Three Kings Balthazar, Gaspar, Melchior. - CNN iReport Three Kings Balthazar, Gaspar, Melchior. By alius911 | Posted January 6, 2013 | Kaunas, Lithuania CNN PRODUCER NOTE alius911 photographed the Catholic celebration of the Three Kings in Kaunas, Lithuania, on January 6. He says the Three Kings was a procession that took place with more than 100 people accompanying them. He says it is a popular event in Lithuania, and it happens at the end of the Christmas festive period. This iReport was featured on the January 2013 iReport for CNN program on CNN International. - Jareen , CNN iReport producer According to tradition dating back to medieval times, their names were Balthasar, Gaspar (or Casper), and Melchior. They are often depicted as representing the three races. The Bible says they came from the East, but exactly where is not known. Arabia, Babylon, and Persia are popular choices. According to one tradition, Balthasar was king of Arabia, Gaspar was king of India, and Melchior was king of Persia.

An 8th century saint, Bede the Venerable, described the kings this way: "The first was called Melchior; he was an old man, with white hair and long beard; he offered gold to the Lord as to his king. The second, Gaspar by name, young, beardless, of ruddy hue, offered to Jesus his gift of incense, the homage due to Divinity. The third, of black complexion, with heavy beard, was called Baltasar; the myrrh he held in his hands prefigured the death of the Son of man." The Bible, however, does not describe the kings or reveal their names. In fact, it does not call them kings at all, but simply Magi, or Wise Men. The Magi were a Median priestly caste who rose to power in ancient Persia (today's Iran). Their religion, Zoroastrianism, was founded around the 6th century BC by a Median man named Zoroaster. The Magi were held in awe as highly educated scientists and scholars who could interpret dreams and even control demons.

iReport 101 Concerning The Magi And Their Names Concerning The Magi And Their Names The Gospel According to Matthew Chapter 2, verses 1 - 12: Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him." When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it is written by the prophet: ï¿½And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the ruler of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will govern my people Israel.ï¿½" Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star appeared; and he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him bring me word, that I too may come and worship him." When they had heard the king they went their way; and lo, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departing to their own country by another way.

Concerning The Magi The Magi were a priestly caste of ancient Persian Zoroastrianism and were revered by classic authors as wise men. It was their alleged power over demons gave rise to the word "magic." Magi comes from Middle English magi, from Latin magï¿½, pl. of magus (meaning sorcerer), from Greek magos, from Old Persian maguï¿½. In Christian culture, the Magi were men who came, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, to adore the newborn Jesus. They were guided by the Star of Bethlehem. Their number was not identified in the Gospel of Matthew, but Christian tradition has set their number as three, called them kings, and named them Caspar or Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthazar. The Feast of Epiphany, January 6th, commemorates their visit. Their coming was foretold. "The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts, the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute. All kings shall pay Him homage, all nations shall serve Him" (72:10-11).

Isaiah also prophesied the gifts: "Caravans of camels shall fill you, dromedaries from Midian and Ephah; all from Sheba shall come bearing gold and frankincense, and proclaiming the praises of the Lord" (Isaiah 60:6). The Western tradition of the names of the Magi derive from an early 6th Century Greek manuscript, translated into the Latin Excerpta Latina Barbari The description seems to be of a mosaic of the magi, possibly those at Ravenna. A pseudo-Bedan text, Collectanea or Excerpta et Collectanea apparently continues the tradition of three kings. The text is said to be from the 8th or 9th century, of Irish origin, and first found in a printed edition of works ascribed (probably incorrectly) to St. Bede the Venerable at Basel in 1563. One source states that the pseudo-Bedan text gives us the following clues about these men. The oldest of the Magi was Melchoir, King of Arabia. He had a long gray beard and gave gold as a gift, symbolizing the acceptance of Christ as King.

Balthazar, King of Ethiopia, was middle-aged, swarthy, bearded, and bore the gift of frankincense, symbolizing Christ as High Priest. Finally, Caspar was King of Tarsus, in his twenties. His gift was myrrh, which was used in making medicines. This symbolized Christ as the healer and great physician. It is said that after discovering and honoring the Savior, the Magi returned home and surrendered their high positions, gave their property to the poor, and went to spread the Gospel. The apostle St. Thomas is said to have baptized them forty years later in India, ordaining them as priests. An excerpt from a Medieval saints calendar printed in Cologne reads: "Having undergone many trials and fatigues for the Gospel, the three wise men met at Sewa (Sebaste in Armenia) in 54 (AD) to celebrate the feast of Christmas. Thereupon, after the celebration of Mass, they died: St. Melchior on 1st of January, aged 116; St. Balthasar on 6th of January, aged 112; and St.

Gaspar on 11th of January, aged 109." They became martyrs and were buried in the walls of Jerusalem. [1] The Empress St. Helena (circa 248-330, mother of Constantine I) supposedly discovered their bodies in Persia in 325 AD during her pilgrimage to the Holy Land and brought them to Constantinople, where their remains rested in the Mosque of St. Sophia. It was she who established their identity within the early church although the Magi were not referred to as saints until the twelfth century. St. Helena died in 330. Shortly thereafter, Eustorgio I, ninth bishop of Milan, received the remains of the Magi inside a huge Roman marble sarcophagus from the Emperor Constantine I (circa 288-337), and brought them to Milan on a wooden cart pulled by a team of oxen. The cart entered the city through Porta Ticinese, and then sank into the mud. Eustorgio decided that this was a sign from God, and built the first basilica on that site.

In 1163 or 1164, the Holy Roman Emperor Friedrich I (called "Barbarossa" meaning "Redbeard," 1122-1190) presented Cologne (Koln), Germany with a gift which he had taken from Milan after he had captured the city in March, 1162 -- the bones of the Three Wise Men. It is said that the remains were transported in three ships. Within a few years, a shrine to house the relics was begun. The workshop of the goldsmith Nikolaus von Verdun was occupied for 50 years in the crafting of a golden shrine to house the relics (1180-1230). The shrine containing the relics can be seen today directly behind the high altar in the Cathedral. Fervent pilgrims began to flock to Cologne, which quickly became one of the primary religious sites in Germany. A fabulous shrine was seen to need a stupendous church to house it, and the city of Cologne set about rebuilding its cathedral on a grand scale.

Construction was begun in 1248 by the Archbishop Konrad von Hochstaden, in order to provide a more fitting cathedral to house the relics of the Three Magi. By 1265, the first of the chapels along the back of the cathedral were completed and in 1322, the Inner Choir with the High Altar was consecrated (even though this section had been completed around 1300). After 1322, the pace of construction slowed considerably, eventually grinding to a halt in 1560 due to a lack of funds. It was not until 1842 that construction was resumed by the King of Prussia, Friedrich Wilhelm IV. It took another 32 years of work to finish the Cathedral, with the last stonework being placed upon the South Tower in 1880. After taking 632 years to complete (1248-1880), the Cathedral Church of SS. Peter and Mary in Cologne is the largest Gothic structure in northern Europe. It is currently the most visited building in Germany -- with 15,000,000 people a year come to view its beauty and its treasures.

The shrine of the Three Wise Men is so famous that the church itself has become popularly known as the Dreikoenigenkirche (the Church of the Three Kings). In 1906, some of the bones were returned to Milan and are now kept in an urn just above the altar of the Magi. The cathedral was severely damaged by Allied bombing during WWII. The restoration was finished in 1956. However, the golden shrine which contained the relics was not damaged. Sources: Alan E Mack from postings to Christmas International at Yahoo.com on January 5 and January 11, 2003 The Three Kings & the Star - Archaeology Magazine Archive The Three Kings & the Star December 21, 2004 (Forschungsarchiv für Antike Plastik) [LARGER IMAGE] Matthew and John of Hildesheim One of the most evocative tales in the Bible is that of the journey made by the wise men to Bethlehem. Today, the Three Kings and the Star are celebrated in Christmas carols, on greeting cards, and with front-yard light displays. But the popularity of the story is not new.

From a just few lines in the book of Matthew, the story and veneration of the three grew over the centuries. And, in Cologne, Germany, there is a gilded shrine that, if you choose to believe, has held the remains of the wise men since the middle ages. Matthew calls the three travelers "magi" and says that they came from the east, having seen a star. After their interview with Herod, "the star which they had seen in the east went before them till it came to rest over the place where the child was." Having located the infant Jesus and presented their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, they departed, returning home by another route so as to evade Herod. ( Click here for the text from Matthew .) Beyond that, there is nothing. In Matthew, we aren't told their names, how many there were, or even if they were all men. They were not even kings. The elaborate story that we know today can be found in the Historia Trium Regum , the History of the Three Kings, which is attributed to the fourteenth-century cleric John of Hildesheim .

In this compilation of the legend, we are told much more about the star: "When the day of the nativity was passed the Star ascended up into the firmament, and it had right many long streaks and beams, more burning and brighter than a brand of fire; and as an eagle flying and beating the air with his wings, right so the streaks and beams of the Star stirred about." And we are told that the three wise men, named Melchior, Balthazar, and Gaspar, are the kings of "Ind, Chaldea, and Persia." They only meet on the outskirts of Jerusalem having traveled from their own lands "in great haste" and without stopping. And so they reach Bethlehem and present their gifts. When the kings depart, they continue together until the reach the Hill of Vaws, or Hill of Victory, on the border of Ind, where a watchtower was maintained (it was here that the Star was first sighted). There, before departing to their own countries, the three made "a fair chapel in worship of the Child they had sought.

Also they agreed to meet together at the same place once in the year, and they ordained that the Hill of Vaws should be the place of their burial." John of Hildesheim continues the story of the wise men: "after many years" a Star appears above the cities in which the kings dwell just before Christmas, indicating to them that their lives were nearing an end. "Then with one consent they built, at the Hill of Vaws, a fair and large tomb, and there the three Holy Kings...died and were buried in the same tomb by their sorrowing people." If we were to assume that this actually happened, that all three died at the same place at the same time, it might have been in the mid-first century (since the kings were adults already in Bethlehem). If so, the kings had little more than two centuries of rest in their tomb before beginning another journey. Their tour director would be Helena, the mother of Constantine and now St. Helena. After 323-324, when he defeated his last rival, Constantine began rebuilding the city of Byzantium. He rededicated it as Constantinople in the year 330.

One of the new buildings was the church Saint Sophia (Holy Wisdom), the first of three that would have that name. In the same period, Helena went to the Holy Land and collected various relics, including the true cross, and brought them home to Constantinople (see Cynewulf for an unusual retelling of this). The relics of the wise men were among her trophies: "Queen Helen...began to think greatly of the bodies of these three kings, and she arrayed herself, and accompanied by many attendants, went into the Land of Ind...after she had found the bodies of Melchior, Balthazar, and Casper, Queen Helen put them into one chest and ornamented it with great riches, and she brought them into Constantinople...and laid them in a church that is called Saint Sophia." John of Hildesheim is rather brief about the wise men's later career. On Constantine's death, he says a persecution of Christians led to the relics being moved by the emperor Mauricius, who had them placed in a church in Milan. This may refer to the attempted pagan restoration under Julian (361-363), but Mauricius is a bit later (582-602).

Much later, Frederick I, the Holy Roman Emperor, was at war in Italy and requested aid against Milan, which the Archbishop of Cologne Rainald von Dassel provided in the form of an army. The grateful Frederick rewarded him with the relics of the wise men in 1164. And to Cologne the relics were taken, and there--whoever the bones belong to--they remain today. The Mummy Detective and the Magi The Learning Channel's "Mummy Detective" series takes on the biblical wise men in an episode titled "The Three Kings" to be broadcast on December 23. It starts with some engaging hook lines from the show's host, Egyptologist Bob Brier, a contributing editor to ARCHAEOLOGY, who presents the wise men as the "most mysterious characters in the Bible" and promises to track down what may be the "only relics of people who actually knew Jesus." At the end of an hour, will we agree that these "could just be the real deal"? The program has the hallmarks of Bob Brier in pursuit of something--animated and sometimes quirky language ("Herod was not a happy camper") and a fast pace. The Three Kings subject provides opportunities to look for evidence in unusual places.

A card store and Christmas light displays in front of houses provide examples of the traditions about the kings we know today. These scenes are instructive in showing what comes from the few biblical references to the wise men (or is appropriate for the time) and what was added later: camels on the cards okay; crowns not. Footage takes us from Bronx neighborhoods to the Persian capital of Persepolis to Bethlehem (where a local shepherd is asked what time of year he watches his flocks by night), to Cologne, Germany. From Ravenna, Italy, we see the famous mid-sixth-century mosaic of the wise men from the Basilica of St. Apollinarius (they are also in a mosaic of the Byzantine empress Theodora, appearing as embroidered figures on the hem of her mantle, at Ravenna's San Vitale). The mosaic is used to establish the eastern origins of the wise men based on their clothing. Their hats and trousers are compared to reliefs from Persepolis showing what are identified as Parthians in pointy hats and trousers.

Brier says this Parthian connection and the Greek word used to name them, magoi, identifies the wise men as members of the Zoroastrian religion from Persia (the footage showing a Zoroastrian temple in Iran today is very interesting). One could argue that the caps worn in the Ravenna mosaic are the same old, floppy Phrygian caps long known in classical art, or that the trousers are known from many steppe peoples, such as the Scythians . At any rate, we have the wise men coming from the east, as the Bible says, and as their costume (depicted centuries later) indicates. So, what were they following? Brier quickly runs through the errors of the monk Dionysius, who was assigned the job of revising the calendar but left out five years by accident. The traditional date of Christmas, he says, is nothing more or less than the birth date of the Roman sun god Sol Invictus. This leaves us with a birth of Jesus in 6-5 B.C., at some unknown time of year. This is where the program digs into the astronomy, using an expert from Rutgers University. Their candidate for the Star of Bethlehem?

The conjunction of the planets Venus, Saturn, Jupiter rising among the constellation Aries the ram in April of 6 B.C. It's an interesting proposal and uses the biblical text, an ancient coin stamped with a sheep and star, and computer simulations of the movements of the planets millennia ago. But viewers of titled "The Three Kings" should be aware that there are other explanations of the star that seem to fit the evidence, for example the conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in the constellation Pisces that occurred three times in the year 7 B.C. (see astronomer Anthony Aveni's November/December 1998 ARCHAEOLOGY article on this). Both possibilities have pros and cons. Meanwhile, Brier and "The Three Kings" move on to Cologne and its magnificent cathedral and the shrine with which supposedly contains the remains of the magi. We are shown a fourteenth-century fresco of St. Helena, but is this evidence that the relics are from Constantinople, or merely evidence that the painters were illustrating the well known story of her finding the relics? And, after all, there's no guarantee Helena got the right men since Matthew doesn't say there were three (or they were all men) to begin with.

Fragments of textiles from within the shrine are dyed purple and consistent with Syrian weaving of the second through third centuries, so the cloth in which the relics are laid does not suggest this is just another example of the medieval faking of holy relics. And what about the bones? Well, access was limited to say the least, but using a photograph of the shrine in which the backs of three gold-crowned skulls can be seen, Brier comes up with a neat bit of evidence. In the Ravenna mosaic, the three kings are shown as an older, middle-aged, and young man. At the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University, Brier's home base, they zoom in on the skulls and print out the image at poster size. Sure enough the sutures (which knit together the bones of the cranium) indicate that the three are younger (sutures open), middle (partly fused), older (fused and smoothed over). So the skulls in Cologne do match the sixth-century Ravenna mosaic. And the cloth in the shrine looks even older.

But does this mean that the wise men--said in John of Hildesheim's account to have lived for "many years"--somehow kept their cranial sutures unchanged from the time they went to Bethlehem to the time they passed away? Hmm... There is just enough evidence here to weave an engaging story, and Brier has done that (and added new evidence), but for many reasons I was not convinced at the end that the bones in Cologne are "the real deal." Ultimately, the basic facts, from the few lines in Matthew, give too little to go on. Relying on the later tale raises questions of circular arguments. Could the Cologne relics simply reflect the later story rather than being the originals? Perhaps they are three gentleman from Constantinople or somewhere in Palestine who were available for the role when Helena went on her search. Regardless of the answer, "The Three Kings" is entertaining and covers a lot of ground. It's worth having a look at. Mark Rose is executive editor/online editor of ARCHAEOLOGY.

© 2004 by the Archaeological Institute of America archive.archaeology.org/online/reviews/threekings/ Was one of the three wise men, Balthasar, really a black man like some artwork depicts? - Busted Halo Was one of the three wise men, Balthasar, really a black man like some artwork depicts? By Ann Naffziger July 29, 2011 According to legend in Western Christianity, there were three “wise men,” their names were Melchior, Caspar, and Balthasar, and they were of various ethnic/racial origins. However, Matthew’s account of the magi’s visit (which is the only reference in the Bible to these famed visitors) tells us none of these details. Because Matthew tells us that the magi brought Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, popular imagination has pictured three gift-bearers, although Matthew didn’t say how many there were. In fact, in the East, tradition has generally pictured 12 magi. It was later tradition, not Matthew, who named the magi. A document dated to about 500 A.D.

lists the names of Melchior, Caspar, and Balthasar, a tradition that has been maintained in Western Christianity. Other Eastern Christian churches have asribed other names to these figures. Finally, Matthew’s gospel doesn’t specify where the magi originated from, except to say that they came “from the East.” The East could have been Babylonia or Persia, although later legends imagined them originating from destinations as varied as India and China. Ultimately, we simply don’t know how many magi there were, what their names were, or what color skin they had. names - Balthazar, 'Caspar' and Melchior - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange 980104184 closed as general reference by MetaEd ♦, FumbleFingers , J.R. , simchona Sep 11 '12 at 21:53 This question is too basic; it can be definitively and permanently answered by a single link to a standard internet reference source designed specifically to find that type of information.If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center , please edit the question . 1 Where have you looked for the answer?

(Just so others don't waste their time repeating your research) – Andrew Leach♦ Sep 11 '12 at 20:53 2 (I think you might have your second syllables switched around: I usually see CaspEr and GaspAr.) This might be related to how in Latin, the cognomen Gaius is abbreviated C. The two sounds are closely related - one is just the voiceless version of the other. – Marthaª Sep 11 '12 at 20:54 2 This question can be improved by doing your research, showing the results in your question, and explaining what it is you still need explained. – MetaEd♦ Sep 11 '12 at 21:26 I've voted to close as Too Localised. It's not General Reference, since it now seems that even Wikipedia just makes things up about which is "more common". But the spelling of such obscure historical proper names is not what I consider of general interest to future visitors here. Strictly speaking, it's probably Off Topic.

– FumbleFingers Sep 11 '12 at 21:44 Etymonline only adds that "Jasper [is the] English form of Caspar or of Gaspar, the traditional name of one of the Three Kings". It would probably take a biblical historian to trace all the variations that occur in the literature. Suffice it to say, Gasper and Caspar are both in common use (I've even seen both in video games, which may qualify as "mass media") and have been for some time. – Zairja Sep 11 '12 at 21:53 The Three Kings: Gaspar, Melchior and Balthasar - Yes Magazine The Three Kings: Gaspar, Melchior and Balthasar The Three Kings: Gaspar, Melchior and Balthasar Yes The Three Kings: Gaspar, Melchior and Balthasar by Miles Pratt What is the evidence to support 1 the idea of three kings – Gaspar, Melchior and Balthasar – coming to bring gold, frankincense 2 and myrrh to the infant Jesus? Were they Kings? The individuals who visited the infant Jesus were not kings.

It is inconceivable that a king would make this long and possibly dangerous desert journey without his entourage 3 of bodyguards 4 and servants. No early Christian leader ever referred to them as ‘kings’. Moreover, the Gospel of Matthew (the only New Testament text which mentions them) describes the visitors not as ‘kings’, but as magoi – a Greek term which is often translated as ‘astrologer’ or ‘magician’. Indeed, 5 magoi (singular magos) is the root 6 of the English words ‘magician’ and ‘magic’, which come to us via the Latin Magi (singular magus). 7 The Greeks used magoi to refer to members of the ancient Persian priesthood. 8 These priests were known as men of learning, astrologers and astronomers who could not only interpret the stars, but also use other forms of fortune-telling. 9 It seems probable that they were highly 10 respected scholars, 11 so our other names for these people: ‘Wise Men’ and, of course, ‘Magi’ are much more appropriate than ‘kings’.

The ancient historian Herodotus (5th century B.C.) also described the Persian priest class as highly skilled 12 astrologers. At the time of Christ’s birth the Magoi also formed the upper house of the Council of Megistanes, whose duties 13 included electing the kings of the Parthian Empire. 14 So: the people who visited Jesus were not kings, but they may have been king-makers! If this is the case, the visit of these ‘king-makers’ could be interpreted as confirmation of the infant’s destiny to be ‘King of the Jews’. Were There Three of Them? Nowhere in the New Testament are we told that there were three of these visiting VIPs. 15 The Gospel of Matthew mentions ‘the Magi’ (i.e. 16 in plural) and says that they brought three gifts, but does not actually 17 say how many Magi there were. Early Christian tradition is inconsistent on this point – one early Christian painting in Rome shows two Magi, while another shows four. Other early Christian art shows as many as eight Magi. St. Leo the Great and St.

Maximus accepted three, as does the western Christian tradition today, but the eastern tradition favours 12! To confuse things further, 18 in the 13th Century Marco Polo heard a version of the visit in which there were only two Magi. What Were their Names? We don’t know: the names Gaspar, Melchior and Balthasar appear in documents dating from the 7th Century, when the idea of the ‘Three Kings’ had already become established in the Western Christian tradition. But the eastern tradition has other names, and there is also a 6th-century Syrian text which names them as Hormizdah, Yazdegerd and Perozadh. Where Did They Come From? Probably from Persia – modern day Iran – part of the ancient Parthian Empire, to the east of the Roman Empire’s borders. 19 The Magoi mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew were a caste of priests/scholars 20 who were specifically Persian in origin – the Greek word magos derives from Maga 21 the name for these priests in their own language, Avesta.

The possible names of the Magi are also Persian – Gaspar, Melchior and Balthasar are thought to be Babylonian names which later spread 22 through the rest of the Persian Empire. 23 The names in the Syrian text, mentioned above, are all Persian too. In early Christian art, the Magi are shown in typical Persian dress. The idea that they came from three different countries seems to be false. There is a story that they came from Tarshish, Sheba and Seba (kingdoms identified with Spain, Ethiopia and Arabia) but this notion is simply borrowed from earlier Jewish texts and has no historical support. 24 The idea that one was black, one white and one oriental/Arabian (as they appear on our Christmas cards!) is a later European invention. Matthew tells us that the Magi were from one country – it was almost 25 certainly Persia. The Gifts 26 Matthew’s Gospel names the gifts: 27 Gold, Frankincense 28 and Myrrh.

These gifts were all of incredible value and highly symbolic: Gold was the gift for a king, Frankincense a gift for a priest, and Myrrh was a funeral ointment 29 for one who would die (an anticipation of the crucifixion?). Frankincense and Myrrh were highly prized, coming from sacred sources. 30 They had to be imported, expensively, by camel caravan from Arabia and modern-day Yemen, and were equal in value to the Gold. The Magi were almost certainly followers of the Zoroastrian religion (named after their prophet Zarathushtra or Zoroaster). Even today, offerings of Frankincense and Myrrh are made at the altars of Zoroastrian temples. to support – back, justify ↩ frankincense – type of incense from tree resin ↩ entourage – retinue, escort, cortège, group of followers ↩ bodyguard – minder, sb. who protects you ↩ indeed – (emphatic) in fact ↩ root – (in this case) source, origin ↩ The words Magi and Magoi are also related to our word magnanimous (= ‘great’, ‘generous’).

↩ priesthood – collection of holy men, religious caste ↩ fortune-telling – predicting the future using magic ↩ highly – very ↩ scholar – (false friend) academic, educated person (not ‘schoolboy’) ↩ skilled – talented, able, specialized ↩ Parthian Empire – dominant power in the Middle East between 250BC and 230AD ↩ VIP – very important person, celebrity ↩ i.e.

– (id est) that is ↩ actually – (false friend) in fact ↩ further – (in this case) more ↩ border – frontier ↩ scholar – (false friend) academic, educated person (not ‘schoolboy’) ↩ in Sanskrit Magha, from the root maz/mah (= to be great, generous, magnanimous) ↩ to spread (spread-spread-spread) – propagate, be disseminated ↩ when Daniel was made captive by the Babylonians they renamed him Belteshezzar (= Balthasar) ↩ support (n.) – backing, (in this case) verification ↩ almost – nearly, practically, virtually ↩ Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar | The Fellowship of The King The Fellowship of The King Literary Expressions of Catholic Homeschoolers and Homeschool Graduates Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar “Are we there yet?” “Balthazar, you know the star hasn’t stopped moving yet,” grumbled an older man. “I know, I was asking the star that,” quipped Balthazar. His older comrade merely rolled his eyes.

The third member of their party who looked to be between their ages, chuckled, “Don’t worry Balthazar, we’ll get there shortly. But I think that if you keep asking the star how long it’s going to take, Caspar just might have a mind to turn us around and have us travel all the way back home. We wouldn’t be able to see the new King that way, will we?” Balthazar sighed, “No, we wouldn’t, but we have been traveling for weeks! How much longer do you think we have to go, Melchior?” Melchior shrugged, “As long as it will take until we find the new King. Come on, it’ll be worth it, trust me.” “Oh I know it’ll be worth it, I just want to know how much longer.” “Keep asking, and the star just might make us travel longer,” grumbled Caspar.

Melchior laughed, “Caspar, I think you just made a joke!” Balthazar groaned, “Right, like that star has a mind of its own, Caspar.” “Well, considering it did show up to announce the arrival of the new King, why shouldn’t it?” Balthazar and Melchior merely glanced at each other, unsure of what to say. They continued on in silence then, stopping only for dinner and sleep. The next two days passed just as uneventfully, only with more mumblings and grumblings from the three, primarily Balthazar and Caspar. On the third day, they entered a city, the capital of Israel, in fact, Jerusalem. They figured it best to head straight to the ruler, Herod himself. He greeted them warmly, gave them comfortable beds to sleep in for the night, and a hearty breakfast the next day. “Ah, that was delicious, Herod! Your chef is excellent!” exclaimed Melchior. “Thank you, my lord. Pray, tell me, why do you travel hither?” The three glanced at each other, Caspar nodding.

“Well, sire, we’re looking for someone, and, well, maybe you can help us,” stated Balthazar. “How can I help you? And for whom do you seek?” “We seek the new King of Israel, sire. We have been following the star that announces His birth. Do not your priests have prophecies of where he is to be born?” A wave of anger seemed to pass over Herod’s face before quickly passing away into a twinge of surprise. “The new King of Israel, huh? I shall ask my priests if they know anything. Perhaps you will stay until they have found something?” “That would be most appreciated; thank you, Herod.” Caspar bowed his head to the ruler. Herod bowed his head in return, “You are most welcome. If you wish, I may lend you one of my servants to show you around our lovely city until dinner.” “That would be . . . most refreshing, sire. Again, we thank you.” The four bowed their heads solemnly before Herod called a servant to show them around, promising to send another servant to find them if the priests found anything before dinner. The three enjoyed their brief tour of the city before returning to dinner at Herod’s.

The priests came in soon after it ended. “My lord, the information you seek…” began the eldest one. Herod shot a glance at the three before saying, “Yes, speak. What did you find?” “The child you search for is to be born in Bethlehem,” replied the priest. Melchior raised an eyebrow, “Bethlehem?” The priest nodded,.“Yes sire, a small town not far from here, actually.” “I can send one of my servants with you to show you the way,” offered Herod. “That would be most appreciated; thank you,” smiled Melchior. Caspar rose from the table. “And now, if you’ll excuse us, we should head off to bed. We have a long day of travelling ahead of us.” Herod rose. “Of course, my lords. Good night, and sleep well.” The other two rose and bowed their heads. “Thank you again, your majesty.” “Not at all, my pleasure. Oh, I might not see you when you leave, so if you could, come back and tell me where this child is? I too wish to give him homage.” “We will; good night!” Balthazar replied before the three left the room.

“Balthazar, why did you agree to do as he asked?” grumbled Caspar as soon as the door closed behind them. “Well, he wished to pay homage to the newborn King as well, why should we not return and tell him where the child is?” “But that might not be his real intentions! If he wished to pay homage, why does he not come with us and search for him?” “Come, my friends, we should not argue before bed. If his intentions are false, then God Himself will let us know.” “Very well…good night Melchior, Balthazar,” sighed Caspar. “Goodnight,” echoed the other two. Within minutes, they were sound asleep. They were up bright and early the next morning, leaving immediately after breakfast with one of Herod’s servants to lead them to Bethlehem. The journey went fairly quickly, the group arriving at the gates of Bethlehem within two days. The servant left them at the gates, not able to lead them any further as he did not know where in Bethlehem the new King was. The three Magi continued on, letting the star guide them the rest of the way. Their spirits were light and joyous, realizing that their journey was almost over.

Soon, they would be laying their gifts at the feet of the newborn King. The star eventually stopped over a spot, and with eagerness, they rushed towards it, slowing down a bit when they got a good look at it. It was nothing more than a stable. They glanced at each other, wondering, what manner of house this was. True, they did know he was to be born in a lowly place, but they had not expected it to be this lowly. They did not doubt the star, though, and proceeded forward to the humble abode. Caspar called out, “Hello?” A figure stirred among the shadows and walked out into the open. It was a middle-aged man, probably about thirty, who stood before them. “May I ask why you are here?” he asked in a kind but stern voice. “We seek to pay homage to the newborn King, of whose star we have been following,” Caspar replied, indicating the star that shone overhead. The man glanced at the star before turning back to the Magi. “Please wait a minute; I shall be right back.” With that, he went into the stable. The three Magi glanced at each other as soft whispers could be barely heard coming from the stable.

It wasn’t long before the man came back out, and with a lantern. “You may enter,” he stated with a slight bow of his head. “Thank you.” The three quickly gathered things from their packs before following the man into the stable. There, in a manger, laid a baby no older than a year, tended to by his mother, a maid no older than sixteen. She laid her eyes upon them, filled with kindness and wisdom. “Welcome,” she smiled at them. The three bowed their heads reverently to the maiden. “Thank you. We have brought presents for the newborn King.” She nodded, and turned her eyes to the Baby lying in the manger. The three understood her meaning, and, one by one, knelt in front of the manger to lay their gifts at His feet. Caspar went first. “I bring gold for the King,” he announced, laying a bag of gold at the foot of the manger. Next was Melchior. “I have frankincense for the Son of God.” He opened a box to reveal several sticks of incense before laying it next to the gold.

He glanced at the mother, “May I kiss His feet?” She smiled and nodded, removing the cloth around His feet. Melchior gently kissed the bare feet before rising, allowing Balthazar to go next. He did not say what he had brought or what it was for, but once everyone saw it was myrrh, they knew, even the young mother. The Magi could see with one glance that the young mother knew what was coming for the babe; her eyes showed a deep sorrow at the sight of the myrrh. She knew, she knew far too well what was coming. She was the mother of the King, God, and Savior of the world…how could she not? Balthazar surprised them all by taking her fair hands in his darker ones and spoke to her. “All shall be well, my lady, all shall be well. Just keep trusting in God.” She smiled, “I shall.” Balthazar smiled at her before gently kissing her hands, and turned to kiss the Babe’s feet. The three stayed a while longer, getting to know the little family, giving them blankets and coats to last them through the winter.

They spent the night just outside the stable, where an angel of God came to them, telling them of Herod’s true intentions for the Christ Child and bade them to go a different way home. The next day, they had left Bethlehem, taking another route home. “Ugh, I wish that angel had given us directions.” “What do you mean? He did give us directions!” “To get home, Balthazar! My goodness, must I do all the thinking for you? And that thing you did to the mother of God . . .” “I just kissed her hands.” “Whatever! You should still ask permission! Melchior, please tell him it was inappropriate.” “It was.” “But why?” “Because I should have done it first.” “Melchior!” Balthazar and Melchior burst out laughing; even Caspar found it hard not to laugh. The star was still shining over Bethlehem, bringing joy and peace to those who heard its call. —

Question: Who were Balthazar, Melchior and Caspar?
Answer: The Three Wise Men