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Christmas Carnivals » Christmas Gold, Incense and Myrrh |
Christmas Gold, Incense and Myrrh |
Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh were the three gifts the Wise men (also called The Three Kings or Magi) brought from the East to celebrate the birth of the baby Jesus. Gold befits a king; frankincense belongs to the service of God; with myrrh they treat the bodies of dead men so that they decay less rapidly.
The Wise Men worshipped Christ and offered him significant gifts.
Myrrh is a gum resin from certain trees, which can be found in Africa and Arabia. During Biblical times, myrrh was used in making perfume and incense. The tree called Commiphora or DinDin produces the sap when the bark is cut. When the myrrh hardens it is usually made into powder, which was used in perfumes and as incense. During the time Jesus was born, myrrh was very valuable. In addition to being used in perfumes and incense, myrrh was also used in ointment in embalming by the Egyptians and as a medicine for sores and wounds.
Frankincense is also a gum resin similar to myrrh from the tree Boswellia Thurifera found in the Middle East and Somalia. The younger the tree the more valuable and the better the sap. When the bark is cut, the sap is left to harden on the tree for about 3 months. When it is ready, it is scraped off into containers. Frankincense was used in incense for religious and government ceremonies. Although its use as incense was more popular, frankincense was also used in perfume. And the charred frankincense is still used today in kohl, a black eyeliner Middle Easterners wear under their eyes. Churches all over Europe still use incense during certain ceremonies.
Ancient Persian exported the gold to kings and emperors in Asia and the Middle East. Gold has always been a valuable metal and during that time Gold Coins were very much prevalent. All the three gifts were chosen on their individual attributes and also based on their popularity.
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