What About Gold Frankincense and Myrrh?

In his "Sermon on the Epiphany of the Lord" the tenth century monk Aelfric writes: "The astrologers went into the child's inn, and found him with his mother. Then with prostrate bodies they worshipped Christ, and opened their treasure-chests and offered him threefold gifts: gold, and incense and myrrh. Gold befits a king; frankincense belongs to the service of God; with myrrh they treat the bodies of dead men so that they decay less rapidly. These three astrologers worshipped Christ and offered him significant gifts. The gold signified that he is a true king, the frankincense that he is the true God, the myrrh that he was then mortal; but now he remains immortal in eternity." Fragrant and resinous plants were used in ancient times for both cosmetics and medicine. Frankincense and myrrh were grown in abundance in northeast Africa and southern Arabia, and then brought to the cities along the caravan routes.