“When they entered the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and prostrated themselves they worshiped him. Then they opened their caskets and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh” (Matthew 2:11).
The Magi brought Jesus three gifts, full of meaning, symbolizing his dual nature as a human being and Son of God..
Gold, the precious metal par excellence, means the “kingship” of Jesus.
Incense, a perfume to be burned, widely used during rituals, is a symbol of “divinity”.
Myrrh is the most meaningful gift: it is a medicinal plant from which a gummy resin is extracted that was mixed with oils to make ointments for medicinal, cosmetic and even religious purposes.
As the Ravenna bishop San Pietro Crisologo wrote in the fifth century, specifying the symbolic value of the three gifts, the Magi “with incense they recognize God, with gold they accept him as king, with myrrh they express faith in the one who should have died.”
(Below the detailed chronicle of the procession reported here in 1336 by Galvano Flamma)
TheProcession of the Three Kings it takes place in Milan since 1336..
Organized by the Parish of Sant’Eustorgio and enlivened by volunteers dressed in precious period costumes, the procession aims to recall the journey made by the Magi in search of the Creator.
Arrived, almost continuously, to the present day, crosses the streets of the center of Milan starting from Piazza del Duomo to arrive in Piazza Sant’Eustorgio with the devout tribute of the Magi to a living nativity scene that awaits him inside the Basilica.
How to participate?
Everyone can participate in the Procession of the Three Kings in costume, reporting their name to the representatives present in the basilica at the end of the SS. Sunday Masses at 11.00 in Sant’Eustorgio or through the form on this page.
Places are limited to the amount of costumes available.
It is important to underline the religious character of the event, which ends with the visit of the participants to communities of the elderly, entertained with sympathy by the characters of the parade.
Do you want to support the association?
Amici dei Magi association was born in support of activities aimed at maintaining and disseminating the tradition of faith in the Magi that the parish of Sant’Eustorgio has held for centuries.
Those who join the association and decide to support Magorum Friends help us to promote all kinds of cultural, social and recreational activities aimed at ensuring the continuity over time of the historical procession of the Magi as part of the solemn feast of the Epiphany in Sant’Eustorgio in Milan.
Special thanks toFree Luna www.freeluna.it who supported us in the dissemination of the 2019 parade!
