Gold, frankincense and myrrh: the meaning of the Magi's gifts
Every year, as Christmas and the Epiphany approach, the Three Wise Men take their place again in our nativity scenes. We remember that they followed the star to Bethlehem and offered the Infant Jesus three gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh. But why these three? Their choice was no accident: each one says something about the child who has just been born.
What the Gospel tells us
The account is found in the Gospel of Saint Matthew: “And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshipped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh” (Mt 2:11).
The Gospel says neither how many they were nor what they were called. It is tradition that, from the three gifts, counted three Magi and gave them the names Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar.
Gold: homage to the King
The most precious of metals, gold was the gift offered to kings. By laying it before the Child, the Magi recognise him as the promised King, the one they had come looking for when they asked: “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?” (Mt 2:2).
Frankincense: prayer rising to God
Frankincense, also called olibanum, is a fragrant resin that was burned in the Temple. Its rising smoke has always been an image of prayer: “Let my prayer be counted as incense before you” (Ps 141:2). By offering frankincense, the Magi worship the Child as God. Today incense still accompanies the liturgy and prayer at home. To learn more, read our article Why is incense used in the Christian tradition?.
Myrrh: a sign of Christ's humanity
Myrrh is a precious, bitter resin once used for perfumes and for embalming the dead. Offered to a newborn, it may come as a surprise: tradition sees in it a sign of Christ's humanity, he who would share our condition even unto death. Myrrh appears again at the tomb, when Nicodemus brings “a mixture of myrrh and aloes” to bury Jesus (Jn 19:39).
So the three gifts are read together: gold for the King, frankincense for God, myrrh for the man.
The Epiphany, feast of the Magi
The visit of the Magi is celebrated at the Epiphany, on 6 January, which in France is kept on the first Sunday of January. Epiphany means “manifestation”: through these wise men from the East, Christ makes himself known to all nations. It is also the day the Kings are added to the nativity scene and, in France, the day families share the galette des rois (king cake).
Giving the Magi's gifts today
Giving frankincense or myrrh at Christmas means offering a meaningful gift, directly linked to the Nativity story. In our shop, opposite the Basilica of Saint Mary Magdalene in Saint-Maximin, we have gathered these gifts in gift boxes:
the Magi Gift Box: myrrh, frankincense and incense;
the Large Magi Gift Box: with a statue of the Holy Family;
the Little Christmas Light Gift Box: myrrh, Magi incense and a tealight.
You can also put together your own gift with our myrrh oil from Jerusalem, our myrrh incense grains or our olibanum incense grains. All our items are blessed at the basilica and shipped within 48 hours, with free delivery in France from €59.
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