You probably know that, not long after Our Lord was born, a miraculous star appeared in the sky and led three wise men, or "The Magi" as we know them, to find Jesus and lovingly adore Him. Tradition is that their names were Caspar, Balthazar, and Melchior. They were rulers and men of high rank, and so they are also commonly known as "the Three Kings".

The adoration of the Three Kings that first Christmas is well-known and remembered to this day. It is January 6^th, the feast of the Epiphany. But in addition to this being the day of their visit to Jesus, it is also their feast day!

Yes, these Three Kings are honored by the Church as Saints. For when they first came into Jesus’ presence, they knew that they had found more than just a lovely little Baby. The Kings could feel the presence of God - a greatness, power, strength, and His burning love for each of them. And from that day, they were faithful to Him with such a great, powerful and strong love that, as the Church teaches, they converted to the Catholic Faith, and became Saints of God.

Did the Magi ever see Jesus again during their lives on earth? While they aren't mentioned again in the Holy Bible, there is some private revelation that suggests that they did. In the visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich, she saw that Jesus as an adult traveled to their country to return the visit they had paid Him as an Infant, bringing with Him the gift of the True Faith.

Among the different practices and devotions in their honor, one popular custom is to write the year and their initials in chalk over the doorways of the home on the feast of the Epiphany. The first two digits of the year come first, then each initial with a cross in between them, followed by the last two digits of the year.

Depending on the spelling of their names, the initials for the three kings can vary, but they are commonly spelled CMB - which also in Latin represents what we are praying for: "Christus mansionem benedicat" ("Christ bless this house").

For example, on Jan. 6, 2015, one would write:

It is so wonderful to think that these three men are real people who, at this very moment, are enjoying a special friendship with their Divine King in Heaven. We can make these special friends of Jesus our own friends too. They would like nothing better than to share with us What they found that first Epiphany – Jesus Himself.