Biblical Magi religion was Zoroastrianism, with its priestly magos class. Although Matthew's account does not explicitly cite the motivation for their journey (other than seeing the star in the east, which they took to be the star of the King of the Jews), the Syriac Infancy Gospel provides some clarity by stating explicitly in the third chapter that they were pursuing a prophecy from their prophet, Zoradascht (Zoroaster). There is an Armenian tradition identifying the "Magi of Bethlehem" as Balthasar of Arabia, Melchior of Persia, and Gaspar of India. Historian John of Hildesheim relates a tradition in the ancient silk road city
Shrine of the Three Kings with the resurrected Christ above. This end also has a bust of Rainald of Dassel in the center. In the novel "Baudolino" (2000), Umberto Eco describes the discovery and subsequent donation of the Magi's relics as an elaborate 12th century hoax perpetrated by the title character. In the novel "Map of Bones" (2005) by James Rollins, the Shrine contains gold in its monatomic state, produced by the Magi, as opposed to holy relics. In the novel "The Bishop and the Three Kings," bishop-detective Father John Blackwood "Blackie" Ryan must solve the mysterious theft of the shrine (Andrew Greeley, 1998). Shrine