The festival of the Epiphany (Greek epiphaneia, “manifestation” or “revelation”) originally commemorated three incidents that manifested the mission and divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ: the visit of the Magi, the baptism of Jesus and the miracle at Cana.
The Epiphany is thus, a Christian festival that celebrates the many ways through signs, miracles, and preaching that Jesus revealed Himself to the world as Christ, God Incarnate, and King of kings.
Most liturgical churches emphasize the visit of the Magi among these epiphanies. The Magi were members of the religious hierarchy of ancient Persia and Media that corresponds to modern Iran. Often referred to as “wise men”, they were scholars and practitioners of astrology, divination and the interpretation of dreams.
Pious legends about the wise men have also arisen over the centuries. In the western Christian churches, these include the traditions that there were three Magi who visited Jesus, that their names were Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthasar, and that they were kings.



According to the Bible story, there was also a meeting between the Magi and Herod the Great (King of Judea) who sought to kill the infant Jesus, that had been interpreted by St. John Chrysostom an Early Church Father, thus:
“The star had been hidden from them so that, on finding themselves without their guide, they would have no alternative but to consult the Jews. In this way the birth of Jesus would be made known to all.”