After accomplishing the mystery of our salvation, the Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven and sent down the Holy Spirit from the Father, in the form of fiery tongues. The faithful began to multiply in number, and "there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews" (Acts Ch. 6). The Greeks here referred to were not the pagan idolaters generally called the heathens in the Holy Scripture, for the time had not come for the door of faith to be opened to these, nor had the word of salvation been preached to them. It was only later, following St. Stephen's murder, that the heathen began to be numbered among the believers. (Acts, Ch. 14)

After the Wise Men left Bethlehem, the Angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and instructed him to flee to Egypt with the newborn Babe, Jesus Christ, and His Mother, the Most Pure Virgin Mary. The Angel told Joseph to remain in that country until he received the command to return, for Herod intended to "seek the young Child, to destroy Him." Saint Joseph arose, and "took the young Child and His Mother by night, and departed into Egypt," but before leaving the country, he fulfilled in the Temple of Solomon everything commanded by the Law of the Lord; for the days of the purification of the immaculate and blameless Mother of God were drawing to an end. In the Temple of Jerusalem, the Lord was met by the elder Symeon and Anna the prophetess.

Christ is born, glorify Him! Christ from heaven, go out to meet Him. Christ on earth; be exalted. Sing unto the Lord all the whole earth; and that I may join both in one word, Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad, for Him Who is of heaven and then of earth. Christ in the flesh, rejoice with trembling and with joy; with trembling because of your sins, with joy because of your hope. Christ of a Virgin; O you Matrons live as virgins, that you may be Mothers of Christ. Who does not worship Him That is from the beginning? Who does, not glorify Him That is the Last?"

Each (Wise Man) left his country separately, but eventually they met, joining their entourages. By the time the 9th month was coming to an end and the hour of Christ's birth was near at hand, they were approaching the borders of Palestine. They reached Jerusalem on the very day of the Nativity. Just before they arrived in the royal city, the star hid itself from their sight; otherwise, all the people would have seen it, and followed the Magi to Bethlehem. Herod and the Sanhendrin would have learned where the new-born Savior lay, and in their envy would have slain Him before the appointed time.

"When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the East" (St. Matthew Ch. 2), not just from one eastern country, but (as is probable) from several, as we may conclude from the various statements made by the Holy Fathers about this. Some (including Saints John Chrysostom, Cyril of Alexandria, and Theophylact) say that the Magi (Μάγοι) were from Persia, where the study of astrology especially flourished and no one could become a king unless he was learned in star-lore.