After meeting the requirements of the Law at the Temple in Jerusalem, Luke states that Joseph and Mary "returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth" (Luke 2:39). According to Matthew's Gospel, however, the Holy Family did not return to Nazareth immediately, but remained for some time in Bethlehem. We do not know whether they lived in a house built by Joseph himself, one belonging to a relative, or even the same one where Jesus was born. While there, in a story found only in Matthew, the family was visited by "Magi from the east":

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"After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, 'Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.' When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. 'In Bethlehem in Judea,' they replied, 'for this is what the prophet has written: 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.' Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, 'Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.'"

"After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route."

"When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi" (Matthew 2: 1-12, 16).

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In the footsteps of Jesus...

Bethlehem has only one monument honoring the innocent children killed by Herod "the Great" in his paranoia to eliminate a potential rival to his throne. To the north of, and connected to the Church of the Nativity, is the Church of St. Catherine of Alexandria (below, cloister and entrance), built by the Franciscans in 1881. Inside, near the entrance, a flight of steps in the south aisle leads down to the northern part of the cave system below the Church of the Nativity.

Chapel of the Holy Innocents

The first room on the left is the called the Chapel of the Holy Innocents (right), commemorating Herod's massacre of an unknown number of Bethlehem's children.

A locked door divides the maze of rock-hewn rooms and chambers beneath St. Catherine's from the Grotto of the Nativity, but this area seems more authentic than the Greek Orthodox controlled grotto with its drapery, marble and gaudy hanging lamps. Standing in the cool quietness, it is easy to reflect on the terrible night (or so we assume) of killing ordered by the sixty-nine year old, gravely ill, king so obsessed with the security of his throne that he would stop at almost nothing to secure his position.

At various times Herod executed a beloved wife, the Hasmonean princess Mariamne, her mother, his brother-in-law and three sons on suspicion of treason; he also ordered the slaughter of Jewish leaders at the hippodrome (chariot racing track) in Jericho upon his death to guarantee there would be mourning in the land after he passed away, an order that was never carried out. It is little wonder that he did not receive the news of the birth of a Jewish "king" with great enthusiasm. Even though we have no record outside Matthew's account of this atrocity, he could very well have had a dozen or so baby boys executed in Bethlehem. It was certainly in keeping with his paranoid and impulsive nature, especially during the later years of his reign. Even the flight to Egypt becomes more plausible when you consider the fact that Herod had earlier gone there when fleeing the Parthians before he was named client-king by Rome.

Who were the "Magi?" Where did they come from, when did they arrive, were there really three, what were their names, and were they kings (as in heads of state)????

Symbolically speaking, the homage paid by Matthew's Magi is a counterpoint to the announcement to the shepherds in Luke. In a move that would have reminded Matthew's Jewish readers of the Pharaoh's order at the time of the birth of Moses, Herod ordered the slaughter of all the male infants under two years old in Bethlehem. He issued this horrifying command after an unspecified number of "Magi" stop by Jerusalem to ask where the "newborn king of the Jews" is to be found. They had heard a prophecy of it and had seen an astrological sign—a star—telling of it. Matthew's wise men never cross paths with Luke's shepherds; they simply disappear from the Biblical accounts. Were they transformed somehow by this miraculous event? Did they later join Jesus' followers?

The original Greek calls them magos (mag'-os), the source of the words magi and magician. The magos or magi were originally a clan of the Medes who formed the priestly class in Persia (modern-day Iran). They were extremely well-educated and specialized in medicine, religion, astronomy, astrology, divination and magic. There is no hint of them being royalty, other than the fact that they received an audience with king Herod. Despite the establishment of a popular holiday called "Three Kings' Day," nowhere does Matthew say that there were only three of them. Some early traditions have them traveling in a caravan, numbering as high as twelve. Just because they presented three gifts to the baby Jesus, there is no reason there were three people. The fact that Herod orders the death of children under two even suggests that the "wise men" arrived in Jerusalem well after Jesus' birth. Although some translations refer to Jesus as an infant at the time of the magi's visit, Jesus is called a "child" in others. Despite the later folk tales spun around them, the magi are anonymous. Their legendary names in western traditions—Balthasar, Melchior and Caspar—emerged much later, in the 6th century AD. So did the myth that one of them was black which is simply the product of medieval imagination. Medieval Christians reasoned that the "three Magi" came from the three known continents. Thus, one of them was African and he must have been black. This is the stuff of legends.

As to the three gifts of gold, incense (frankincense) and myrrh:

Gold is symbolic of Jesus' kingship.

Frankincense is an aromatic gum resin from trees of the genus Boswellia which grow in Somalia and in the southern Arabian peninsula. It is obtained by making a deep cut in the trunk of the tree, which exudes a milky juice that on exposure to air hardens into semi-opaque whitish lumps. This substance was ground into powder and burned as an incense in Temple ritual, giving off an odor like balsam. It thus denotes Jesus' future priesthood. From ancient times through the Middle Ages, frankincense was a principal Arabian trading commodity. In the ancient world it was used for religious and medicinal purposes; today, it is an ingredient in incense and perfumes.

Myrrh, called smyrna in Greek, is an aromatic, bitter-tasting, orange colored resin obtained principally from a small thorny tree native to Anatolia (modern Turkey) and northeast Africa. (The ancient city of Smyrna—modern Izmir; one of the seven cities of Revelation—in western Turkey, 40 miles north of Ephesus, was named for it.) The myrrh tree grows from 4 to 20 feet tall and has a disproportionately thick trunk. Myrrh is exuded from the bark of the tree, either by tapping or by natural splitting, in the form of a yellow fluid that collects and hardens into small lumps known as tears. In ancient times myrrh was exported from Arabia and Somaliland and it was an expensive and highly prized ingredient in perfume, incense, cosmetics, and medicines. The Egyptians used it in embalming, filling body cavities with powdered myrrh. The Gospels relate that myrrh, mixed with wine, was offered as a pain killer to Jesus on the cross (see Mark 15:23); it was also used to anoint his dead body for burial (see John 19:39). Myrrh adds a note of irony to the Christmas story because it was present at both Jesus' birth and his death. Today, the production of myrrh is limited almost entirely to Somaliland and its value has sharply declined, the resin finding limited medicinal use in tonics and stomach remedies, and as an aid in relieving sore gums and mouth. Also, an essential oil obtained from myrrh is an ingredient of perfume.

As to the three gifts of gold, incense (frankincense) and myrrh:

Gold is symbolic of Jesus' kingship.

Frankincense is an aromatic gum resin from trees of the genus Boswellia which grow in Somalia and in the southern Arabian peninsula. It is obtained by making a deep cut in the trunk of the tree, which exudes a milky juice that on exposure to air hardens into semi-opaque whitish lumps. This substance was ground into powder and burned as an incense in Temple ritual, giving off an odor like balsam. It thus denotes Jesus' future priesthood. From ancient times through the Middle Ages, frankincense was a principal Arabian trading commodity. In the ancient world it was used for religious and medicinal purposes; today, it is an ingredient in incense and perfumes.

Myrrh, smyrna in Greek, is an aromatic, bitter-tasting, orange colored resin obtained principally from a small thorny tree native to Anatolia (modern Turkey) and northeast Africa. (The ancient city of Smyrna—modern Izmir; one of the seven cities of Revelation—in western Turkey, 40 miles north of Ephesus, was named for it.) The myrrh tree grows from 4 to 20 feet tall and has a disproportionately thick trunk. Myrrh is exuded from the bark of the tree, either by tapping or by natural splitting, in the form of a yellow fluid that collects and hardens into small lumps known as tears. In ancient times myrrh was exported from Arabia and Somaliland and it was an expensive and highly prized ingredient in perfume, incense, cosmetics, and medicines. The Egyptians used it in embalming, filling body cavities with powdered myrrh. The Gospels relate that myrrh, mixed with wine, was offered as a pain killer to Jesus on the cross (see Mark 15:23); it was also used to anoint his dead body for burial (see John 19:39). Myrrh adds a note of irony to the Christmas story because it was present at both Jesus' birth and his death. Today, the production of myrrh is limited almost entirely to Somaliland and its value has sharply declined, the resin finding limited medicinal use in tonics and stomach remedies, and as an aid in relieving sore gums and mouth. Also, an essential oil obtained from myrrh is an ingredient of perfume.

Star, comet or planetary alignment?

The star followed by the Magi has puzzled scholars for centuries and has sent many a person delving into astronomical records. Unlike comets, meteors, or most astronomical events, this was an unusual "star." It moved through the sky until reaching Bethlehem, where it stood still in the sky. An appearance of Halley's comet, often associated with Jesus' birth, occurred in 12 BC, too early to coincide with the Nativity, unless the chronology really gets stretched. The Hale-Bopp comet which attracted so much attention in 1997, was nowhere in sight. In 3 BC, the planet Jupiter rose in conjunction with Venus, the "morning star" and this might have created a celestial event. Babylonian records, verified by modern calculations, indicate there was a conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in Pisces in December of 7 BC. This configuration was joined by Mars in February of 6 BC—a spectacular massing of planets that would not have gone unnoticed. Chinese astronomical records, kept very carefully for centuries, also indicate a supernova in 5 BC, which is a possibility, since Jesus was born before Herod's death in 4 BC. Chinese astronomical records also indicate that a comet appeared for some seventy days in March-April of 5 BC near the constellation Capricorn, and would have been visible in both the Far and Near East. Throughout the night it would seemed to have moved from west to east across the southern sky. Could this have been the star that directed the wise men to Bethlehem?

The following is an astronomical reconstruction from the book "First Christmas" by Paul Maier:

"The remarkable conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in 7-6 BC alerted the Magi to important developments in Palestine, for the astrological significance closely paralleled what they had learned from Hebrew lore about a star heralding the expected Messiah. The comet of 5 BC dramatically underscored this interpretation and sent them on their way, while it was the nova (or comet) of 4 BC which appeared after they had reached Jerusalem and were seeking further information from Herod."

"The suspicious king asked the Magi when the star first appeared, and their answer, while not given, seems indicated by Herod's massacring all male infants in Bethlehem "who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi." (Matthew. 2:16). The two years are easily explained by the difference in time between the planetary conjunction and the comets (or comet and nova), and there is no suggestion in the Christmas story that the Star of Bethlehem was shining continually during the journey of the wise men. Indeed, it seemed to have disappeared before they reached Jerusalem only to reappear as they were leaving the city. That the star "went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was" need not imply any sudden visible movements on the part of the astral phenomenon. Because of the rotation of the earth, anything in the night sky appears to move generally westward through the night, except Polaris and the relatively few stars north of it. So, as the Magi traveled, the star seemed to move ahead of them, and when they reached Bethlehem, the star would indeed have seemed to stop."

As to the three gifts of gold, incense (frankincense) and myrrh:

Gold is symbolic of Jesus' kingship.

Frankincense is an aromatic gum resin from trees of the genus Boswellia which grow in Somalia and in the southern Arabian peninsula. It is obtained by making a deep cut in the trunk of the tree, which exudes a milky juice that on exposure to air hardens into semi-opaque whitish lumps. This substance was ground into powder and burned as an incense in Temple ritual, giving off an odor like balsam. It thus denotes Jesus' future priesthood. From ancient times through the Middle Ages, frankincense was a principal Arabian trading commodity. In the ancient world it was used for religious and medicinal purposes; today, it is an ingredient in incense and perfumes.

Myrrh, called smyrna in Greek, is an aromatic, bitter-tasting, orange colored resin obtained principally from a small thorny tree native to Anatolia (modern Turkey) and northeast Africa. (The ancient city of Smyrna—modern Izmir; one of the seven cities of Revelation—in western Turkey, 40 miles north of Ephesus, was named for it.) The myrrh tree grows from 4 to 20 feet tall and has a disproportionately thick trunk. Myrrh is exuded from the bark of the tree, either by tapping or by natural splitting, in the form of a yellow fluid that collects and hardens into small lumps known as tears. In ancient times myrrh was exported from Arabia and Somaliland and it was an expensive and highly prized ingredient in perfume, incense, cosmetics, and medicines. The Egyptians used it in embalming, filling body cavities with powdered myrrh. The Gospels relate that myrrh, mixed with wine, was offered as a pain killer to Jesus on the cross (see Mark 15:23); it was also used to anoint his dead body for burial (see John 19:39). Myrrh adds a note of irony to the Christmas story because it was present at both Jesus' birth and his death. Today, the production of myrrh is limited almost entirely to Somaliland and its value has sharply declined, the resin finding limited medicinal use in tonics and stomach remedies, and as an aid in relieving sore gums and mouth. Also, an essential oil obtained from myrrh is an ingredient of perfume.

Star, comet or planetary alignment?

The star followed by the Magi has puzzled scholars for centuries and has sent many a person delving into astronomical records. Unlike comets, meteors, or most astronomical events, this was an unusual "star." It moved through the sky until reaching Bethlehem, where it stood still in the sky. An appearance of Halley's comet, often associated with Jesus' birth, occurred in 12 BC, too early to coincide with the Nativity, unless the chronology really gets stretched. The Hale-Bopp comet which attracted so much attention in 1997, was nowhere in sight. In 3 BC, the planet Jupiter rose in conjunction with Venus, the "morning star" and this might have created a celestial event. Babylonian records, verified by modern calculations, indicate there was a conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in Pisces in December of 7 BC. This configuration was joined by Mars in February of 6 BC—a spectacular massing of planets that would not have gone unnoticed. Chinese astronomical records, kept very carefully for centuries, also indicate a supernova in 5 BC, which is a possibility, since Jesus was born before Herod's death in 4 BC. Chinese astronomical records also indicate that a comet appeared for some seventy days in March-April of 5 BC near the constellation Capricorn, and would have been visible in both the Far and Near East. Throughout the night it would seemed to have moved from west to east across the southern sky. Could this have been the star that directed the wise men to Bethlehem?

The following is an astronomical reconstruction from the book "First Christmas" by Paul Maier:

"The remarkable conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in 7-6 BC alerted the Magi to important developments in Palestine, for the astrological significance closely paralleled what they had learned from Hebrew lore about a star heralding the expected Messiah. The comet of 5 BC dramatically underscored this interpretation and sent them on their way, while it was the nova (or comet) of 4 BC which appeared after they had reached Jerusalem and were seeking further information from Herod."

"The suspicious king asked the Magi when the star first appeared, and their answer, while not given, seems indicated by Herod's massacring all male infants in Bethlehem "who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi." (Matthew. 2:16). The two years are easily explained by the difference in time between the planetary conjunction and the comets (or comet and nova), and there is no suggestion in the Christmas story that the Star of Bethlehem was shining continually during the journey of the wise men. Indeed, it seemed to have disappeared before they reached Jerusalem only to reappear as they were leaving the city. That the star "went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was" need not imply any sudden visible movements on the part of the astral phenomenon. Because of the rotation of the earth, anything in the night sky appears to move generally westward through the night, except Polaris and the relatively few stars north of it. So, as the Magi traveled, the star seemed to move ahead of them, and when they reached Bethlehem, the star would indeed have seemed to stop."