Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh: The Three Wise Men's Gifts Explained

The Three Wise Men brought gold, frankincense and myrrh to the Christ Child. From the second century on, Christians have read the gifts as a short creed: gold for a king, frankincense for God, and myrrh for a man who would die. The story comes from a single Gospel, and you can still burn two of the three gifts at home.

Where the story comes from

Only Matthew tells it. The whole account runs twelve verses (Matthew 2:1-12). Magi from the East see a star, ask Herod where the newborn king of the Jews is, and follow the star to Bethlehem. When they find the child with Mary his mother, they fall down, worship him, open their treasures and offer gold, frankincense and myrrh (Matthew 2:11).

Matthew never says how many Magi came, never calls them kings and never gives their names. All of that came later, and much of what people picture at the Nativity scene is tradition layered on top of the text.

Gold for the king

Gold is tribute. You bring it to a ruler. The Magi had already asked Herod for the one "born king of the Jews" (Matthew 2:2), so their first gift names the child for what they came looking for. The Church still keeps that kingship before us every year on the feast of Christ the King, which Pius XI established in 1925 and which now closes the liturgical year.

Frankincense for God

Frankincense is the resin of worship. Exodus 30 lists it among the ingredients of the sacred incense burned on the altar before the Lord each morning and evening. To offer it to someone is to treat him as God. Saint Irenaeus, writing around the year 180, already reads the second gift this way, and the Church has kept the reading ever since. Frankincense is still the main ingredient in most church incense.

Myrrh for the man who would die

Myrrh was used for anointing and for burial. It is one of the spices in the holy anointing oil of Exodus 30, and at the end of John's Gospel Nicodemus brings a large amount of myrrh and aloes to prepare the body of Jesus for the tomb (John 19:39). Giving myrrh to an infant points ahead to that day. Of the three gifts, it is the one that speaks of the Passion.

How many Magi, and were they kings?

Western tradition settled on three because there were three gifts. Some Eastern Christian traditions count more. The names Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar appear in the West by the early Middle Ages.

The Greek word magoi refers to a learned priestly class from Persia or Babylon, people who studied the stars. The idea that they were kings comes from Psalm 72, which speaks of the kings of Tarshish, Sheba and Seba bringing gifts. The oldest Christian images, in the Roman catacombs, show them as travelers in Persian dress with soft caps, not crowns.

Burning frankincense and myrrh at home on Epiphany

In the United States the Epiphany is celebrated on the Sunday between January 2 and January 8, which falls on January 3 in 2027. Many families bless the house that day, and burning the Magi's gifts while someone reads Matthew 2:1-12 fits well with it.

Here is the simple version:

1. Set the burner on a heat-safe surface away from curtains and anything that can catch.
2. Hold a quick-light charcoal tablet with tongs and light its edge. Let it spark across and wait until it is covered in a thin layer of gray ash, a few minutes.
3. Place one small piece of frankincense on the charcoal. When it is burning well, add a small piece of myrrh beside it.
4. Read the Gospel and pray. Add another small piece only when the smoke fades.
5. Let the charcoal burn out on its own and cool fully before you empty the burner.

Frankincense gives a clean, bright smoke. Myrrh is darker and more bitter. Together they are warmer than either alone. Start with less than you think you need, since two resins on one tablet make more smoke in a small room.

The Epiphany chalk blessing

A common Epiphany custom is to write the year and the Magi's initials in blessed chalk above the front door: 20 + C + M + B + 27 for 2027. The letters also stand for Christus mansionem benedicat, "May Christ bless this house." Many parishes bless chalk at the Epiphany Mass so families can take it home.

Frequently asked questions

What do gold, frankincense and myrrh mean?

Gold honors Christ as king, frankincense honors him as God, and myrrh points to his death and burial. Christian writers have read the gifts this way since at least Saint Irenaeus in the second century.

Can I burn frankincense and myrrh together?

Yes. Put a small piece of each on the same lit charcoal tablet. Start with one small piece of each and add more only when the smoke fades.

How much resin should I use at once?

A piece or two the size of a pea is enough for a room. Resin smokes more than stick incense, so it is easier to add a little than to wait for too much to burn off.

What is in the Three Wise Men kit?

0.7 oz of pure olibanum (frankincense), 0.7 oz of myrrh, a golden ceramic burner that stands for the gift of gold, 6 quick-light charcoal tablets and a pair of tongs. The resins are packed separately.

When is the Feast of the Epiphany?

The traditional date is January 6. In the United States the feast moves to the Sunday between January 2 and January 8, which is January 3 in 2027.

Or browse:

• Pure resin incense, single resins and devotional blends in larger sizes
• Incense kits, with a burner, charcoal and tongs included
• Related: How to burn myrrh resin
• Related: How to burn frankincense resin

Milagros incense is made in Aparecida, Brazil. Every order ships from Florida.