Posted by Jacqueline on Dec 29th, 2014 in Three Kings/Tres Reyes | Comments Off on Free Candle Spells | Three Kings Day
Three Kings Day – January 6th A tradition was to take the first Christmas card is received that season which had the image of the Three Kings and tape it above the inside horizontal lintel of the front door. Another variation is to tape it over the front door on the inside. These rituals are meant to remind the household to gladly welcome everyone who comes to your door and to eagerly seek out Christ every time you leave home. Another belief is that the household will receive prosperity and abundance in the year following. This is to be repeated each year. Often related to these blessings is a ritual of “chalking” the front door of the home with the numbers of the year separated by the initials, C+M+B (with the cross in between as shown). The letters traditionally refer to the legendary names of the three kings: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar (Scripture neither names them nor says there were three of them). Another tradition refers to it as the abbreviation of the Latin phrase, Christus mansionem benedicat, translated as “May Christ bless this house.” To chalk the door for Epiphany, one would write in chalk on the outside lintel above the front door (or any where on the posts of the doors): 20 + C + M + B 15. Who were the Three Kings? The idea is that they were Zoroastrian Priests, and Zoroastrianism was the dominant religion in the region of Chaldea at the time. Legend has it that if the people were going to accept Jesus as the Messiah and the rightful heir to the Throne of Israel, then endorsement and confirmation of Jesus’ existence was needed from the Priests of the world’s largest religion. If the three High Priests accepted Jesus as the Son of God, it would not be challenged by the people. It has been said that it is the Zoroastrian language is where we find the roots of our modern words “magic”, “mage” and “magician.” During the time of the New Testament, these Priests were the living representative of a Wizard/Magician. Prior titles were held by the Egyptians before them and as the Jewish people would become in the Middle Ages. Thus, the role of the Three Magi is similar to those of Moses, Solomon, Simon Magus and others who practiced magic that was recorded in various written...