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Spain / Catalonia: The 'Three Wise Kings' or Magi, traditionally named as Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar, as represented in the Catalan Atlas, by the Jewish illustrator Cresques Abraham, 1375

Spain / Catalonia: The 'Three Wise Kings' or Magi, traditionally named as Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar, as represented in the Catalan Atlas, by the Jewish illustrator Cresques Abraham, 1375

The Magi, also referred to as the Three Wise Men or Three Kings, were, in the Gospel of Matthew and Christian tradition, a group of distinguished foreigners who visited Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. They are regular figures in traditional accounts of the nativity celebrations of Christmas and are an important part of Christian tradition.

The New Testament does not give the names of the Magi. However, traditions and legends identify a variety of different names for them. In the Western Christian church, they have been all regarded as saints and are commonly known as Melchior, a Persian scholar; Caspar, an Indian scholar; and Balthazar, a Babylonian scholar.

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