Misplaced Pages

#963036

100-473: In Scandinavia and Central Europe a special set of songs, distinct from Christmas carols has developed in this context. In England, the liturgical drama developed from being performed by cathedral schoolboys in the 16th century to become a more secular mystery drama, containing also some ordinary Christmas songs and carols. Historically performed by boys and male adolescents only, it is nowadays performed by children and young people of both sexes in most regions where

200-572: A Spaniard, or "white" person, in blackface . Because so many people have become increasingly offended by this, a campaign of protest to eliminate this practice began in Spain in 2009. In Spain and also in Latin America, children prepare a drink for each of the Magi on January 5. It is also traditional to prepare food and drink for the camels, because it is believed that this is the only night of

300-708: A blessing above the main door of the home. For instance if the year is 2014, it would be "20 * C + M + B + 14". The initials refer to the Latin phrase "Christus mansionem benedicat" (= May Christ bless this house); folkloristically the letters are often interpreted as the names of the Three Wise Men (Caspar, Melchior, Balthasar). In Catholic parts of Germany and in Austria, this is done by the Sternsinger (literally "Star singers"). After having sung their songs, recited

400-693: A box or their shoes with the cuttings for the Kings' camels. They then place the box or their shoes under their bed or beside the Christmas tree. On Epiphany morning the children will find the grass gone from their shoes or box and replaced with candy and other small, sweet treats. In Spain and most Latin American countries, which are predominantly Roman Catholic , the Christmas Season officially starts on December 25 and partially ends on January 7,

500-677: A candle lamp with an ordinary handle. Whereas religious folk plays are the norm in the rest of Europe, the British folk drama is absolutely secular, even if they are mostly taking place on the Christian festival days. In the Nordic countries the Star boys' singing procession is known all along the coast, though not often in inland communities. At the end of the 1880s many objected to this Catholic form of organised begging, and officials began forbidding

600-516: A dream, about King Herod's plan to kill Jesus. And another story proposes the theory that the myrrh given to them at Jesus' birth was used to anoint Jesus' body after his crucifixion. There was a 15th-century golden case purportedly containing the Gift of the Magi housed in the Monastery of St. Paul of Mount Athos . It was donated to the monastery in the 15th century by Mara Branković , daughter of

700-637: A favorable exchange rate between the Swiss franc and the euro , and a generous German VAT refund for non- European Union residents. Retail chains such as H&M and dm have built large new stores near the town's central square to cater to this trade, and some Konstanz residents feel the city is losing its historic character in the process; many of them avoid the area on Saturdays. This has led to friction with officials from Kreuzlingen as their city has seen no economic benefit from this trade, and they have been requesting that their national government bring up

800-602: A house ( οἰκίαν , oikian ), not a stable. The New Revised Standard Version of Matthew 2:1 – 12 describes the visit of the Magi in this manner: In the time of King Herod , after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea , wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage." When King Herod heard this, he

900-465: A lost Greek manuscript probably composed in Alexandria roughly two centuries earlier. Another eighth century text, Collectanea et Flores , which was likewise a Latin translation from an original Greek account, continues the tradition of three kings and their names and gives additional details. One candidate for the origin of the name Caspar appears in the apocryphal Acts of Thomas , which gives

1000-497: A pagan symbol referring to Death. It has been suggested by scholars that the "gifts" were medicinal rather than precious material for tribute . The Syrian King Seleucus I Nicator is recorded to have offered gold, frankincense and myrrh (among other items) to Apollo in his temple at Didyma near Miletus in 288/7 BC, and this may have been the precedent for the mention of these three gifts in Gospel of Matthew ( 2:11 ). It

1100-538: A poem, and collected donations for children in poorer parts of the world, they will chalk the blessing on the top of the door frame or place a sticker with the blessing. Annually around 300 000 people are active in collecting donations in Germany. In Austria the biggest carol singing campaign is organized by the "DKA" (Dreikönigsaktion), an aid foundation founded by the youth organization Katholische Jungschar . Annually about 85,000 children and 30,000 adults take part in

SECTION 10

#1732765474964

1200-405: A righteous judgment of God, that all might laugh at [their] gross ignorance." The names and origins of the Magi are never given in scripture, but have been provided by various traditions and legends. Among Western Christians , the earliest and most common names are: These names first appear in an eighth century religious chronicle, Excerpta Latina Barbari , which is a Latin translation of

1300-461: A short song of praise to Tsar Alexander . Konstanz Konstanz ( / ˈ k ɒ n s t ə n t s / KON -stənts , US also / ˈ k ɔː n s t ɑː n t s / KAWN -stahnts , German: [ˈkɔnʃtants] or [ˈkɔnstants] , Alemannic German: [ˈkoʃd̥əts, ˈxoʃd̥əts] ), traditionally known as Constance in English,

1400-619: Is a university city with approximately 83,000 inhabitants located at the western end of Lake Constance in the south of Germany . The city houses the University of Konstanz and was the residence of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Konstanz for more than 1,200 years. The city is located in the state of Baden-Württemberg and situated at the banks of Lake Constance ( Bodensee in German). The river Rhine , which starts in

1500-606: Is at Friedrichshafen , which can be reached by a fast ferry service on the lake, which also connects Konstanz to other lakeside towns. The airport mainly hosts domestic flights, but flights to Austria and Turkey are available. The nearest international airports are in Stuttgart , in Basel , and Zurich , which has a direct train from Konstanz. Bus services within the city are provided by Stadtwerke Konstanz GmbH . Additionally Konstanz and Friedrichshafen have been connected by

1600-693: Is given as sorcerer and sorcery when describing " Elymas the sorcerer" in Acts 13:6–11 , and Simon Magus , considered a heretic by the early Church, in Acts 8:9–13 . Several translations refer to the men outright as astrologers at Matthew Chapter 2 , including New English Bible (1961); Phillips New Testament in Modern English (J.B.Phillips, 1972); Twentieth Century New Testament (1904 revised edition); Amplified Bible (1958, New Testament); An American Translation (1935, Goodspeed); and The Living Bible (K. Taylor, 1962, New Testament). Although

1700-861: Is linked via two connectors (in both directions) to the Lake Line , which runs along the Swiss shore of Lake Constance and the High Rhine . It is indirectly also linked to the Wil–Kreuzlingen railway line to Weinfelden , with connections to long-distance trains in Switzerland. Services are provided by the Deutsche Bahn AG and also the Swiss Federal Railways and its subsidiaries Thurbo and SBB GmbH . The nearest airport

1800-569: Is not intended to be a negative portrayal of a black person, but rather, a "realistic" or "traditional" portrayal of one. The dialogue surrounding the politics of traditions involving blackface is not as developed as in Spain or the Netherlands. In the past, photographs of German politicians together with children in blackface have caused a stir in English-language press. Moreover, Afro-Germans have written that this use of blackface

1900-459: Is the oldest of the three Magi. The Magi are described as "falling down", "kneeling", or "bowing" in the worship of Jesus. This gesture, together with Luke's birth narrative, had an important effect on Christian religious practices. They were indicative of great respect, and typically used when venerating a king. While prostration is now rarely practised in the West, it is still relatively common in

2000-539: Is the plural of Latin magus , borrowed from Greek μάγος ( magos ), as used in the original Greek text of the Gospel of Matthew (in the plural: μάγοι , magoi ). The Greek magos itself is derived from Old Persian maguŝ, which in turn originated from the Avestan magâunô , referring to the Iranian priestly caste of Zoroastrianism . Within this tradition, priests paid particular attention to

2100-626: The twelve days of Christmas ; on that date the Magi are also celebrated as saints. The Eastern Orthodox and Greek Orthodox celebrate the visit of the Magi on the same date as their Christmas, which is either 25 December, 6 January, or 7 January, depending on if they follow the Gregorian calendar or the Julian calendar . One story in Syriac Christianity in the era of the late Roman Empire and early post-Islamic conquest period,

SECTION 20

#1732765474964

2200-593: The Augsburg Confession . However, in 1548 Emperor Charles V imposed the Imperial Ban on Konstanz and it had to surrender to Habsburg Austria which had suddenly attacked. Thus Konstanz lost its status as an imperial city. The new Habsburg rulers were eager to re-Catholicise the town and in 1604 a Jesuit College was opened. Its accompanying theatre, built in 1610, is the oldest theatre in Germany still performing regularly. The city became part of

2300-506: The Christian tradition ; they are venerated as saints or even martyrs in many Christian communities, and are the subject of numerous artworks, legends, and customs. Both secular and Christian observers have noted that the Magi popularly serve as a means of expressing various ideas, symbols, and themes. Most scholars regard the Magi as legendary rather than historical figures. Traditional nativity scenes depict three "wise men" visiting

2400-500: The German Universities Excellence Initiative , has gained considerable reputation as a so-called "elite university". Konstanz was the birthplace of Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin , constructor of the famous Zeppelin airships . In the late 2010s, Konstanz has become a popular destination for Einkaufstourismus , or cross-border shopping by Swiss due to lower prices on basic items in Germany,

2500-1024: The Grand Duchy of Baden in 1806. In 1821, the Bishopric of Constance was dissolved and became part of the Archdiocese of Freiburg . Konstanz became part of the German Empire in 1871 during the unification of Germany . After World War I it was included within the Republic of Baden . On 22 October 1940, 110 of the last Jewish residents were deported to Gurs internment camp in France. Most of those who were still alive in August 1942 were murdered in either Sobibór or Auschwitz . Because it almost lies within Switzerland , directly adjacent to

2600-760: The King of Serbia Đurađ Branković , wife to the Ottoman Sultan Murat II and godmother to Mehmet II the Conqueror (of Constantinople ). After the Athens earthquake of September 7, 1999, they were temporarily displayed in Athens to strengthen faith and raise money for earthquake victims. The relics were displayed in Ukraine and Belarus in Christmas of 2014, and thus left Greece for the first time since

2700-466: The Lucia procession on 13 December. Recently school teachers, nursery nurses and Christian clergymen have tried to revitalize the play for small children, inviting their parents to come to the schools, the kindergartens or the churches to see it performed. But the popular and more humorous folkloristic elements of the play are often left out. In Finland, a version of the Star boys' procession originating in

2800-578: The Revelation of the Magi , indicates that the Magi arrived in April (rather than January). It also implies the Magi arrived before Jesus's birth, while Mary was still pregnant, yet nevertheless a celestial child of the transformed Star of Bethlehem was able to commission them, suggesting that Jesus could be in multiple places at once. The Quran does not contain Matthew's episode of the Magi. However,

2900-657: The Roman province of Raetia . Its later name, originally Constantia , comes either from the Roman emperor Constantius Chlorus , who fought the Alemanni in the region and built a strong fortress around 300 AD, or from his grandson Constantius II , who visited the region in 354. The remains of the late Roman fortress Constantia were discovered in 2003. Around 585 the first bishop took up residence in Konstanz and this marked

3000-628: The Swabian War of 1499, Konstanz lost its last privileges over Thurgau to the Confederation. The Protestant Reformation took hold in Konstanz in the 1520s, headed by Ambrosius Blarer . Soon the city declared itself officially Protestant , pictures were removed from the churches, and the bishop temporarily moved to Meersburg , a small town across the lake. The city first followed the Tetrapolitan Confession , and then

3100-590: The Swiss Alps , passes through Lake Constance and leaves it, considerably larger, by flowing under a bridge connecting the two parts of the city. North of the river lies the larger part of the city with residential areas, industrial estates, and the University of Konstanz; while south of the river is the old town, which houses the administrative centre and shopping facilities in addition to the Hochschule or

Star singers - Misplaced Pages Continue

3200-553: The Three Wise Men , Three Kings , and Three Magi , are distinguished foreigners who visit Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts of gold , frankincense , and myrrh in homage to him. They are commemorated on the feast day of Epiphany —sometimes called "Three Kings Day"—and commonly appear in the nativity celebrations of Christmas . The Magi appear solely in the Gospel of Matthew , which states that they came "from

3300-491: The University of Applied Sciences . Car ferries provide access across Lake Constance to Meersburg , and the Katamaran provides a shuttle service for pedestrians to Friedrichshafen . The Germany–Switzerland border runs along the southwestern and southern edge of the city, demarcating it from the Swiss town of Kreuzlingen . Konstanz is subdivided into 15 wards or districts ( Stadtteile ). The island of Mainau belonged to

3400-681: The infant Jesus on the night of his birth, in a manger accompanied by the shepherds and angels, but this should be understood as an artistic convention allowing the two separate scenes of the Adoration of the Shepherds on the birth night and the later Adoration of the Magi to be combined for convenience. The single biblical account in Matthew 2 simply presents an event at an unspecified point after Christ's birth in which an unnumbered party of unnamed "wise men" ( μάγοι , mágoi ) visits him in

3500-467: The "Dreikönigsaktion". The biggest carol singing campaign in Slovakia is Dobrá Novina (English: "Good News"). It is also one of the biggest charity campaigns by young people in the country. Dobrá Novina is organized by the youth organization eRko . The Star singers, aged about ten to fifteen, are dressed in long white shirts and pointed brown or white paper hats, in imitation of a well-known picture of

3600-459: The "Magi of Bethlehem" as Balthasar of Arabia, Melchior of Persia, and Caspar of India. Historian John of Hildesheim relates a tradition in the ancient Silk Road city of Taxila (in present-day Punjab, Pakistan) that one of the Magi passed through the city on the way to Bethlehem. Sebastian Brock, a historian of Christianity, has said: "It was no doubt among converts from Zoroastrianism that   ... certain legends were developed around

3700-435: The 15th century. According to the book The Travels of Marco Polo , gold symbolises the power over the material world as a king on earth, frankincense symbolises the power over the spiritual world as a deity, and myrrh symbolises the healing power over death. Holidays celebrating the arrival of the Magi traditionally recognise a distinction between the date of their arrival and the date of Jesus' birth. The account given in

3800-487: The 15th century. The "holy oil" traditionally used by the Eastern Orthodox Church for performing the sacraments of chrismation and unction is traditionally scented with myrrh, and receiving either of these sacraments is commonly referred to as "receiving the myrrh". The picture of the Magi on the 7th-century Franks Casket shows the third visitor – he who brings myrrh – with a valknut over his back,

3900-639: The Afghan city Kandahar , which he is said to have founded under the name Gundopharron. Within Eastern Christianity, the Magi have varied names. Among Syrian Christians , they are Larvandad , Gushnasaph , and Hormisdas; in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church , they are Hor , Karsudan , and Basanater , while Armenian Catholics have Kagpha , Badadakharida and Badadilma . Many Chinese Christians believe that one of

4000-467: The Biblical Magi as Babylonians Balthazar carries the star and Caspar and Melchior are armed with wooden swords. The other characters usually do not disguise themselves but also dress in long shirts, often in brown, green or grey colours and conical hats. Joseph has got a cylindrical paper hat and a wooden timber or broad axe. King Herod wears a crown and he and his soldiers carry wooden swords. In

4100-485: The Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, and German-speaking Catholic areas is the writing of the three kings' initials above the main door of Catholic homes in chalk. This is a new year's blessing for the occupants and the initials also are believed to also stand for " Christus mansionem benedicat " ("May/Let Christ Bless This House"). Depending on the city or town, this will be happen sometime between Christmas and

Star singers - Misplaced Pages Continue

4200-584: The Eastern Churches, especially during Lent . Kneeling has remained an important element of Christian worship to this day. Three gifts are explicitly identified in Matthew: gold , frankincense and myrrh ; in Koine Greek , these are chrysós ( χρυσός ), líbanos ( λίβανος ) and smýrna ( σμύρνα ). There are various theories and interpretations of the meaning and symbolism of

4300-730: The Epiphany, with most municipalities celebrating closer to the Epiphany . Also in Catholic parts of the German-speaking world, these markings are made by the Sternsinger (literally, " star singers ") – a group of children dressed up as the magi. The Sternsinger carry a star representing the one followed by the biblical magi and sing Christmas carols as they go door to door, such as " Stern über Bethlehem ". After singing,

4400-407: The Feast of the Epiphany considered by many Filipinos as the traditional end of their Christmas season . The tradition of the Three Kings' cabalgata is today done only in some areas, such as the old city of Intramuros in Manila , and the island of Marinduque . Another dying custom is children leaving shoes out on Epiphany Eve, so that they may receive sweets and money from the Three Kings. With

4500-431: The Gospel of Matthew does not state that they were present on the night of the birth; in the Gospel of Luke, Joseph and Mary remain in Bethlehem until it is time for Jesus' dedication in Jerusalem, after which they return to their home in Nazareth. The visit of the Magi is commemorated in most Western Christian churches separately from Christmas. The visit of the Magi is part of the Epiphany on 6 January, which concludes

4600-458: The Keraite ruler Toghrul , married Tolui , the youngest son of Genghis, and became the mother of Möngke Khan and his younger brother and successor, Kublai Khan . Toghrul became identified with the legendary Central Asian Christian king Prester John , whose Mongol descendants were sought as allies against the Muslims by contemporary European monarchs and popes. Sempad the Constable , elder brother of King Hetoum I of Cilician Armenia , visited

4700-476: The Magi are commonly referred to as "kings", there is nothing in the Gospel of Matthew that implies they were rulers of any kind. The identification of the Magi as kings is linked to Old Testament prophecies that describe the Messiah being worshipped by kings in Isaiah 60:3 , Psalm 68:29 , and Psalm 72:10 , which reads, "Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations serve him." Early readers reinterpreted Matthew in light of these prophecies and elevated

4800-422: The Magi of the Gospels". And Anders Hultgård concluded that the Gospel story of the Magi was influenced by an Iranian legend concerning magi and a star, which was connected with Persian beliefs in the rise of a star predicting the birth of a ruler and with myths describing the manifestation of a divine figure in fire and light. A model for the homage of the Magi might have been provided, it has been suggested, by

4900-474: The Magi to kings, which became widely accepted by at least 500 A.D. Later Christian interpretation stressed the adoration of the Magi and shepherds as the first recognition by humans of Christ as the Redeemer. However, the Protestant reformer John Calvin was vehemently opposed to referring to the Magi as kings, writing: "But the most ridiculous contrivance of the Papists on this subject is, that those men were kings... Beyond all doubt, they have been stupefied by

5000-464: The Magi worshiped Jesus as God. What subsequently happened to these gifts is never mentioned in the scripture, but several traditions have developed. One story has the gold being stolen by the two thieves who were later crucified alongside Jesus. Another tale has it being entrusted to and then misappropriated by Judas . One tradition suggests that Joseph and Mary used the gold to finance their travels when they fled Bethlehem after an angel had warned, in

5100-450: The Magi's social status is never stated: Although some biblical translations describe them as astrologers , they were increasingly identified as kings by at least the third century, which conformed with Christian interpretations of Old Testament prophecies that the messiah would be worshipped by kings. The mystery of the Magi's identities and background, combined with their theological significance, has made them prominent figures in

SECTION 50

#1732765474964

5200-518: The Mediterranean coast of modern Turkey, and is first in line to kneel to Christ. Melchior is middle-aged, giving frankincense from Arabia , and Balthazar is a young man, very often and increasingly black-skinned, with myrrh from Saba (modern southern Yemen). Their ages were often given as 60, 40 and 20 respectively, and their geographical origins were rather variable, with Balthazar increasingly coming from Aksum or other parts of Africa, and being represented accordingly. Balthazar's blackness has been

5300-437: The Mongol court in Karakorum in 1247–1250 and in 1254. He wrote a letter to Henry I King of Cyprus and Queen Stephanie (Sempad's sister) from Samarkand in 1243, in which he said: "Tanchat [Tangut, or Western Xia ], which is the land from whence came the Three Kings to Bethlehem to worship the Lord Jesus which was born. And know that the power of Christ has been, and is, so great, that the people of that land are Christians; and

5400-416: The Persian Muslim encyclopedist al-Tabari , writing in the ninth century, gives the familiar symbolism of the gifts of the Magi, citing the late seventh century Persian-Yemenite writer Wahb ibn Munabbih . In much of the Spanish-speaking world , the Three Kings ( Los Reyes Magos de Oriente , Los Tres Reyes Magos or simply Los Reyes Magos ) receive letters from children and so bring them gifts on

5500-399: The Star singers leave the house for their next visit to somewhere in the neighbourhood, singing a song containing a farewell and many thanks for the received gifts. The star itself is made anew each year, using transparent paper on a constructed frame built of wooden lists and with one to three candles placed inside. The star on the rod has to be movable and turned around all the time, so that

5600-405: The Swedish Star boys started to join in with horse riding on St. Stephen's Day, 26 December. The tradition of Star boys (sometimes even with Judas Iscariot ), singing and acting about Christmas , Saint Stephen and Epiphany , has traditionally been performed from St. Stephen's Day until Epiphany. Today they are only to be seen bringing up the rear together with bridesmaids and elves as a part of

5700-444: The Swiss border, Konstanz was not bombed by the Allied Forces during World War II . After the war, Konstanz was included first in South Baden and then in the new state of Baden-Württemberg . The Altstadt (Old Town), which is large considering the small size of modern Konstanz, has many old buildings and twisting alleys. The city skyline is dominated by Konstanz Cathedral , several other churches and three towers left over from

5800-411: The Twelfth Day and the feast of the Epiphany grew with the introduction of the Gregorian calendar as the day, according to the earlier Julian calendar, is also the Old Christmas Day. After the Reformation in the 16th century, pupils of the cathedral schools in Protestant nations conducted these processions to raise funds to replace the church support that had disappeared. The custom passed further on to

5900-401: The account of Thomas the Apostle 's visit to the Indo-Parthian King Gondophares I (21– c. 47 AD), also known as Gudapharasa, from which "Caspar" might derive as corruption of "Gaspar". Gondophares had declared independence from the Arsacids and ruled a kingdom spanning present-day Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. According to historian Ernst Herzfeld, his name is perpetuated in the name of

6000-429: The arrival of American culture in the early 20th century, the Three Kings as gift-givers have been largely replaced in urban areas by Santa Claus , and they only survive in the greeting "Happy Three Kings!" and the surname Tatlóngharì . The Three Kings are especially revered in Gapan, Nueva Ecija , where they are enshrined as patron saints in the National Shrine of Virgen La Divina Pastora . A tradition in Poland,

6100-421: The beginning of the city's importance as a spiritual center. By the late Middle Ages , about one quarter of Konstanz's 6,000 inhabitants were exempt from taxation on account of clerical rights. Trade thrived during the Middle Ages. Konstanz owned the only bridge in the region, which crossed the Rhine, making it a strategic location in the Duchy of Swabia . Its linen production had made an international name for

SECTION 60

#1732765474964

6200-483: The birth and the visit, and artistic depictions and the closeness of the traditional dates of December 25 and January 6 encourage the popular assumption that the visit took place the same winter as the birth, but later traditions varied, with the visit taken as occurring up to two winters later. This maximum interval explained Herod's command at Matthew 2:16 – 18 that the Massacre of the Innocents included boys up to two years old. Some more recent commentators, not tied to

6300-433: The child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another path. The text specifies no interval between

6400-484: The child. The Wise Men also have to mislead King Herod , who is also trying to find the new born 'prince' in the stable. Both Gaspar and Melchior fight the king and his men with swords, together with Joseph who uses his broad axe, while Mary nurses her son and Balthazar takes care of the shining star. After the performance Judas comes to collect money or other gifts from the audience in a large bag. The boys and girls are usually treated to drinks and cakes afterwards. Then

6500-447: The children write the three kings' initials on the door frame in exchange for charitable donations. Each year, German and Austrian dioceses pick one charity towards which all Sternsinger donations nationwide will be contributed. Traditionally, one child in the Sternsinger group is said to represent Baltasar from Africa and so, that child typically wears blackface makeup. Many Germans do not consider this to be racist because it

6600-405: The city and it was prosperous. In 1192, Konstanz gained the status of Imperial City so it was henceforth subject only to the Holy Roman Emperor . In 1414 to 1418, the Council of Constance took place, during which, on 6 July 1415, Jan Hus (Czech religious thinker, philosopher and reformer), who was seen as a threat to Christianity by the Roman Catholic Church , was burned at the stake . It

6700-402: The city of Oulu , a musical play known as Tiernapojat , has become established as a cherished Christmas tradition nationwide. The Tiernapojat show is a staple of Christmas festivities in schools, kindergartens, and elsewhere, and it is broadcast every Christmas on radio and television. The Finnish version contains non-biblical elements such as king Herod vanquishing the "king of the Moors", and

6800-446: The city wall, one of which marks the place of the former medieval bridge over the Rhine . The University of Konstanz was established close to the town in 1966. It houses a library with approximately two million books, all freely accessible 24 hours a day, as well as a botanical garden (the Botanischer Garten der Universität Konstanz ). Especially since 2007, the university, being one of the nine German universities most successful in

6900-413: The crowd there may also be shepherds with long shirts and sticks and some angels with white shirts and wings. The Star singers walk about from house to house "singing at the doors, with a star on a pole". The dramatic part is introduced by one of the Wise Men knocking on someone's door asking: "May the star come in?" If the offer is accepted, they are all invited inside. Then the whole procession will enter

7000-487: The day after The Epiphany. In the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico , however, there are eight more days of celebration called las octavitas (the little eight days). According to the Catholic Church , the full Christmas Season is from December 25 to Candlemas on February 2. In the Philippines, beliefs concerning the Three Kings (Filipino: Tatlóng Haring Mago , lit. "Three Magi Kings"; shortened to Tatlóng Harì or Spanish Tres Reyes ) follows Hispanic influence, with

7100-451: The east" (Greek ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν - apo anatolōn ) to worship the "one who has been born king of the Jews". Their names, origins, appearances, and exact number are unmentioned and derive from the inferences or traditions of later Christians. In Western Christianity , they are usually assumed to have been three in number, corresponding with each gift; in Eastern Christianity , especially the Syriac churches , they often number twelve. Likewise,

7200-553: The evening, in which the kings and their servants parade and throw sweets to the children (and parents) in attendance. The cavalcade of the three kings in Alcoy claims to be the oldest in the world, having started in 1886. The Mystery Play of the Three Magic Kings is also presented on Epiphany Eve. There is also a "Roscón" (Spain) or "Rosca de Reyes" (Mexico). In Spain, the role of Balthazar has always been played by

7300-477: The general populace as a kind of narrative folk drama, but seems to have declined in its original form since the late 19th century. Since then the singing procession has become common in many parts of Europe (both in Catholic and Protestant areas) and in Russia. In most countries it is no longer restricted to boys, but children or both sexes participate. In Germany, Austria and Belgium organisations centrally organise

7400-421: The gifts, particularly with respect to frankincense and myrrh. The theories generally break down into two groups: Frankincense and myrrh were burned during rituals among Egyptian, Greek and Roman societies. Ancient Egyptians used myrrh to embalm corpses and Romans burned it as a type of incense at funeral pyres. Myrrh was used as an embalming ointment and as a penitential incense in funerals and cremations until

7500-666: The harbour. Close by stands the Imperia , a statue that was erected in 1993 to satirically commemorate the council. In 1460, the Swiss Confederacy conquered Thurgau , Konstanz's natural hinterland . Konstanz then made an attempt to get admitted to the Swiss Confederacy, but the forest cantons voted against its entry, fearing overbearing city states; Konstanz then joined the Swabian League instead. In

7600-400: The home singing a special Christmas carol. Then the play begins. In the performance, the Three Wise Men , Gaspar , Melchior and Balthazar , are first confronted by Joseph , who tries to protect the newborn baby Jesus (a doll) and his wife Mary from the intruders with a wooden axe. The three magi are however most welcome inside after saying that they have brought with them presents for

7700-540: The issue of the VAT refund with Germany. Subsequently, Germany has introduced a minimum spend amount of €50.01 per receipt for the German VAT to be refunded. Customs clearance centres are conveniently located near shopping centres. Its location in south-west Germany gives Konstanz a degraded oceanic climate ( Köppen : Cfb ) with warm and humid summers (moderated by the lake) as well as cold and snowy winters. Konstanz

7800-740: The journey to Rome of King Tiridates I of Armenia , with his magi, to pay homage to the Emperor Nero , which took place in AD 66, a few years before the date assigned to the composition of the Gospel of Matthew. There was a tradition that the Central Asian Naimans and their Christian relatives, the Keraites , were descended from the biblical Magi. This heritage passed to the Mongol dynasty of Genghis Khan when Sorghaghtani , niece of

7900-451: The magi came from China. The phrase "from the east" ( ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν , apo anatolon ), more literally "from the rising [of the sun]", is the only information Matthew provides about the region from which they came. The Parthian Empire , centered in Iran ( Persia ), stretched from eastern Syria to the fringes of India. Though the empire was tolerant of other religions, its dominant religion

8000-477: The night before Epiphany . In Spain , each one of the Magi is supposed to represent a different continent: Europe (Melchior), Asia (Caspar) and Africa (Balthasar). According to the tradition, the Magi come from the Orient on their camels to visit the houses of all the children, much like Sinterklaas and Santa Claus with his reindeer elsewhere. Almost every Spanish city or town organises cabalgatas in

8100-470: The paper does not get overheated and does not go up in flame. The Star boys' singing procession in England seems later to have been mixed together with several other kinds of carol singers at Christmas. They do not go from house to house, but visit two or three local pubs to receive free beer. Nowadays they are not carrying the shining star anymore, but just a quadrangular paraffin wax on a long stick or even

8200-478: The practice. By the 1900s it had largely disappeared, and there are now just a few places where the original play of the Star boys can be counted as an unbroken linear tradition, for instance the islands of Amager in Denmark, and Haram and Vigra on the west coast of Norway, but the most famous one is probably the Star boys' singing procession in the small town of Grimstad on the south coast of Norway. In 19th century

8300-498: The processions, collecting money for charity or international aid projects, leading to a widespread support of the custom. In Germany, the Czech Republic and Austria the Epiphany singing is performed at or close to Epiphany (6 January) and has developed into a nationwide custom, where the children of both sexes call on every door and are given sweets and money for charity projects - mostly in aid of poorer children in other countries. A tradition in most of Central Europe involves writing

8400-475: The stars and gained an international reputation for astrology , which was at that time highly regarded as a science. Their religious practices and astrological abilities caused derivatives of the term Magi to be applied to the occult in general and led to the English term magic . The King James Version translates "magi" as wise men ; the same translation is applied to the wise men led by Daniel of earlier Hebrew Scriptures ( Daniel 2:48 ). The same word

8500-404: The subject of considerable recent scholarly attention; in art, it is found mostly in northern Europe, beginning from the 12th century, and becoming very common in the north by the 15th. The subject of which king is which and who brought which gift is not without some variation depending on the tradition. The gift of gold is sometimes associated with Melchior as well, and in some traditions Melchior

8600-501: The three Magi developed distinct characteristics in Christian tradition, so that between them they represented the three ages of (adult) man, three geographical and cultural areas, and sometimes other concepts. In one tradition, reflected in art by at least the 14th century—for example, in the Arena Chapel by Giotto in 1305—Caspar is old, normally with a white beard, and gives the gold; he is "King of Tarsus , land of merchants" on

8700-400: The three gifts have already gained their medieval interpretation as prophetic emblems of Jesus' identity, familiar in the carol " We Three Kings " by John Henry Hopkins, Jr. , 1857. John Chrysostom suggested that the gifts were fit to be given not just to a king but to God, and contrasted them with the Jews' traditional offerings of sheep and calves, and accordingly Chrysostom asserts that

8800-480: The tradition is alive. At a synod in Konstanz in Germany at Christmas in 1417 the British clergies performed the Star boy drama for the rest of the participants at the meeting. They wore expensive costumes and had a large shining star. The performance was a huge success at the church conference and could have been one of the main reasons for growing popularity of the drama in post-medieval Europe. The importance of

8900-468: The traditional feast days, suggest a variety of intervals. The wise men are mentioned twice shortly thereafter in verse 16 , in reference to their avoidance of Herod after seeing Jesus, and what Herod had learned from their earlier meeting. The star which they followed has traditionally become known as the Star of Bethlehem . The Magi are popularly referred to as wise men and kings . The word magi

9000-673: The two (since 2008, three) catamarans Constance and Fridolin since 2005. It is home to one or more prehistoric pile-dwelling (or stilt house) settlements that are part of the Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps UNESCO World Heritage Site . Biblical Magi#Names In Christianity , the Biblical Magi ( / ˈ m eɪ dʒ aɪ / MAY -jy or / ˈ m æ dʒ aɪ / MAJ -eye ; singular: magus ), also known as

9100-655: The ward of Litzelstetten, a separate municipality, until its incorporation into Konstanz on 1 December 1971. The first traces of civilization in Konstanz date back to the late Stone Age . During the reign of Augustus , the Celts living south of the Danube were conquered by the Romans. Around 40 AD, the first Romans settled on the site. This small town on the left bank of the Rhine was probably first called Drusomagus and belonged to

9200-592: The whole land of Chata [Khitai, or Kara-Khitai ] believes those Three Kings. I have myself been in their churches and have seen pictures of Jesus Christ and the Three Kings, one offering gold, the second frankincense, and the third myrrh. And it is through those Three Kings that they believe in Christ, and that the Chan and his people have now become Christians." The legendary Christian ruler of Central Asia Prester John

9300-400: The wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage." When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where

9400-537: The year when they eat. Not only in Spain, but also in Argentina , Mexico , Paraguay and Uruguay , there is a long tradition of children receiving presents by the three " Reyes Magos " on the night of January 5th (Epiphany Eve) or Epiphany morning, January 6th, Día de Reyes , because it is believed that this is the day in which the Magi arrived bearing gifts for the Christ child. In most Latin American countries children also cut grass or greenery on January 5 and fill

9500-538: Was Zoroastrianism , with its priestly magos class. Although Matthew's account does not explicitly cite the motivation for their journey (other than seeing the star in the east, which they took to be the star of the King of the Jews), the apocryphal Syriac Infancy Gospel states in its third chapter that they were pursuing a prophecy from their prophet, Zoradascht (Zoroaster). There is an Armenian tradition identifying

9600-602: Was also home to a large synagogue , destroyed by the Nazi government in 1938. Konstanz is twinned with: Konstanz station is the eastern terminus of the High Rhine Railway line, running westwards to Singen , with connections to all parts of Germany and the Swiss cities of Schaffhausen and Basel . There are three other stations in Konstanz along this line: Konstanz-Fürstenberg , Konstanz-Petershausen and Konstanz-Wollmatingen . In addition, Konstanz station

9700-499: Was frightened and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: 'And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel. ' " Then Herod secretly called for

9800-565: Was here that the Papal Schism was ended and Pope Martin V was elected during the only conclave ever held north of the Alps. Ulrich von Richental 's illustrated chronicle of the Council of Constance testifies to all the major happenings during the council as well as showing the everyday life of medieval Konstanz. The Konzilgebäude where the conclave was held can still be seen standing by

9900-460: Was reportedly a descendant of one of the Magi. In her four volumes of visions of the life of Christ, Anne Catherine Emmerich says that the Magi came from the border between Chaldea and Elam , mentioning Ur , "Mozian" (Iraq's Maysan Province , anciently known as Mesene ), "Sikdor" ( Shushtar , near Susa ), and a "city, whose name sounded to me something like Acajaja" ( Aghajari ), as well as other cities farther east. Apart from their names,

10000-406: Was these three gifts, it is thought, which were the chief cause for the number of the Magi becoming fixed eventually at three. This episode can be linked to Isaiah 60 and to Psalm 72 , which report gifts being given by kings, and this has played a central role in the perception of the Magi as kings, rather than as astronomer-priests. In a hymn of the late 4th-century Hispanic poet Prudentius ,

#963036