Do you know the significance of the Epiphany? What does the journey of the Magi tell us about who Christ is, and what does it mean for our lives? As we celebrate the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord on January 4, we invite you to reflect on these seven quotes from the popes and saints across the ages.
Recognizing the Kingship of Christ in the Epiphany
“The culmination of [the Magi’s] quest was the moment when they found themselves before ‘the Child with Mary his Mother’ (Mt 2:11). The Gospel says that they ‘fell down and worshipped him.’ They might have been disappointed, or even shocked. Instead, as the true Wise Men that they were, they were open to the mystery that had manifested itself in a surprising manner and, with their symbolic gifts, they showed that they recognized Jesus as the King and Son of God. Precisely in that gesture were fulfilled the messianic oracles that proclaimed the homage of nations to the God of Israel.” — Pope Benedict XVI
“For by gold the power of a king is signified, by frankincense the honor of God, by myrrh the burial of the body; and accordingly they offer Him gold as King, frankincense as God, myrrh as Man.” — St. John Chrysostom
What the Response of the Magi Teaches Us
“The Magi humbled themselves before the unheard-of logic of God. They welcomed the Lord not the way they had imagined him to be, but as he was, small and poor. Their prostration is the sign of those who place their own ideas aside and make room for God. It takes humility to do this.” — Pope Francis
“When the brightness of a new star had led three wise men to worship Jesus, they did not see him ruling over demons, not raising the dead, not restoring sight to the blind or mobility to the lame or speech to the dumb, nor in any action of divine power. They saw him, rather, as a Child – silent, at rest, placed in the care of his Mother – in a situation where there appeared no indication of power.” — St. Leo the Great
“They entered and found the Baby with Mary; they prostrated before him and, in homage of his royal dignity, they offered him gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Why is this happening so important? Because in it the adhesion of the pagan people to faith in Christ has begun to be fulfilled according to the promise made by God to Abraham, about which the Book of Genesis refers: ‘By you all the families of the earth shall bless themselves.’” — Pope Benedict XVI
What the Epiphany Means for Us
“Drawn and guided by the star, the Magi… overcome every difficulty to get to see the King Messiah, because they know that something unique is happening in the history of humanity…
[T]hose who live in Jerusalem, who should be the happiest and the most prompt to rush, stay still… they do not go seeking; they do not think it is worth the effort…
This fact, sisters and brothers, makes us reflect and in a certain sense provokes us, because it raises a question: to what category do we, I, belong today? Are we more similar to the shepherds, who on the very night itself go in haste to the grotto, and the Magi from the east, who set out confidently in search of the Son of God made man; or are we more similar to those who, despite being physically very close to Him, do not open the doors of their heart and their life, remaining closed and insensitive to Jesus’ presence?” — Pope Francis
“Christians are called to imitate the service that the star rendered to the Magi. We must shine out as children of light, so as to attract all people to the beauty of the Kingdom of God. And to those who seek the truth, we must offer the Word of God, which leads us to recognize in Jesus ‘the true God and eternal life.’” — Pope Benedict XVI
Sources:
“5 Inspirational Quotes on Epiphany from the Saints,” Aleteia.
Angelus (2007), Pope Benedict XVI. The Vatican.
Angelus (2010), Pope Benedict XVI. The Vatican.
Angelus (2011), Pope Benedict XVI. The Vatican.
Angelus (2022), Pope Francis. The Vatican.
Angelus (2025), Pope Francis. The Vatican.
Sermon 37, Epiphany, 2-3, St. Leo the Great. The Vatican.
