How Many Christmas Stars Were There, and What Were They?

Guided by the Star: The Magi’s Journey to Christ

How Many Christmas Stars Were There, and What Were They?

We often hear about the Star of Bethlehem in the hymns and carols of the Nativity, but how often do we pause to reflect on its true meaning?

The new star hung like a blazing stack
Of hay and straw
At the heart of a world
Unsettled by its very presence.
The blaze glowed red above the world,
Signifying something,
Аnd three stargazers
Raced toward the call of unprecedented fires.

— Boris Pasternak

For many Christians, the story of the Star of Bethlehem is a simple and cherished part of the Nativity narrative: the Magi saw a star in the heavens, and, guided by its light, travelled to worship the incarnate Son of God. Yet, to fully grasp this miraculous event, we must delve into what the Gospel text actually tells us.

At the beginning of the second chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, we read: “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.’” (Matthew 2:1-2)

Notably, the Magi refer to the star in the past tense, indicating that they had seen it previously. Furthermore, they arrived in Jerusalem on their own, without any direct guidance. Upon reaching the city, they inquired of the locals about the exact location of Christ’s birth, suggesting that this star was not, in the strictest sense, a guiding star that led them directly to their destination.

The Holy Martyr Ignatius of Antioch and Origen believed this star to be a deliberately created cosmic object—a unique phenomenon intended to announce the birth of the Saviour. In contrast, Blessed Theophylact and St. John Chrysostom interpreted the star as a rational, angelic force manifesting in the heavens.

Before returning to the idea of a rational force, it is worth mentioning the work of the renowned German astronomer Johannes Kepler. Kepler proposed that the star seen by the Magi was a rare celestial event: the alignment of Jupiter and Saturn in the same part of the sky. This phenomenon occurred in the year 747 from the foundation of Rome (6 B.C.), aligning closely with the most widely accepted dating of the Nativity of Christ.

“A miracle is found not in outward events, but in their inner meaning and higher purpose.”

While I cannot make any definitive claims to confirm or refute Kepler’s theory, I believe it is ultimately irrelevant whether the Star of Bethlehem was the conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter or a star uniquely created for this event. As the Russian theologian Professor Nikolai Fioletov insightfully remarked, “The true miracle does not lie in outward events, which may at times appear ordinary, but in their inner meaning and connection to the higher purpose.”

This understanding shifts our focus to the miraculous nature of the Christmas Star’s appearance. St. John Chrysostom invites us to reflect on the remarkable journey of the Magi, who travelled from a distant eastern land—a dangerous undertaking in those times. Not only was the journey fraught with peril, but their announcement of the birth of a new King was equally bold, as they entered a land already ruled by King Herod.

When the Magi arrived in the Promised Land, they asked a question laden with profound certainty: “Where is the born King of the Jews?” (Matthew 2:2). Such a question, posed to a reigning king, was fraught with danger; speaking openly about a rival monarch could easily cost someone their life.

What seems unremarkable may hold a marvellousness that reveals deeper meaning.”

What connection could Persian scholars have had with Judea? What royal dignity could they perceive in a child lying in a cave, surrounded by cattle? These questions defy explanation if approached solely from a human perspective. Yet, the sequence of events, beginning with the star’s appearance, though seemingly ordinary, carries within it a marvellousness that reveals its deeper purpose.

Chrysostom explains how God often employs “indirect ways” to reach even the most hardened of hearts: “As the Jews, constantly hearing the prophets who proclaimed the coming of Christ, paid little attention, the Lord brought the barbarians from a distant country to inquire about the King born to the Jews. And so, they first learn from the Persians what they would not learn from the prophets.”

If the star’s appearance was a purely natural phenomenon, surely other wise men in different countries would have observed it. Why, then, did only three Magi perceive its true significance and journey to Jerusalem? Clearly, only Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar were granted divine insight into the star’s meaning. Their journey itself was a miracle, pointing to a higher purpose.

We also see an important sequence in the Gospel: the first to worship Christ were the shepherds—simple Jews untainted by the heretical teachings of the time. The second were the Magi—learned pagans, esteemed representatives of their culture and religion, whose wisdom and openness prepared them to believe in Christ as the incarnate Son of God.

“The Lord ensured that those worthy to worship Christ reached their destination.”

The Gospel of Matthew also mentions another appearance of the star. A little further into the second chapter, we read: “After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was” (Matthew 2:9).

This passage raises further questions. If the star seen by the Magi in their homeland was a celestial body fixed in the firmament, how could it have indicated the precise location of the Holy Family? At best, it might have illuminated a large area, which would have been unnecessary, as the Magi already knew they were to seek the newborn King in Bethlehem.

Johannes Kepler suggests in his calculations that in the following year (748 from the foundation of Rome), Mars joined the alignment of Jupiter and Saturn. Yet even this extraordinary conjunction cannot explain how the star guided the Magi to a specific house in Bethlehem. The timing and precision of the event point to something beyond mere coincidence.

This brings us to the understanding that the second appearance of the star was no ordinary celestial event but a manifestation of angelic or divine power. If Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar were deemed worthy to worship Christ, there is no doubt that the Lord provided everything necessary for them to reach their destination. As the Venerable Ephraim the Syrian writes:

“That star moved independently at its rising and setting, guided by the heavenly air. It was not fixed in the firmament but wandered freely, governed by divine will.”

How Many Christmas Stars Were There, and What Were They?

“Live as the shepherds or wise men, not as those who failed to recognise the Lord.”

This idea is further affirmed by the Venerable Isidore of Pelusium, who explains: “The star heralding the Divine birth did not move as other stars do. For the stars, being high in the heavens, would not have provided a clear guide to the place sought. Instead, its course was unique and marvellous, and with its extraordinary procession, it pointed, as if with a finger, to the holy cave and, within it, to the venerable manger that cradled the Lord.”

Thus, we see a distinct difference between the two manifestations of the star. While the first appearance might be partially explained by the alignment of planets, the second is undeniably miraculous, with its significance far surpassing any natural explanation.

What can we learn from this? Perhaps the answer lies in the example set by the shepherds and the Magi. Both responded to divine revelation with humility, faith, and action. In contrast, those who had access to the prophecies but failed to recognise the Messiah remind us of the danger of spiritual blindness.

Let us strive to live like the shepherds and the wise men—seeking, recognising, and worshipping the Lord in faith and humility, ready to follow wherever He leads.

Translated by The Catalogue of Good Deeds
Source: https://spzh.eu/ru/istorija-i-kulytrua/85396-skolyko-bylo-rozhdestvenskih-zvezd-i-chto-eto-byli-za-zvezdy

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  1. There is nothing in Holy Scripture which indicates that there were only three Zoroastrian Priests who followed the star. That journey from Persia of many hundreds of kilometers required a convoy of caravans with supplies of food and water, armed guards to protect from highwaymen and food for the horses. The Promised One of the Jews was also the Promised One of their Holy Srciptures, and the gifts were symbolic—Gold symbolized His Message of Truth, the incense, His life of prayer, and Myrrh was an embalming fluid symbolizing His sacrificiial death. The Christ child was not at His birthlace when those travellers arrived—that was the shephers who were close. Those Priests who brought the symbolic gifts arrived two years later, when the family was already in a house in Capernaum. Word was sent to herod when the caravans arrived with the armed guards, and that significant number caused the border guards to send a messaage to Herod, who invited them to visit Him. The Instruction “When you see His star arrise…” is in the Zoroastrian Scriptures, and the specific Instruction about the symbolic three gifts also. Doubtless many Zoroastrian Priests made that journey, not only three. Cordially, Ross rwa357campbell@gmail.com (Anyone is welcome to e-mail me)

  2. Diese Weihnachtsikone trägt falsche Züge. Der Ikonograph hatte keine Ahnung von orthodoxer Theologie, indem er unten am Rand ein Bad zur Reinigung darstellte. Der neugeborene Christus braucht keinerlei Reinigung von Menschenhand und ebenso seine Mutter Maria, die ALLREINE.

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