Biblical Magi

InChristianity, theBiblical Magi(/ˈmeɪdʒaɪ/MAY-jyor/ˈmædʒaɪ/MAJ-eye;singular:magus), also known as theThree Wise Men,Three Kings, andThree Magi,are distinguished foreigners who visitJesusafter his birth, bearing gifts ofgold,frankincense, andmyrrhin homage to him.They are commemorated on thefeast dayofEpiphany—sometimes called "Three Kings Day"—and commonly appear in thenativitycelebrations ofChristmas.
TheMagiappear solely in theGospel of Matthew, which states that they came "from the east" (Greek ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν -apo anatolōn) to worship the "one who has been born king of the Jews".Their names, origins, appearances, and exact number are unmentioned and derive from the inferences or traditions of later Christians.InWestern Christianity, they are usually assumed to have been three in number, corresponding with each gift;inEastern Christianity, especially theSyriac churches, they often number twelve.Likewise, the Magi's social status is never stated: although somebiblical translationsdescribe them asastrologers, they were increasingly identified as kings by at least the third century,which conformed with Christian interpretations ofOld Testament propheciesthat themessiahwould be worshipped by kings.
The mystery of the Magi's identities and background, combined with their theological significance, has made them prominent figures in theChristian tradition; they are venerated as saints or even martyrs in many Christian communities, and are the subject of numerous artworks, legends, and customs. Both secular and Christian observers have noted that the Magi popularly serve as a means of expressing various ideas, symbols, and themes.Most scholars regard the Magi aslegendaryrather than historical figures.
Traditionalnativity scenesdepict three "wise men" visiting theinfant Jesuson the night of his birth, in a manger accompanied by the shepherds and angels, but this should be understood as an artistic convention allowing the two separate scenes of theAdoration of the Shepherdson the birth night and the laterAdoration of the Magito be combined for convenience.The single biblical account inMatthew 2simply presents an event at an unspecified point after Jesus's birth in which an unnumbered party of unnamed "wise men" (μάγοι,mágoi) visits him in a house (οἰκίαν,oikian), not a stable.TheNew Revised Standard VersionofMatthew 2:1–12describes the visit of the Magi in this manner:
The text specifies no interval between the birth and the visit, and artistic depictions and the closeness of the traditional dates of December 25 and January 6 encourage the popular assumption that the visit took place the same winter as the birth, but later traditions varied, with the visit taken as occurring up to two winters later. This maximum interval explained Herod's command atMatthew 2:16–18that theMassacre of the Innocentsincluded boys up to two years old. Some more recent commentators, not tied to the traditional feast days, suggest a variety of intervals.
The wise men are mentioned twice shortly thereafter inverse 16, in reference to their avoidance ofHerodafter seeing Jesus, and what Herod had learned from their earlier meeting. The star which they followed has traditionally become known as theStar of Bethlehem.
The Magi are popularly referred to aswise menandkings. The wordmagiis the plural ofLatinmagus, borrowed fromGreekμάγος(magos),as used in the original Greek text of the Gospel of Matthew (in the plural:μάγοι,magoi). The Greekmagositself is derived fromOld Persianmaguŝ,which in turn originated from theAvestanmagâunô, referring to the Iranian priestlycasteofZoroastrianism.Within this tradition, priests paid particular attention to the stars and gained an international reputation forastrology,which was at that time highly regarded as a science.Their religious practices and astrological abilities caused derivatives of the termMagito be applied to theoccultin general and led to the English termmagic.
TheKing James Versiontranslates "magi" aswise men; the same translation is applied to the wise men led byDanielof earlier Hebrew Scriptures (Daniel 2:48). The same word is given assorcererandsorcerywhen describing "Elymasthe sorcerer" inActs 13:6–11, andSimon Magus, considered ahereticby the early Church, inActs 8:9–13. Several translations refer to the men outright asastrologersatMatthew Chapter 2, includingNew English Bible(1961);The New Testament in Modern English(J.B.Phillips, 1972);Twentieth Century New Testament(1904 revised edition);Amplified Bible(1958, New Testament);An American Translation(1935, Goodspeed); andThe Living Bible(K. Taylor, 1962, New Testament).
Although the Magi are commonly referred to as "kings", there is nothing in the Gospel of Matthew that implies they were rulers of any kind. The identification of the Magi as kings is linked to Old Testament prophecies that describe the Messiah being worshipped by kings inIsaiah 60:3,Psalm68:29, andPsalm 72:10, which reads, "Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations serve him."Early readers reinterpreted Matthew in light of these prophecies and elevated the Magi to kings, which became widely accepted by at least 500 A.D.Later Christian interpretation stressed theadoration of the Magiand shepherds as the first recognition by humans of Christ as the Redeemer. However, the Protestant reformerJohn Calvinwas vehemently opposed to referring to the Magi as kings, writing: "But the most ridiculous contrivance of the Papists on this subject is, that those men were kings... Beyond all doubt, they have been stupefied by a righteous judgment of God, that all might laugh at [their] gross ignorance."
The names and origins of the Magi are never given in scripture, but have been provided by various traditions and legends.
AmongWestern Christians, the earliest and most common names are:
These names first appear in an eighth century religious chronicle,Excerpta Latina Barbari,which is a Latin translation of a lost Greek manuscript probably composed inAlexandriaroughly two centuries earlier.Another eighth century text,Collectanea et Flores, which was likewise a Latin translation from an original Greek account, continues the tradition of three kings and their names and gives additional details.
One candidate for the origin of the name Caspar appears in theapocryphal Acts of Thomas, which gives the account ofThomas the Apostle's visit to theIndo-Parthian KingGondophares I(21– c. 47 AD), also known as Gudapharasa, from which "Caspar" might derive as corruption of "Gaspar".  Gondophares had declared independence from theArsacidsand ruled a kingdom spanning present-day Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. According to historian Ernst Herzfeld, his name is perpetuated in the name of the Afghan cityKandahar, which he is said to have founded under the name Gundopharron.
Within Eastern Christianity, the Magi have varied names. AmongSyrian Christians, they areLarvandad,Gushnasaph, andHormisdas;,which are approximations of typical Zoroastrian names, in theEthiopian Orthodox Church, they areHor,Karsudan, andBasanater, whileArmenian CatholicshaveKagpha,BadadakharidaandBadadilma.
The list given byMichael the Syrianin his chronicle has these eleven names:
These are all Iranian Zoroastrian names, or pseudo-Iranian Zoroastrian names.Waštaphcertainly reflectsVishtaspa, the name of the first king to have converted to Zoroastrianism, but also a common Zoroastrian name at the time. Arṭaḥšišt is an archaic form of the common nameArdeshir.Mardukshould be a variant ofmard"man" with the suffix-ōk. This fits with the fact that, in Michael'sChronicle, "mage" in other parts simply means "Zoroastrian", and with the idea that these mage kings should simply be Zoroastrian officials, coming to recognize Jesus as a holy figure.
ManyChinese Christiansbelieve that one of the magi came from China.
The phrase "from the east" (ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν,apo anatolon), more literally "from the rising [of the sun]", is the only information Matthew provides about the region from which they came. TheParthian Empire, centered inIran(Persia), stretched from eastern Syria to the fringes of India. Though the empire was tolerant of other religions, its dominant religion wasZoroastrianism, with its priestlymagosclass.
Although Matthew's account does not explicitly cite the motivation for their journey (other than seeing the star in the east, which they took to be the star of the King of the Jews), theapocryphalSyriac Infancy Gospelstates in its third chapter that they were pursuing a prophecy from their prophet, Zoradascht (Zoroaster).
There is anArmeniantradition identifying the "Magi of Bethlehem" asBalthasarof Arabia,Melchiorof Persia, andCasparof India.HistorianJohn of Hildesheimrelates a tradition in the ancientSilk Roadcity ofTaxila(in present-day Punjab, Pakistan) that one of the Magi passed through the city on the way to Bethlehem.
Sebastian Brock, a historian of Christianity, has said: "It was no doubt among converts from Zoroastrianism that... certain legends were developed around the Magi of the Gospels".And Anders Hultgård concluded that the Gospel story of the Magi was influenced by an Iranian legend concerning magi and a star, which was connected with Persian beliefs in the rise of a star predicting the birth of a ruler and with myths describing the manifestation of a divine figure in fire and light.
A model for the homage of the Magi might have been provided, it has been suggested, by the journey to Rome of KingTiridates I of Armenia, with his magi, to pay homage to theEmperor Nero, which took place in AD 66, a few years before the date assigned to the composition of the Gospel of Matthew.
There was a tradition that the Central AsianNaimansand their Christian relatives, theKeraites, were descended from the biblical Magi.This heritage passed to the Mongol dynasty ofGenghis KhanwhenSorghaghtani, niece of the Keraite rulerToghrul, marriedTolui, the youngest son of Genghis, and became the mother ofMöngke Khanand his younger brother and successor,Kublai Khan. Toghrul became identified with the legendary Central Asian Christian kingPrester John, whose Mongol descendants were sought as allies against the Muslims by contemporary European monarchs and popes.Sempad the Constable, elder brother of KingHetoum IofCilician Armenia, visited the Mongol court in Karakorum in 1247–1250 and in 1254. He wrote a letter toHenry IKing of Cyprus and Queen Stephanie (Sempad's sister) fromSamarkandin 1243, in which he said: "Tanchat [Tangut, orWestern Xia], which is the land from whence came the Three Kings to Bethlehem to worship the Lord Jesus which was born. And know that the power of Christ has been, and is, so great, that the people of that land are Christians; and the whole land of Chata [Khitai, orKara-Khitai] believes those Three Kings. I have myself been in their churches and have seen pictures of Jesus Christ and the Three Kings, one offering gold, the second frankincense, and the third myrrh. And it is through those Three Kings that they believe in Christ, and that the Chan and his people have now become Christians."The legendary Christian ruler of Central AsiaPrester Johnwas reportedly a descendant of one of the Magi.
In her four volumes of visions of the life of Christ,Anne Catherine Emmerichsays that the Magi came from the border betweenChaldeaandElam, mentioningUr, "Mozian" (Iraq'sMaysan Province, anciently known asMesene), "Sikdor" (Shushtar, nearSusa), and a "city, whose name sounded to me something like Acajaja" (Aghajari), as well as other cities farther east.
Apart from their names, the three Magi developed distinct characteristics in Christian tradition, so that between them they represented the three ages of (adult) man, three geographical and cultural areas, and sometimes other concepts. In one tradition, reflected in art by at least the 14th century—for example, in theArena ChapelbyGiottoin 1305—Caspar is old, normally with a white beard, and gives the gold; he is "King ofTarsus, land of merchants" on the Mediterranean coast of modern Turkey, and is first in line to kneel to Christ. Melchior is middle-aged, giving frankincense fromArabia, and Balthazar is a young man, very often and increasingly black-skinned, with myrrh fromSaba(modern southern Yemen). Their ages were often given as 60, 40 and 20 respectively, and their geographical origins were rather variable, with Balthazar increasingly coming fromAksumor other parts of Africa, and being represented accordingly.
Balthazar's blackness has been the subject of considerable recent scholarly attention; in art, it is found mostly in northern Europe, beginning from the 12th century, and becoming very common in the north by the 15th.The subject of which king is which and who brought which gift is not without some variation depending on the tradition. The gift of gold is sometimes associated with Melchior as well,and in some traditions Melchior is the oldest of the three Magi.
The Magi are described as "falling down", "kneeling", or "bowing" in the worship of Jesus.This gesture, together with Luke's birth narrative, had an important effect on Christian religious practices.They were indicative of great respect, and typically used when venerating a king. While prostration is now rarely practised in the West, it is still relatively common in the Eastern Churches, especially duringLent. Kneeling has remained an important element of Christian worship to this day.
Three gifts are explicitly identified in Matthew:gold,frankincenseandmyrrh; inKoine Greek, these arechrysós(χρυσός),líbanos(λίβανος) andsmýrna(σμύρνα). There are various theories and interpretations of the meaning and symbolism of the gifts, particularly with respect to frankincense and myrrh.
The theories generally break down into two groups:
Frankincense and myrrh were burned during rituals among Egyptian, Greek and Roman societies. Ancient Egyptians used myrrh to embalm corpses and Romans burned it as a type of incense at funeral pyres.Myrrh was used as an embalming ointment and as a penitential incense in funerals and cremations until the 15th century. The "holy oil" traditionally used by theEastern Orthodox Churchfor performing the sacraments ofchrismationandunctionis traditionally scented with myrrh, and receiving either of these sacraments is commonly referred to as "receiving the myrrh". The picture of the Magi on the 7th-centuryFranks Casketshows the third visitor – he who brings myrrh – with avalknutover his back, a pagan symbol referring to Death.
It has been suggested by scholars that the "gifts" weremedicinalrather than precious material fortribute.
The Syrian KingSeleucus I Nicatoris recorded to have offered gold, frankincense and myrrh (among other items) toApolloin his temple atDidymanearMiletusin 288/7 BC,and this may have been the precedent for the mention of these three gifts in Gospel of Matthew (2:11). It was these three gifts, it is thought, which were the chief cause for the number of the Magi becoming fixed eventually at three.
This episode can be linked toIsaiah 60and toPsalm 72, which report gifts being given by kings, and this has played a central role in the perception of the Magi as kings, rather than as astronomer-priests. In a hymn of the late 4th-centuryHispanicpoetPrudentius, the three gifts have already gained their medieval interpretation as propheticemblemsof Jesus' identity, familiar in the carol "We Three Kings" byJohn Henry Hopkins, Jr., 1857.
John Chrysostomsuggested that the gifts were fit to be given not just to a king but to God, and contrasted them with the Jews' traditional offerings of sheep and calves, and accordingly Chrysostom asserts that the Magi worshiped Jesus as God.
What subsequently happened to these gifts is never mentioned in the scripture, but several traditions have developed.One story has the gold being stolen by the two thieves who were later crucified alongside Jesus. Another tale has it being entrusted to and then misappropriated byJudas. One tradition suggests that Joseph and Mary used the gold to finance their travels when they fled Bethlehem after an angel had warned, in a dream, aboutKing Herod'splan to kill Jesus. And another story proposes the theory that the myrrh given to them at Jesus' birth was used to anoint Jesus' body after his crucifixion.
There was a 15th-century golden case purportedly containing the Gift of the Magi housed in the Monastery of St. Paul ofMount Athos. It was donated to the monastery in the 15th century byMara Branković, daughter of theKing of SerbiaĐurađ Branković, wife to theOttomanSultanMurat IIand godmother toMehmet IIthe Conqueror (ofConstantinople). After the Athens earthquake of September 7, 1999, they were temporarily displayed inAthensto strengthen faith and raise money for earthquake victims. The relics were displayed in Ukraine and Belarus in Christmas of 2014, and thus left Greece for the first time since the 15th century.
According to the bookThe Travels of Marco Polo, gold symbolises the power over the material world as a king on earth, frankincense symbolises the power over the spiritual world as a deity, and myrrh symbolises the healing power over death.
Holidays celebrating the arrival of the Magi traditionally recognise a distinction between the date of their arrival and the date of Jesus' birth. The account given in the Gospel of Matthew does not state that they were present on the night of the birth; in the Gospel of Luke, Joseph and Mary remain in Bethlehem until it is time for Jesus' dedication in Jerusalem, after which they return to their home in Nazareth.
The visit of the Magi is commemorated in mostWestern Christianchurches separately from Christmas. The visit of the Magi is part of theEpiphanyon 6 January, which concludes thetwelve days of Christmas; on that date the Magi are also celebrated as saints.
TheEastern OrthodoxandGreek Orthodoxcelebrate the visit of the Magi on the same date as their Christmas, which is either 25 December, 6 January, or 7 January, depending on if they follow theGregorian calendaror theJulian calendar.
One story inSyriac Christianityin the era of the late Roman Empire and early post-Islamic conquest period, theRevelation of the Magi, indicates that the Magi arrived in April (rather than January).  It also implies the Magi arrived before Jesus's birth, while Mary was still pregnant, yet nevertheless a celestial child of the transformed Star of Bethlehem was able to commission them, suggesting that Jesus could be in multiple places at once.
TheQurandoes not contain Matthew's episode of the Magi. However, the Persian Muslim encyclopedistal-Tabari, writing in the ninth century, gives the familiar symbolism of the gifts of the Magi, citing the late seventh century Persian-Yemenite writerWahb ibn Munabbih.
In much of theSpanish-speaking world, the Three Kings (Los Reyes Magos de Oriente,Los Tres Reyes Magos, or simplyLos Reyes Magos) receive letters from children and so bring them gifts on the morning of 6 January. In Spain, each one of the Magi is supposed to represent a different continent: Europe (Melchior), Asia (Caspar) and Africa (Balthasar). According to the tradition, the Magi come from theOrienton theircamelsto visit the houses of all the children, much likeSinterklaasandSanta Clauswith hisreindeerelsewhere.
Almost every Spanish city or town organisescabalgatasin the evening of 5 January, in which the kings and theirpagesparade and throw sweets to the children (and parents) in attendance. The cavalcade of the three kings inAlcoyclaims to be the longest-running in the world, having started in 1886. TheMystery Play of the Three Magic Kingsis also presented on Epiphany Eve. There is also a "Roscón" (Spain) or "Rosca de Reyes" (Mexico).
In Spain, due to the lack of a black population until recently, the role of Balthazar has often been played by an actor inblackface; this practice has been criticized in the 21st century.
Not only in Spain, but also in Argentina, Mexico, Paraguay, and Uruguay, there is a long tradition of children receiving presents by the threeReyes Magoson the night of 5 January (Epiphany Eve) or on the morning of 6 January (Epiphany day orDía de Reyes), because it is believed that this is the day in which the Magi arrived bearing gifts for the Christ child. In most Latin American countries children also cut grass or greenery on 5 January and fill a box or their shoes with the cuttings for the Kings' camels. They then place the box or their shoes under their bed or beside the Christmas tree.  On Epiphany morning the children will find the grass gone from their shoes or box and replaced with candy and other small, sweet treats.
In Spain and most Latin American countries, which are predominantlyRoman Catholic, the Christmas Season starts on 8 December (day of the Immaculate Conception, also known as day of the Virgin Mary) and ends with the last hour of 6 January,Día de Reyes. In theU.S.territoryofPuerto Rico, however, there are eight more days of celebration calledlas octavitas(the little eight days). According to theCatholic Church, the full Christmas Season is from 25 December toCandlemason 2 February.
In the Philippines, beliefs concerning the Three Kings (Filipino:Tatlóng Haring Mago, lit. "Three Magi Kings"; shortened toTatlóng HarìorSpanishTres Reyes) follows Hispanic influence, with the Feast of the Epiphany considered by many Filipinos as the traditional end oftheir Christmas season. The tradition of the Three Kings'cabalgatais today done only in some areas, such as the old city ofIntramurosinManila, and the island ofMarinduque. Another dying custom is children leaving shoes out on Epiphany Eve, so that they may receive sweets and money from the Three Kings. With the arrival of American culture in the early 20th century, the Three Kings as gift-givers have been largely replaced in urban areas bySanta Claus, and they only survive in the greeting "Happy Three Kings!" and thesurnameTatlóngharì. The Three Kings are enshrined aspatron saintsin theNational Shrine of Virgen La Divina PastorainGapan, Nueva Ecija.
A tradition in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, and German-speaking Catholic areas is the writing of the three kings' initialsabove the main door of Catholic homes in chalk. This is a new year's blessing for the occupants and the initials also are believed to also stand for "Christus mansionem benedicat" ("May/Let Christ Bless This House").Depending on the city or town, this will be happen sometime between Christmas and the Epiphany, with most municipalities celebrating closer to theEpiphany. Also in Catholic parts of the German-speaking world, these markings are made by theSternsinger(literally, "star singers") – a group of children dressed up as the magi.TheSternsingercarry a star representing the one followed by the biblical magi and singChristmas carolsas they go door to door, such as "Stern über Bethlehem". After singing, the children write the three kings' initials on the door frame in exchange for charitable donations. Each year, German and Austrian dioceses pick one charity towards which allSternsingerdonations nationwide will be contributed.
Traditionally, one child in theSternsingergroup is said to represent Baltasar from Africa and so, that child typically wears blackface makeup.Many Germans do not consider this to be racist because it is not intended to be a negative portrayal of a black person, but rather, a "realistic" or "traditional" portrayal of one.The dialogue surrounding the politics of traditions involving blackface is not as developed as in Spain or the Netherlands.In the past, photographs of German politicians together with children in blackface have caused a stir in English-language press.Moreover, Afro-Germans have written that this use of blackface is a missed opportunity to be truly inclusive of Afro-Germans in German-speaking communities and contribute to the equation of "blackness" with "foreignness" and "otherness" in German culture.
In 2010, Epiphany was made a holiday in Poland, thus reviving a pre-World War II tradition.Since 2011, celebrations with biblical costuming have taken place throughout the country. For example, in Warsaw there are processions fromPlac ZamkowydownKrakowskie PrzedmieścietoPlac Piłsudskiego.
In Spain and Portugal, a ring-shaped cake (in Portuguese:bolo-rei) contains both a smallfigurineof one of the Magi (or another surprise depending on the region) and a drybroad bean. The one who gets the figurine is "crowned" (with a crown made of cardboard or paper), but whoever gets the bean has to pay the value of the cake to the person who originally bought it. In Mexico they also have the same ring-shaped cakeRosca de Reyes(Kings Bagel or Thread) with figurines inside it. Whoever gets a figurine is supposed to organize and be the host of the family celebration for theCandelariafeast on February 2.
In France and Belgium, a cake containing a small figure of the baby Jesus, known as the "broad bean", is shared within the family. Whoever gets the bean is crowned king for the remainder of the holiday and wears a cardboard crown purchased with the cake. A similar practice is common in many areas of Switzerland, but the figurine is a miniature king. The practice is known astirer les Rois(Drawing the Kings). A queen is sometimes also chosen.
InNew Orleans,Louisiana, parts of southernTexas, and surrounding regions, a similar ring-shaped cake known as a "King Cake" traditionally becomes available in bakeries from Epiphany toMardi Gras. The baby Jesus figurine is inserted into the cake from underneath, and the person who gets the slice with the figurine is expected to buy or bake the next King Cake. There is wide variation among the types of pastry that may be called a King Cake, but most are a baked cinnamon-flavoured twisted dough with thin frosting and additional sugar on top in thetraditional Mardi Gras coloursof gold, green and purple. To prevent accidental injury or choking, the baby Jesus figurine is frequently not inserted into the cake at the bakery, but included in the packaging for optional use by the buyer to insert it themselves. Mardi Gras-style beads anddoubloonsmay be included as well.
Christian scripturesrecord nothing about the biblical Magi after reporting that they returned to their own country.The Chronicon of Dexter, amartyrological textascribed toFlavius Lucius Dexter, thebishop of BarcelonaunderTheodosius the Great(379–396) describes "the martyrdom of the holy kings, the three Magi, Gaspar, Balthassar, and Melchior who adored Christ." in "Arabia Felix, in the city of Sessania of the Adrumeti".First appearing in 1610, the Chronicon of Dexter was immensely popular throughout the 17th century, particularly in Spain. However, by the 19th century, certain historians and Catholic officials in Rome declared the work a pious forgery.
Another competing tradition, most likely originating from Germany, likewise asserts that the biblical Magi were martyred for their faith, albeit without further details.
There are several traditions on where the remains of the Magi are located, none of which have been verified or given veracity by secular historians.
Marco Poloclaimed that he was shown the three tombs of the Magi atSaveh, south ofTehranin present day Iran, in the 1270s:
Paul William Roberts provides some modern-day corroboration of this possibility in his bookJourney of the Magi.
The bones of the Magi are allegedly contained at theShrine of the Three Kings at Cologne Cathedralin Germany. According to tradition, they were first discovered byHelena, mother ofConstantine the Great, on her famous pilgrimage toPalestineand theHoly Landsin 326–28. She took the remains to the church ofHagia SophiainConstantinople; in 344, they were transferred to Milan—in some accounts by the city's bishop,Eustorgius I—where they were interred in a special tomb beneath its basilica.In 1162, following the conquest of the city byHoly Roman EmperorFrederick I, the Magi's remains were transferred toCologne Cathedralat the behest of its archbishop,Rainald von Dassel. In response to growing pilgrimages to the relics, von Dassel's successor, Philipp von Hochstaden, commissioned the currentShrine of the Three Kingsin the late 12th century, which remains widely visited and venerated.The Milanese treated the fragments of masonry from their now-empty tomb as secondary relics, which were widely distributed around the region, including southern France; this accounts for the frequency with which the Magi appear onchassereliquariesinLimoges enamelproduced in the region.The city continues to celebrate its part in the tradition by holding a medieval costume parade every 6 January.
A version of this account is conveyed by 14th century clericJohn of HildesheiminHistoria Trium Regum("History of the Three Kings"), which begins with the journey ofHelenato Jerusalem, where she recovered theTrue Crossand other relics:
Most depictions of the Magi in European art focus on theirvisit to Jesus.  Also depicted, if less often, were the Journey of the Magi, the Magi before Herod, and the Dream of the Magi. InByzantine artthey are depicted as Persians, wearing trousers andphrygian caps. Crowns appear from the 10th century. Despite being saints, they are very often shown withouthalos, perhaps to avoid distracting attention from either their crowns or the halos of theHoly Family. Sometimes only the lead king, kneeling to Christ, has a halo the two others lack, probably indicating that the two behind had not yet performed the act of worship that would ensure their status as saints. Medieval artists alsoallegorisedthe theme to represent the threeages of man. Beginning in the 12th century, and very often by the 15th, the Kings also represent the three parts of the known (pre-Columbian) world in Western art, especially in Northern Europe. Balthasar is thus represented as a young African orMoor, and Caspar may be depicted with distinctlyOrientalfeatures.
An earlyAnglo-Saxon depictionsurvives on theFranks Casket(early 7th century, whalebone carving), the only Christian scene, which is combined with pagan and classical imagery. In its composition it follows the oriental style, which renders a courtly scene, with the Virgin and Christ facing the spectator, while the Magi devoutly approach from the (left) side. Even amongst non-Christians who had heard of the Christian story of the Magi, the motif was quite popular, since the Magi had endured a long journey and were generous. Instead of an angel, the picture places a swan-like bird, perhaps interpretable as the hero'sfylgja(a protecting spirit, andshapeshifter).
Austrian artistGottfried Helnweindepicted a more controversial tableau in his painting,Epiphany I: Adoration of the Magi(1996). Intended to represent the "many connections between the Third Reich and the Christian churches in Austria and Germany",Nazi officers in uniform stand around anAryanMadonna. TheChristtoddler who stands on Mary's lap resemblesAdolf Hitler.
More generally they appear in popularNativity scenesand otherChristmasdecorations that have their origins in theNeapolitanvariety of the Italianpresepioor Nativity crèche.
Some Christmas carols refer to the biblical Magi or Three Kings, especially hymns meant to be sung by thestar singers, such as "Stern über Bethlehem". Peter Cornelius composed a song cycle,Weihnachtslieder, Op. 8, which contain the song "Die Könige" (The Kings), which became popular in an English choral arrangement, "The Three Kings". Balthazar, Caspar, and Melchior are also featured inGian Carlo Menotti's 1951 operaAmahl and the Night Visitors. The popular carol "We Three Kings" is another example. Johann Sebastian Bach's Cantata #65 "Sie werden aus Saba alle kommen" ("All they from Saba shall come") also tells about the Wise Men, based on the Old Testament prophesy found in Isaiah 60:6 ("A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come.  They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord.")
Numerous films have included these characters in some scenes depicting the Nativity, fromThe Life and Passion of Jesus Christ(1897) toThe Star(2017). In 2003, the Spanishanimated filmThe 3 Wise Menwas released, directed by Antonio Navarro and nominated for theGoya Awards.