Three kings deliver traditional New Year’s blessing

Photo By Nadine Bower | WIESBADEN, Germany - The blessing that is traditionally written on or above the front door of a house by the German "Sternsinger" on Jan. 6 or 7.  

WIESBADEN, HE, GERMANY

01.06.2022

Story by Nadine Bower 

U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden   

WIESBADEN, Germany – Do not be alarmed if the doorbell rings on Jan. 6 or on Jan. 7 and a group of children and young adults dressed in colorful robes stand in front of the house, singing songs in German. This group is part of a long-standing German tradition called “Sternsinger” or Star Singers that reaches back to Medieval times when people would go from house-to-house to collect small donations during the hard winter months.

Nowadays, on the Feast of the Epiphany, children and adolescents from local Catholic churches or youth organizations will dress up as the Holy Three Kings, also known as the Three Wise Men - a group of distinguished foreigners who visited Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Such a Sternsinger visit can vary depending on the German city or town, but will usually take place on Jan. 6 or 7. The group will carry a star representing the one followed by the biblical Magi, while they wander from house to house to sing a carol and deliver the New Year's blessing. They will then write the initials 20+C+M+B+22 on or above the doorway in chalk and say a protective prayer for the house and its occupants.

Although the initials traditionally stand for the names of the three wise men, Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar, they are also known to stand for "Christus Mansionem Benedicat" (=May Christ Bless This House). It is tradition to donate small amounts of money to the Sternsinger, which typically goes towards a charitable association for children in need.

• Date Taken: 01.06.2022
• Date Posted: 01.06.2022 02:25
• Story ID: 412518
• Location: WIESBADEN, HE, DE