Gold Frankincense & Myrrh: Why Those Gifts?

It was in the fourth century AD that the early Church had to ‘invent’ an appropriate imagery, such that a sceptical Roman elite could comprehend its message via potent image as well as gospel text. The story of St Matthew’s wise men, not long afterwards surprisingly upgraded to kings with related biographies, is remarkable. It encompasses the ancient spice trade, the expansion of the Roman Empire and the extraordinary journey made by the early Church from persecution, to toleration and on to total dominance of the Roman world. Tom Duncan has long been fascinated with this theme so please join him as he journeys from the southern Arabian peninsula by way of Egypt, Petra, ancient Rome, and Ravenna on what will be, by coincidence the Feast of the Epiphany!