www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West The Magi

In the West the Magi are usually known as Gaspar, Melchior and Balthasar. In the East they have several other names, the Syrians list 3 of them as Larvandad, Hormisdas and Gushnasaph, while the Armenians give two of there names as Kagba and Badadilma. They may have come from Tharsis, Arabia and Saba, and they made a journey that took 3 months to a year over a distance of 1000 to 1200 miles. They probably travelled across the Syrian Desert between the Euphrates River and Syria, then passed through Aleppo, Palmyra and Damascus, before heading South along the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River, where they may have forded near Jericho for the final leg of the journey, Jerusalem and then on to Bethlehem.

Obviously a direct passage to Bethlehem was impossible in those days, as the Syrian Desert is too desolate and inhospitable in many places.

After being warned of King Herod's evil intentions in a dream, the Magi may have returned by heading South to Beersheba, then around the Dead Sea and through the land of Moab to the Mecca route.

Very interesting.

Mexico has a very particular tradition about the Magi. Here the day 6th january is celebrated as a second christmas, kids expect gifts from the Magi Kings the night of the 5th and that night we have a hot chocolate and a "rosca" (like a wheel of bread, late at night.

According to our own tradition, Melchior comes in a horse and was Persian (and he is depicted blonde, maybe as a memory of King Alexander Magne), Gaspar was Arab and he is depicted as a beardless Arab man, while Balthasar comes with an Elephant from Ethiopia (and he's depicted as an African king).

The day 6th january we also used to have the commemoration of the Baptism of Jesus Christ. Kids would throw hot water to the freezing air so it made strange noises (the water) and this was the way Christ baptism was conmemorated in popular celebrations (although no one knew it). Recently the government forbid all kind of popular celebrations that waste the scarce water we have (Easter and 6th january).

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Mexican:

According to our own tradition, Melchior comes in a horse and was Persian (and he is depicted blonde, maybe as a memory of King Alexander Magne), Gaspar was Arab and he is depicted as a beardless Arab man, while Balthasar comes with an Elephant from Ethiopia (and he's depicted as an African king).

Dear Mexican,

Do you know if this depiction comes from Spain or from another source ??

After reading the Gospel of St Matthew today, I began wondering if the Star of Bethlehem was only invisible to those of good will. King Herod appears to have been unaware of the star, and even inquired as to exactly when it became visible to the Magi.