Who were the Magi?

Q On Jan. 8, we celebrated The Epiphany of the Lord.  In the Gospel for that day, St. Matthew tells us that Magi from the east visited Jesus after his birth.  Who were these “Magi” and how did they know about Jesus?

A The Magi were clearly dignitaries from a country east of Israel.  They may have been kings but St. Matthew does not tell us.  We know they were important and rich because they had resources to make a long trip to Israel, they could offer luxurious gifts to the newborn king, they received a royal audience with King Herod when they arrived in Jerusalem and they saw themselves worthy to congratulate a royal house on a new birth.
They were probably astrologers (those who interpreted the movement of the stars) who knew the prophecies about the star (Num 24:17) and Daniel’s prophecy concerning when the king would be born.  For a detailed explanation of Daniel’s prophecy search: “How Did the Magi Know When to Look? -  Open Heart Ministry.”
At that time, astrology was used to forecast and interpret national affairs, including the birth of kings.  So they were looking for the star.
We are not really sure where they came from.  Some say they came from Arabia; St. Justin Martyr believed this because the gifts they brought were associated with Arabia.
Some believe they came from Persia (modern day Iran); St. Clement of Alexandria believed this and early art depicts them wearing Persian clothing.  Others suggest they came from Babylon (modern day Iraq).  We really don’t know, but that’s not that important.  What’s important is that they knew they were visiting a king.
Is there any significance in the gifts the three Magi presented to Jesus?  First of all, we don’t know if there were only three Magi.  We assume there were three because they presented Jesus with three gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh.  The Gospel of St. Matthew only says Jesus was visited by Magi who, when they arrived in Jerusalem, asked “Where is the newborn king of the Jews?  We saw his star.”
“We” indicates that there were at least two Magi but there could have been three or more.  Even if there were only three, it stands to reason that more would have been in their party, such as servants, camel drivers, etc.  Tradition has identified these Magi as three wise men and named them Gaspar, Melchior and Balthazar.
The three gifts have a great significance.
Gold is a gift for a king.
Frankincense is incense and when burned represents prayer; it is used by priests.
Myrrh is a fragrant perfume used in embalming bodies; it can be seen as prophesying the death of the Messiah.  The three gifts together indicate that Jesus was a prophet, priest and a king.
Do we know what happened to the Magi after their visit?  The Gospel only says they returned home.  In “The Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary, from the Visions of Ven. Anne Catherine Emmerich,” Catherine Emmerich states they settled with their attendants close to the Promised Land and that after the raising of Lazarus from the dead, Jesus actually visited them but at that time, only two were still alive.
Now, we are not obliged to believe in private revelations but if this truly happened, what a beautiful meeting that must have been.     
One last thing — the Magi were Gentiles, not Israelites from the Promised Land.  This shows us that the kingdom of heaven is open to all.  These Gentiles were the first to respond to the Messiah, unlike the Jews who rejected him and crucified him.

Deacon Hooper is a deacon assistant at Immaculate Conception Church in Denham Springs. He can be reached at [email protected].