THE THREE MAGI

THE THREE MAGI, the "wise men from the East" mentioned in Matt. ii. - Melchior, an old man, who brought gold, the emblem of royalty; Gaspar, a youth, who brought frankincense, the emblem of divinity; Balthazar, a Moor, who brought myrrh, the emblem of humanity - and who were eventually regarded as the patron saints of travellers.