Today is the Feast of the Epiphany, when we celebrate the Magi who brought gifts to the Christ Child. When I was little the thing I remembered most about the Magi was that they came from "Orien-tar". <g> In our home, the day is usually commemorated with the same song, crown cake, and stories. Since living in Germany, we now have more stories to share.
In the Cathedral of Cologne (Köln) there is a magnificent gold reliquary which holds the bones of the Three Kings, which were brought originally to Constantinople and then in 344 to Milan, and finally in the12th century sent to Cologne. The reliquary was constructed by the famed goldsmith, Nicholas of Verdun, in 1180 and is considered the largest reliquary in the world.
The history of the cathedral is intertwined with the relics. It was due in part to the steady stream of pilgrims over the years that the cathedral was enlarged to it's current size.
Our other Magi fun fact this week was discovered on a trip to Trier, a city whose history also dates back to Constantine. Near the Haupt Markt you can see the Dreikönigen Haus, the house of the Three Kings, so named for it's "Moorish" design.
The house has a door on the second level which served as an entrance – by way of ladder which could be pulled up for security reasons if needed. Today the lower level houses a coffee shop.
Starry Sky Journal 