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The Sacred Resting Place of the Magi Kings

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KOLM 1In the heart of Cologne, Germany, where the Rhine River whispers ancient secrets to the cobblestone streets, lies the sacred resting place of the Magi Kings. The three wise men from the East once embarked on an extraordinary journey guided by faith and celestial wonders. Their earthly journey long concluded, they now repose within the grand cathedral that bears their name, the Kölner Dom. The great edifice, with its towering spires piercing the heavens, stands as a testament to the awe and reverence inspired by these wise men of old. Here, beneath the watchful gaze of Gothic arches and stained glass, the Magi find eternal peace, their bones encased in a golden reliquary that gleams like a distant star in the dim light of the nave.

In their time, the Magi lived in a world unburdened by the clamor of modern invention. No screens flickered with artificial light, no cacophony of digital voices clamored for their attention. The Internet, with its endless streams of information and distraction, was but a distant thing of a future they would never know. Nor were they swayed by the modern belief in ignorance, the widespread refusal to acknowledge what we do not know. Instead, their existence was one of quiet contemplation, their minds free to wander the vast expanse of the night sky without the tethers of technology.

Their hearts were filled with awe and wonder as they pondered the mysteries of existence, sharing a deep sense of reverence for the universe they were privileged to behold. This sense of wonder and contemplation was not an intellectual pursuit but a spiritual journey that brought them closer to the divine.

They were men of the stars, these Magi, and the night sky was their cathedral. With their own eyes, they gazed upon the celestial tapestry, each twinkling light a silent hymn to the majesty of creation. Their existence was a canvas of stars, vast and untainted, inviting contemplation and wonder. In the stillness of the desert, under the canopy of the heavens, they found a profound connection to the universe—a calm, eternal presence that spoke to the depths of their souls. To them, the stars were not mere points of light, but windows into the divine, each one a testament to the handiwork of a Creator whose power and love were boundless.

KOLM2 1During their lifetimes, the Magi’s sense of wonder was divinely rewarded. A miraculous sign appeared in the night sky—a star, unlike any they had seen before, sent by God to guide them. And so, it was with a sense of wonder that they beheld this sign, a star, radiant and resolute, blazing across the firmament like a beacon of truth.

This celestial herald, sent by God Himself, beckoned them to embark on a journey of faith and revelation. This heavenly beacon led them on a sacred pilgrimage, spanning miles and crossing distant lands, directing them to the birthplace of Jesus Christ, the truth they sought. They followed its light across deserts and mountains, through the trials of the unknown, until at last it led them to a humble stable in Bethlehem. There, in the presence of a newborn child, they found the fulfillment of their quest: the truth incarnate, the divine made flesh in the form of Jesus Christ, born to bring salvation to the world.

It was the proclamation that “God has entered history”, a pivotal moment where the divine intersects with the human experience, transforming the substance of history itself. Now, as they rest in peace within the Cologne Cathedral, their spirits seem to whisper stories of that long-ago journey, of the star that guided them, and of the child who changed the course of history. Their tombs, adorned with intricate carvings and precious relics, stand as a testament to the power of wonder.

The Magi existed in a realm of pure, unfiltered perception, where the mysteries of the cosmos were unveiled before their very eyes, unmediated by the distractions of today. In this space of freedom and quiet contemplation, they gazed upon the heavens, their minds and hearts open to the profound stillness of the universe. The starry sky was not a distant spectacle to be captured through a lens, but a living, breathing presence that invited them into a sacred dialogue with the divine.

Their lives were marked by a profound sense of wonder, a reverence for the unknown, and a deep trust in the guiding hand of the divine. Unlike the modern world, which often clings to ignorance as a shield against uncertainty, the Magi embraced their role as pilgrims in the vast expanse of existence. They did not seek to control or understand everything; instead, they allowed themselves to be led by the mysteries they encountered, finding solace in the humility of not knowing.

The remains of the Magi, discovered in Persia, have an intriguing and storied journey. These relics are reported to have been carried back to Constantinople by Emperor Constantine’s mother, St. Helena, known for her fervent dedication to preserving Christian relics. From Constantinople, the remains were said to have been moved to Milan. In 1164, Emperor Frederick Barbarossa gifted them to the Archbishop of Cologne, where they were enshrined in the Cologne Cathedral.

In the Mystical City of God, a book dictated to Venerable Mary of Agreda (1601-1664) by the Blessed Virgin Mary herself— describing her life and the divine plan for creation and salvation—the Blessed Virgin Mary revealed that the three Magi Kings, who came to find the divine Infant after his birth, were natives of Persia, Arabia and Sabba. They were, moreover, upright men, truthful and very just in the government of their countries.

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In her own words, the Blessed Virgin Mary added that Herod was the first one among men to seek the life of the Redeemer,

‘’The Magi and Herod pursued opposite courses: the Magi met the first inspirations and graces by the practice of the good works; thus they disposed themselves by many virtues for being called and drawn by divine revelation to the knowledge of the mysteries of the Incarnation, the birth of the divine Word and the Redemption of the human race; and through this to the happiness and perfection of the way of life.

But Herod, on the other hand, by his hard-heartedness and neglect of the helps, which God offered him for the practice of virtue, was drawn into the abyss of his measureless pride and ambition. These vices hurled him into such vast precipices of cruelty as to be the first one among men to seek the life of the Redeemer of the world under the cloak of simulated devotion and piety. In giving vent to his furious rage, he took away the life of the innocent children and attempted by so foul a measure to advance his damned and perverse undertaking.’’

The reliquary of the Magi uncovered in 1864 in Cologne Cathedral contained the skeletons of three males. The age distribution of the skeletons: a young man, a middle-aged man, and an elderly man aligns with the depiction of the Magi in a sixth-century Byzantine-style mosaic at the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna in Italy.

The first converts to Christianity were the shepherds who were visited by an angelic announcement of Jesus’ birth, as recorded in Luke 2:8-12. The journey of the three kings marks the commencement of the world’s destined conversion, a transition from a predominantly Jewish understanding of God to a universal recognition, beyond the Jewish community, of Christ’s role in salvation.

In the humble town of Bethlehem, far removed from the grandeur of palaces and the bustling cities, this commencement, the birth of Jesus, took place in the most unexpected and modest of settings—a cave. This cave, serving as a stable, was a shelter for animals and provided a stark contrast to the grandeur one might anticipate for the arrival of the Savior. It was a place of simplicity and poverty, where the rough stone walls and earthen floor bore witness to the everyday lives of shepherds and their flocks.

Despite its simplicity and poverty, the cave held a quiet, profound beauty. Its rough, hewn walls and earthen floor spoke of humility and resilience. The cave’s entrance, though small and unassuming, opened to the vast expanse of the night sky. From within this lowly abode, a majestic view stretched out, revealing the endless canopy of stars.
As the evening fell silent, the vast expanse of stars revealed itself, shimmering with a celestial brilliance that spoke of mysteries beyond human understanding. The cave’s entrance provided a window to the infinite, where the wonders of the universe were on full display. On that sacred night, as Mary and Joseph sought refuge in this humble shelter, the divine unfolded in the midst of their poverty.

Above them, a unique star shone brightly, casting its light over the landscape and illuminating the entrance of the cave. This star, a divine signal, guided the Magi from distant lands to this very spot. It was a beacon of hope and a symbol of the extraordinary event that had transpired in the most unlikely of places.

The contrast between the cave’s stark poverty and the grandeur of the starry sky created a scene of profound beauty and meaning. It was in this humble setting that the Savior of the world was born, a reminder that the divine often manifests in the simplest and most unexpected of ways. The simplicity of the surroundings did not diminish the significance of the moment; rather, it heightened the sense of divine mystery.

The open cave, with its view of the majesty above, signals the intersection of the earthly and the divine, where the infinite love of God entered into the world. The birth of Jesus in such a place of simplicity and wonder underscores the message of hope, humility, and the boundless grace that reaches out to all. The juxtaposition of the cave’s simplicity with the grandeur of the starlit heavens mirrored the paradox of the divine made flesh.

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