensive aromatic substance used to embalm bodies during burial - as the Savior Who Became the Son of Man, Whom "many sufferings and burial" were predicted.
Having bowed to the Infant, the Magi, "receiving a revelation in a dream not to return to Herod", bypassing Jerusalem, returned to their lands.
According to tradition, they all later became Christians and preachers of the Gospel. They were baptized by the holy Apostle Thomas, who preached the gospel in Parthia and India. Western traditions even speak of their ordination as bishops by the Apostle Thomas. The relics of the Magi were found by the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Empress Helena in Persia and laid in Constantinople, and in the 5th century they were transferred to Milan. Currently, the golden reliquary with their relics is in the Cologne Cathedral.
The gifts of the Magi are 28 gold pendants decorated with elegant ornaments, as well as incense and myrrh, combined into small dark-colored balls.
The honest gifts of the Magi were carefully preserved by the Mother of God all her life. Shortly before Her Dormition, She handed them over to the Jerusalem Church, where they remained together with the girdle and robe of the Mother of God until the year 400. Later, the gifts were transferred by the Byzantine emperor Arcadius to Constantinople, where they were placed in the church of Hagia Sophia. In 1453 Constantinople fell. In 1470, the daughter of the Serbian ruler George Brankovich, Maria (Maro), who was the widow of the Turkish Sultan Murat (Murad) II (1404 - 1451), transferred the Gifts of the Magi to the monastery of St. Paul, which until 1744 was Serbian.
Despite the fact that she was the wife of the Sultan, she did not convert to Islam and remained a Christian until the end of her life. In the place where the kneeling Mary stood, a cross was erected, called Tsaritsyn. In the nearby chapel, the meeting of these great shrines by the monks is depicted. There is a legend that the pious Mary herself wanted to bring the Gifts of the Magi into the monastery, but at the wall of the monastery, as once the princess Plakidia in the Vatopedi monastery, she was stopped by a heavenly voice and reminded her that the Athonite rule forbids women to enter the monastery.
Monastery of St. Paul, Athos. Photo: A. Pospelov / Pravoslavie.Ru
And precious gifts are reverently preserved in the monastery of St. Paul to this day. The monks are well aware of how great the spiritual and historical value of the shrine is, therefore, after the night service, they take gifts from the sacristy in a small silver ark to worship the pilgrims.
So what are the gifts of the Magi? What are they?
The GOLD brought by the Magi is 28 small gold plates-pendants in the form of trapezoids, quadrangles and polygons, decorated with an elegant, filigree ornament. The pattern is not repeated on any of the plates.
Frankincense is a fragrant tree sap that hardens in the air and was collected from the Cystus Creticus plant. The aforementioned thorny tree grows on about. Cyprus, Arabia, Syria and Palestine and is 8 to 9 feet tall. In ancient times, incense was a significant item of trade and was considered one of the valuable gifts that in ancient times were usually offered to kings, nobles and other important persons as a sign of special reverence.
According to Tertullian, incense was used by pagans for incense before false gods, sold at a high price and bought by Christians, especially for use in the rite of burial of the dead.
In February or March, cuts are made on the tree, from which the resin flows continuously for quite a long time, covering the entire trunk of the tree, until finally the wound is covered with drying juice. Then the dried resin is collected from the tree and from the ground, then the raw materials are divided into two varieties: selected incense - Olibanum electum and ordinary - Olibanum in sortis.
AFRICAN MYRRA - Smyrna (Commiphora Africana). Aromatic resin dissolved in vegetable oil was used as a perfume. The Egyptians carried aromatic pouches filled with African myrrh resin.
Golden vessels later turned into golden pendants
The story to which the feast of the Nativity of Christ is dedicated is known to us from church literature. The plot itself was “built” on the basis of biblical sources a long time ago, however, in the descriptions of those distant events for many of our fellow citizens, some episodes and related terms still remain incomprehensible. One of these mysteries is the Magi and the Gifts they brought to the infant Christ. At the request of "MK", the rector of the temple in the village of Troitskoye, Vladimir Region, Father Vasily, gave an explanation.
In the Holy Gospel, wise men-scientists who were engaged in observing the heavenly bodies are called "magicians," says Father Vasily. - They knew an ancient prophecy about the forthcoming birth of the God-man, which should be marked by the appearance of a new bright star in the sky. When such a heavenly body suddenly appeared, the wise men set off on their journey to see the born Son of God and worship him. Where they should go, the magi determined simply: they went "to the light of the star."
Although not a single canonical Gospel mentions the number of Magi, this information can be found in other early Christian sources. There were three Magi who came to worship the newborn Jesus. Moreover, they were of different ages and different races: the dark-skinned "beardless youth" African Baltazar, the European of mature age Melchior and the very elderly representative of the Asian race Caspar. This "layout" is very symbolic. In the person of these three, the peoples of all major continents showed their reverence for the Son of God who had just come to Earth.
In church literature, one can find references to the subsequent fate of the Magi. According to legend, later all three were baptized by the Apostle Thomas and suffered torment for preaching Christianity in eastern countries. Subsequently, the Magi were canonized as Saints, their relics were found by the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Empress Elena and brought to Constantinople. They were kept there until the 5th century. Then they were transferred first to Milan, and later to the German principalities, and since then they have been kept in the Cologne Cathedral.
Now about the gifts. There are also three of them - according to the number of the Magi. Gifts to the Christ Child also have a deep meaning. The Magi brought him gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Gold is a classic "royal gift", a tribute paid by subjects to their ruler. He pointed out that the Child was born to be a King.
Frankincense - a valuable wood aromatic resin, traditionally used in Christian rituals for burning, was a gift to Christ God.
And myrrh, another very expensive aromatic substance used to embalm bodies during burial, was brought to Christ as the future Savior of the human race, to whom “many suffering and burial” are predicted.
According to legend, the Mother of God kept the Gifts received from the Magi for a long time, and shortly before her Assumption, she handed them over to the Christian community of Jerusalem. Subsequently, they were transferred to the church of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. When this city was conquered by the Turks in the 15th century, one of the wives of Sultan Murad - the daughter of the Serbian prince Maria Brankovich (she, even after marrying the Turkish ruler, did not renounce the Christian faith) - transported the Gifts of the Magi to Athos, where they have been for more than 500 years stored in the monastery of St. Paul.
Initially, the Golden Gifts brought by the Magi were small vessels made of precious metal. Frankincense and myrrh were brought by the Magi separately.
In the 16th century, when the Gifts were already in the monastery on Mount Athos, the local monks decided to give the relics a more symbolic look, corresponding to the ideas of that time. The gifts began to look like pendants. These are 28 small plates in the form of trapezoids, quadrangles and polygons, decorated with various ornaments. Dark beads made from a mixture of two resins, frankincense and myrrh, are attached to the golden pendants. This union is very symbolic. Frankincense and myrrh, offered to God and Man, are united as inseparably as two natures, Divine and human, were united in Christ.
Now these holy relics are kept in ten shrines. According to an established tradition, after a solemn night service, the Gifts are taken out of the sacristy in a small silver ark to be worshiped by pilgrims. The gifts exude a strong fragrance, and when they are opened, the whole church is filled with this fragrance.
