In the Gospel of Matthew, an event is described when, following the Star of Bethlehem, three wise men or kings from the East came to worship Jesus.
They are most commonly depicted and represented as men of various life stages (young, mature, and elderly) and different races or skin colours. It is not known where they came from or what their names were, but since the 8th century, the names Balthasar, Melchior, and Gaspar have become commonly associated with them. They are representatives of pagan nations whom God called into His kingdom by revealing to them the birth of the Saviour. Their names carry strong symbolism: Melchior in Hebrew means “king of light”, Balthazar in Assyrian means “God protects his life”, and Gaspar in Persian means “Guardian of treasures”. The gifts they brought to the child Jesus also have their symbolism: myrtle was given as a gift to him as a man, incense as a gift to him as God, and gold as a gift to him as a King.
The Feast of the Epiphany or Three Kings' Day is celebrated on January 6th, the sixth day of the new year, with joyful celebrations, best wishes, and gifts to commemorate their arrival. Every act of giving is an expression of gratitude, respect, or love. Today, it is the same as it was in the time when the Three Kings presented gifts to the infant Jesus, whose arrival heralded a new dawn of human existence.
(Željka Šaravanja)
