Righteous Origins of the Magi - (Nativity, Christmas)

[Steven Avery]

Righteous Origins of the Magi
Damien Mackey

Righteous Origins of the Magi

The Nativity Star of relevance to Israel determined the ethnicity of Matthew’s Magi.

web.archive.org

not
https://www.academia.edu/145555215/Righteous_Origins_of_the_Magi

Central Theme: Explores the idea that the Magi possessed a legitimate, godly, and righteous tradition rooted in ancient eastern prophetic expectations (such as those tied to Daniel or Balaam) rather than practicing illicit or pagan occultism.

 

[Steven Avery]

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[Steven Avery]

BCHF - 2026
Matthew 2:1 - The Religion of the Magi & Connection to Paul
https://earlywritings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=15969

 

[Steven Avery]

Damien F. MacKey

Righteous Origins of the Magi

“The Magi’s purpose was not merely to acknowledge Jesus but to worship Him (Matthew 2:11). Their worship shows that Christ’s mission includes Gentiles, fulfilling promises like Isaiah 49:6, which speaks of the Messiah being “a light to the nations”.” Explaining the Book A fairly typical view of the Magi – and there are plenty of variations on the subject – would be like the one well presented here by

Explaining the Book: Who were the Magi / Wise Men in the Bible?

Who were the Magi / Wise Men in the Bible?

The Magi, or “wise men,” from the East, are significant figures in the Gospel of Matthew, highlighting the global importance of Jesus’ birth. They followed a star to worship Him, presen…

explainingthebook.com

The Magi, often referred to as the “wise men,” are intriguing figures in the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 2:1–12). They play a key role in the narrative of Jesus’ birth, as their journey to find and worship the newborn King of the Jews highlights the significance of Christ’s coming. While the text provides limited details about them, several points can be drawn from Scripture and historical context.

Who Were the Magi?
The term Magi comes from the Greek word magoi, which refers to a group of learned men, often associated with astrology, astronomy, and the interpretation of dreams. Historically, the Magi were a priestly class from the Median or Persian Empire, known for their wisdom and expertise in various fields, including religion and the sciences. By the time of Jesus’ birth, the term had broadened to include men of knowledge and influence from the East, likely from regions like Persia, Babylon, or Arabia. These men were not Jewish, which emphasizes the global significance of Christ’s birth. What Do We Know About Them? They Came from the East The Magi were from “the East,” likely Persia or Babylon. These regions had longstanding traditions of astrology and prophecy, and they were familiar with Jewish Scriptures due to the Jewish exile in Babylon centuries earlier (Daniel 2:48 suggests the Magi might have interacted with Jewish wisdom traditions).

They Saw a Star
The Magi’s journey began when they observed “His star in the East” (Matthew 2:2). This star was a divine sign pointing to the birth of the King of the Jews. The exact nature of the star is debated—some suggest it was a supernatural event, while others propose a celestial phenomenon like a conjunction of planets or a comet.

They Sought the King of the Jews
Their question to Herod, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?” demonstrates their understanding of the star’s significance. Their knowledge may have been influenced by Old Testament prophecies, such as Numbers 24:17, which speaks of a star coming out of Jacob.

They Brought Gifts
The gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh they presented to Jesus are rich with symbolic meaning: Gold represents royalty and acknowledges Jesus as King. Frankincense symbolizes divinity and worship, as it was used in temple offerings. Myrrh foreshadows Jesus’ suffering and death, as it was used in embalming. These gifts also fulfill Isaiah 60:6, which speaks of nations bringing gold and frankincense to honor the Lord.

They Worshiped Jesus
The Magi’s purpose was not merely to acknowledge Jesus but to worship Him (Matthew 2:11). Their worship shows that Christ’s mission includes Gentiles, fulfilling promises like Isaiah 49:6, which speaks of the Messiah being “a light to the nations.”

They Were Warned in a Dream After finding Jesus,
the Magi were warned in a dream not to return to Herod. They obeyed and returned to their country by another route, demonstrating their role in protecting the child from Herod’s schemes.

The Significance of the Magi
Gentiles Acknowledging Christ The Magi were among the first to recognize Jesus as King, foreshadowing the inclusion of Gentiles in the kingdom of God. Their journey fulfills Old Testament prophecies of nations coming to the light of Israel (Isaiah 60:1–3).

Contrast with Herod and the Jewish Leaders
While the Magi traveled far to worship Jesus, Herod and the religious leaders in Jerusalem responded with hostility or indifference. This contrast highlights the widespread rejection Jesus would face, even from His own people.

God’s Sovereignty in Revelation
The Magi’s knowledge of the star and their subsequent journey reveal God’s sovereign ability to draw people to Christ through extraordinary means. Despite their pagan background, God used their understanding of the heavens to lead them to the Savior.

Common Misconceptions About the Magi
Their Number Is Unknown Tradition often depicts three Magi, likely due to the three gifts, but the Bible doesn’t specify their number. There could have been more.

They Were Not Kings
The idea that the Magi were kings arose later in Christian tradition, partly influenced by passages like Psalm 72:10, which speaks of kings bringing gifts. However, the Magi were more likely scholars or priests.

Their Arrival Was Not on the Night of Jesus’ Birth
The Magi likely arrived months or even up to two years after Jesus’ birth. Matthew 2:11 mentions that they found Jesus in a house, not a manger, and Herod’s decree to kill male children up to two years old suggests a later visit.

Conclusion
The Magi’s journey to worship Jesus reminds us that Christ is the Savior for all nations. Their story calls us to respond to Him with worship, faith, and devotion, as they did, recognizing Him as the true King and Redeemer. [End of article]

But were the Magi ‘enlightened’ Gentiles? That they were seems to be one special emphasis of the Explaining the Book article, which concludes with: “Christ is the Savior for all nations”. The Bible, however, can be quite parochial as to its emphasis on Israel. And I have argued in the following article that certain biblical characters, who have customarily been taken as having been ‘enlightened’ Gentiles, were in fact ethnic Jews (Israelites/Hebrews): Bible critics can overstate idea of ‘enlightened pagan’ (2) Bible critics can overstate idea of 'enlightened pagan' These include characters such as: RAHAB (in genealogy of David and Jesus) RUTH ACHIOR (in my Catholic Bible, Book of Judith) JOB Also in that article I mentioned in passing that Samson’s Delilah, that the Magi, and that the Gospel Centurion, might likewise fall into that same category - of being Israelites, and, hence, not ‘enlightened Gentiles’. And I have since written an article on Delilah as potentially having been an Israelite: Samson’s Delilah may have been an Israelite (2) Samson’s Delilah may have been an Israelite And also, tentatively on the: Gospel Centurion an Israelite (3) Gospel Centurion an Israelite Is it all worth bothering about? Why all of this fuss, anyway, in the case of the Magi, if, as the majority of biblical scholars insist, Matthew’s story about them has no basis whatsoever in historical fact? A few months ago, at St. Patrick’s, Sydney (Australia), a priest there of long standing, while not himself outright denying the reality of the Magi, nevertheless made a most favourable reference to Fr. Raymond Brown (d. 1998) and his theory that there is no extra-biblical evidence whatsoever in support of the real existence of the Magi. Fr. Dwight Longenecker, on the other hand, is one who believes that it matters. He will refer somewhat less enthusiastically to Raymond Brown on this very issue:

Biblical Scholars and the Myth of the Magi |
Fr. Dwight Longenecker
“… for a long time, one of the orthodoxies of modern Biblical scholarship has been that the magi story is a complete fabrication. Raymond Brown, in his great book The Birth of the Messiah actually records the fact that within the circles of New Testament scholarship to hint that you think perhaps there really were three wise men who came to Bethlehem is to write your own career obituary. This was affirmed to me privately by several contemporary New Testament scholars. Put simply, the magi story is a hot potato. If you want to be taken seriously you toe the party line, chuckle condescendingly to anyone who suggests the magi were historical and move on. For the majority of Biblical scholars, to say you are on a quest to identify the three wise men is like saying to an English professor you are on a search for the historical Peter Pan. So my quest was not only to identify the three wise men, but also to undermine the assumption that the magi story was a fabricated fable, and also to undermine the idea that it doesn’t matter. This is the other response one gets from the Biblical scholars. Even the conservative scholars will brush aside the question of historicity by saying, “Well, that may be interesting, but I’m really only concerned with the text.” However, if the stories which are presented as history are not, in fact history, then why be concerned with them at all except as literary pieces worthy of academic dissection?”

New approaches to the subject

Explaining the Book and Fr. Dwight (above) make some very relevant points. Here, though, I would like (i) to test my view that the emphasis in the Bible is on Israel, and that the Magi were not ‘enlightened’ Gentiles at all, but

(ii) also to introduce a most radical new geography according to which neither Medo-Persia, nor Babylonia, from which lands the supposedly Gentile Magi are traditionally thought to have hailed (Fr. Dwight will introduce the novel idea that they were Nabataean Arabs), was not, in fact, “in the East” (cf. Mathew 2:2). For (ii) the geographical revolution, which is very new, but also very compelling, and according to which the lands of Chaldea, Elam and Medo-Persia all need to be re-located right away from the East, to NW Syria and Anatolia, I simply refer the reader to my article, based on the inspired insights of Royce (Richard) Erickson:

More geographical ‘tsunamis’: lands of Elam and Chaldea (4) More geographical ‘tsunamis’: lands of Elam and Chaldea Here is what I wrote excitedly in that article: Just three days ago (First Friday, 7th July 2023), I came across a tectonic article by Royce (Richard) Erickson that, instead of positing two countries “Elam”, picked up holus bolus and re-located the whole of Elam (and Susa with it) to southern Anatolia. I refer to his article at academia.edu

A PROBLEM IN CHALDAEAN AND ELAMITE GEOGRAPHY (4) A PROBLEM IN CHALDAEAN AND ELAMITE GEOGRAPHY

potentially the most important article ever written on ancient geography (as I noted in a Message to the author). …. This (ii) shifts the ground, so to speak, and means that a revised geographical location for the Magi must be entertained. And that, then, opens the door for my (1) that the Magi were not ‘enlightened’ Gentiles at all. A proper interpretation of the geography of the Book of Tobit definitively confirms Royce Erickson’s thesis that Media was in Anatolia: Book of Tobit confirms that land of Media was in Cilicia (5) Book of Tobit confirms that land of Media was in Cilicia In this same article I had a crack at Catholic (priest) exegetes – and this applies entirely to Fr. Raymond Brown, as well – wh0 will criticise the Bible for a presumed problem, instead of trying to find a solution that saves the scriptural inerrancy, as would be their vocation. I wrote: No wonder then that, on this basis, The Jerusalem Bible says that “the geography is inexact”; while Fr. D. Dumm (article, “Tobit”) in The Jerome Biblical Commentary, exclaims that: “[The angel] Raphael knows the journey of life far better than the route to Media!” Unfortunately, though, Fr. Dumm just leaves it at that, without being willing, or able, to defend the accuracy of the Bible with a proper explanation of what is happening here. [End of quote] This shows a lack of faith - learned priests treating the scriptures as documents to be cleverly dissected, rather than striving to unearth the truths underlying them. Monsignor John McCarthy (d. 2024) of the Society of the Oblates of Wisdom will roundly criticise Fr. Raymond Brown for these same reasons: For example:

LT133 - Regarding Father Raymond Brown's form-critical approach to the Virginal Conception of Jesus / From Constantinople to Rome:

Why I did not join the Eastern Orthodox Church Classic form-criticism is rationalistic in that it does not admit Christian faith as one of its operative principles, and it is naturalistic in that it does not accept into its world of reality any divine interventions or supernatural happenings. The use of form-criticism by Catholics is wrong in the first place because it is a backwards approach to Sacred Scripture. The right approach is to accept what the Scriptures seem to say as historically true unless this is shown to be false, but the aim and purpose of form-criticism is to find errors and inconsistencies in the Sacred Writ, and it does so by assuming the Scriptures to be historically false wherever they cannot be proved to be true. In other words, it gives the benefit of the doubt to the criticism rather than to the inspired text. …. While Brown virtually admits that his and other form-critical speculations on earlier phases of the Gospels really don’t prove anything (BM, p. 119), he works hard at undermining the truth of the one text that we have. For instance, he claims that the idea for the fabrication of the pattern of false episodes narrated by Matthew from the virginal conception (Matt 1:18ff.) to the return of the Holy Family from Egypt (Matt 2:23) was basically suggested by adapting the story of Moses in Egypt as narrated in the Book of Exodus, with a couple of additional elements borrowed from the story of Joseph the Patriarch (BM, p. 138). The idea of Catholic exegetical tradition that these parallels between the Old Testament and the New Testament were made by the divine Author for typological and allegorical reasons gets no consideration at all in the form-critical thinking here. Brown has to follow the naturalistic presupposition of the form-critical method that these things could not really have happened, because, once one admits that they could really have happened, the whole form-critical method falls to pieces. …. [End of quote] Perhaps if the Frs. Dumm and Brown had approached the scriptures with faith, instead of a rationalistic form-criticism, then they might have uncovered all sorts of wonders: like, as being argued here, the land of Media is nowhere near where we have been told for generations that it was.

The Magi were Transjordanian Israelites I enjoyed reading the helpful

Explaining the Book article on the Magi. And also Fr. Dwight Longenecker - and I admire both his infectious enthusiasm and his genuine efforts to identify the Magi. My own different conclusion, though, will be that the Magi were – like those other alleged biblical ‘enlightened’ pagans referred to above – truly ethnic Israelites. Fr. Dwight was right to look for a biblical East, rather than for a more global one, for the home of the Magi. He had written on this: Matthew says they came “from the East.” He was writing to the Jews in the area of Jerusalem-Judea. For them “the East” was the huge territory controlled by the Nabateans — present day Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, most of Iraq and Lebanon. We know this was “the East” for them not only because that kingdom lies to the East of Judea, but also because in the Old Testament “the people of the East” most often refers to the various tribes of the Arabian peninsula. …. That, too, the biblical approach, is the one that I favour, but I would identify the Magi’s “East”, instead, with the East of the

Book of Job (1:1-3): In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. He had seven sons and three daughters, and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.

I vaguely recall having read of (but can no longer trace it) a tradition that had the Magi (or some of them) as descendants of the prophet Job in the land of Uz.

God had boasted to Satan of Job’s righteousness (Job 2:3):
“And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? And still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movest me against him, to destroy him without cause.”

The best location for Job’s “Uz” is Ausitis in the Hauran region east of the Jordan: Prophet Job did not belong to the Patriarchal or Judges era – Library of Rickandria “Some think the Ausitis in the LXX book of Job was Auranitis or Hauran”. There, so I think, holy Naphtalian descendants of Job patiently awaited the return of “His Star” (Matthew 2:2). But how did they know that it was coming? And how did they know that it was “His”? A key to this, and to the identification of the “Star” itself, may be Tobit 13. Old Tobit (now dying), a possible ancestor of the Magi, proclaimed this to his son, Tobias

(i.e. Job) (13:11-18): A bright light will shine to all the remotest parts of the earth; many nations will come to you from far away, the inhabitants of the ends of the earth to your holy name, bearing gifts in their hands for the King of heaven. Generation after generation will give joyful praise in you; the name of the chosen city will endure forever. Cursed are all who reject you and all who blaspheme you; cursed are all who hate you and all who speak a harsh word against you; cursed are all who conquer you and pull down your walls, all who overthrow your towers and set your homes on fire. But blessed forever will be all who build you up. Rejoice, then, and exult over the children of the righteous, for they will all be gathered together and will bless the Lord of the ages. Happy will be those who love you, and happy are those who will rejoice in your peace. Happy also all people who grieve with you because of your afflictions, for they will rejoice with you and witness all your joy forever. My soul blesses the Lord, the great King, for Jerusalem will be rebuilt as his House for all ages. How happy I will be if a remnant of my descendants should survive to see your glory and acknowledge the King of heaven. The gates of Jerusalem will be built with sapphire and emerald and all your walls with precious stones. The towers of Jerusalem will be built with gold and their battlements with pure gold. The streets of Jerusalem will be paved with ruby and with stones of Ophir. The gates of Jerusalem will sing hymns of joy, and all her houses will cry, ‘Hallelujah! Blessed be the God of Israel!’— and the blessed will bless the holy name forever and ever.”

Some time later, as the Temple about which Tobit spoke here was nearing completion, the motivating prophet Haggai - who I believe to have been Tobit’s very son, Tobias (= Job/Habakkuk) (see my articles): “Where shall I place Habakkuk?” (6) “Where shall I place Habakkuk?” and: Haggai as Job late in his life? (6) Haggai as Job late in his life? - will promise the return to the Temple of the Glory of the Lord, commonly known as Shekinah (a name that does not, however, appear in the Bible). Thus Haggai announces (2:6-9): This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this House with glory,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty. ‘The glory of this present House [Temple] will be greater than the glory of the former House,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the Lord Almighty. His Star “Stopped” What a contrast in attitudes (personalities?)! Fr. Dwight Longenecker’s complete certainty that he has identified the Magi, and Matthew Erwin’s almost matter-of-fact right identification (so I think) of the “Star”. Once again, as in the case of Fr. Dwight, the biblical approach is taken. Previously I wrote regarding Matthew Erwin and his identification of the “Star”: At last I have found an article that, for me, makes proper sense of the Nativity Star. Professor Matthew Ervin, in December 2013, explained it as the Glory of the Lord. He uses the word, Shekinah, which word, however, is not found in the Bible. I would prefer:

Glory of the Lord (כְבוֹד יְהוָה), Chevod Yahweh (e.g. 2 Chronicles 7:1). Matthew Ervin writes in a simple blog: https://appleeye.org/2013/12/15/the-star-of-bethlehem-was-the-shechinah-glory/ The Star of Bethlehem Was the Shekinah Glory …. Theories as to what the Star of Bethlehem was are myriad. The usual answers look to celestial objects ranging from real stars to comets. Indeed, the inquiry has been so wide sweeping that virtually every object appearing in the sky has been posited as the Bethlehem Star. However, when Scripture is examined the identity of the Star is evident. The Greek ἀστέρα or astera simply identifies a shining or gleaming object that is translated as star in Matthew 2:1-10. The magi specifically referred to it as, “His star” (v. 2). In addition, the behavior of this Star alone is enough to discount any natural stellar phenomenon. …. If not a regular stellar object then what exactly was the Star of Bethlehem? The synoptic narrative in Luke’s Gospel provides an answer:

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. Luke 2:8-9 (ESV)

The glory of the Lord here is a powerful example of the Shekinah Glory. This type of glory is a visible manifestation of God’s presence come to dwell among men. The Shekinah was often accompanied by a heavenly host (e.g. Ezek. 10:18-19) and so it was at the birth of Christ (Luke 10:13). The Shekinah Glory declared Messiah’s birth to the shepherds (Luke 2:8-11). The Star of Bethlehem likewise declared to the magi that Messiah had arrived (Matt. 2:9-10). No doubt this is because Matthew and Luke were describing the same brilliant light in their respective gospels. Although the Shekinah takes on various appearances in Scripture, it often appears as something very bright. This includes but is not limited to a flaming sword (Gen. 3:24), a burning bush (Ex. 3:1-5; Deut. 33:16), a pillar of cloud and fire (Ex. 13:21-22), a cloud with lightning and fire (Ex. 19:16-20), God’s afterglow (His “back”) (Ex. 33:17-23), the transfiguration of Jesus (e.g. Matt. 17:1-8), fire (Acts 2:1-3), a light from heaven (e.g. Acts 9:3-8) and the lamp of New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:23-24). It was the Shekinah Glory that dwelled in the Holy of Holies. It was last in Solomon’s temple but departed as seen by Ezekiel (Ezek. 9:3; 10:4-19; 11:22-23). Haggai prophesied that the Shekinah Glory would return to the temple in Israel and in a superior way (Hag. 2:3; 2:9). And yet it would seem that this never happened for the Second Temple was destroyed in 70 A.D. Perhaps though the Shekinah did return. The Star of Bethlehem was the Shekinah Glory declaring the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ and residing in His person. And why not? The Messiah was prophesied to come as a star (Num. 24:17), and Jesus is called the, “bright morning star” (Rev. 22:16). …. [End of quote]

It would be most fitting for the prophet Haggai to foretell the return of the Glory cloud. The family of Job-Tobias knew, from what we now have written in Tobit 13, that the Glory of the Lord was going to return after the Exile. Job, as Haggai, now in his late old age, had advised the people, disappointed at the sight of the second Temple, that the Glory of the Lord would return to it. And return again it did, with the Birth of Jesus Christ, the New Temple, who would render obsolete “the old stone Temple” (pope Benedict XVI). In other words, the second Temple was only ever to be temporary, and would be dramatically replaced (destroyed even) by He who is the true Temple of God. The Shepherds saw the Light at close hand and were able to go directly to the stable. For the Magi, the guiding Light conveniently stopped, just as the shining Cloud was wont to do during the Exodus (Numbers 9:17): “When the cloud moved from its place over the Tent, the Israelites moved, and wherever the cloud stopped, the Israelites camped”. The Magi had long been expecting it. Their possible ancestor, Tobit, had foretold its return, and his son, Haggai, had confirmed it some time later. The Magi, who - as descendants of Job, as I think - were undoubtedly clever and educated, did not really need, though, to be able to read the heavens and constellations (as Job almost certainly could, cf. Job 38:31-33) to identify the Star. They were expecting it and they simply had to wait until they saw it. This was a manifestation for Israel, to be understood by Israel, which is a solid reason why I think that the Magi must have been Israelites, not Gentiles. The Nativity Star of relevance to Israel determined the ethnicity of Matthew’s Magi. Child Jesus at Pontevedra stands on a luminous cloud A century ago, now, the resplendent Christ Child appeared again, with his holy Mother, at Pontevedra, Spain, 10th December, 1925, likewise “elevated on a luminous cloud”. We read about it at: https://fatima.org/news-views/the-apparition-of-our-lady-and-the-child-jesus-at-pontevedra/ On July 13, 1917, Our Lady promised at Fatima: “If what I say to you is done, many souls will be saved … I shall come to ask for the Consecration of Russia to My Immaculate Heart, and the Communion of Reparation on the First Saturdays.” As Fatima scholar Frère Michel de la Sainte Trinité tells us, this first secret of Our Lady “is a sure and easy way of tearing souls away from the danger of hell: first our own, then those of our neighbors, and even the souls of the greatest sinners, for the mercy and power of the Immaculate Heart of Mary are without limits.” ….

Circumstances of the Apparition ….
The promise of Our Lady to return was fulfilled in December 1925, when 18-year-old Lucia was a postulant at the Dorothean convent in Pontevedra, Spain. It was here, during an apparition of the Child Jesus and Our Lady, that She revealed the first part of God’s plan for the salvation of sinners: the reparatory Communion of the First Saturdays of the month. Lucia narrated what happened, speaking of herself in the third person – perhaps, in humility, to divert attention from her role in the event: “On December 10, 1925, the Most Holy Virgin appeared to her [Lucia], and by Her side, elevated on a luminous cloud, was the Child Jesus. The Most Holy Virgin rested Her hand on her shoulder, and as She did so, She showed her a heart encircled by thorns, which She was holding in Her other hand. At the same time, the Child said: “‘Have compassion on the Heart of your Most Holy Mother, covered with thorns, with which ungrateful men pierce It at every moment, and there is no one to make an act of reparation to remove them.’ “Then the Most Holy Virgin said: “‘Look, My daughter, at My Heart, surrounded with thorns with which ungrateful men pierce Me at every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. You at least try to console Me and announce in My name that I promise to assist at the moment of death, with all the graces necessary for salvation, all those who, on the first Saturday of five consecutive months, shall confess … receive Holy Communion, recite five decades of the Rosary, and keep Me company for fifteen minutes while meditating on the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary, with the intention of making reparation to Me.’” The Great Promise and Its Conditions As Fatima author, Mark Fellows, noted: “The Blessed Virgin did more than ask for reparatory Communion and devotions on five First Saturdays: She promised Heaven to those who practiced this devotion sincerely and with a spirit of reparation. …. Our Lady promises the grace of final perseverance – the most sublime of all graces – to all those who devoutly practice this devotion. The disproportion between the little requested and the immense grace promised reveals the great power of intercession granted to the Blessed Virgin Mary for the salvation of souls. Furthermore, this promise also contains a missionary aspect. The devotion of reparation is recommended as a means of converting sinners in the greatest danger of being lost. …. For more information, see The Magnificent Promise for the Five First Saturdays (Section III, pp. 8-16). …. https://fatima.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/cr49.pdf

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