“Gold, frankincense and myrrh”: the gifts of the Magi, in the second chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, are among the best-known images of Christmas. It is often forgotten that two of these three gifts are fragrances. Long before the nativity scene, frankincense and myrrh already ranked among the most precious materials of the ancient world.
Two tears from trees
Frankincense, which perfumers also call olibanum, is the resin of Boswellia, a tree of the arid lands of the Arabian Peninsula and the Horn of Africa. A cut in the bark is enough: the resin beads, then dries into pale, translucent tears.
Myrrh comes from another tree, Commiphora myrrha, which grows in Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Djibouti and Eritrea, as well as in Yemen and Oman. Its tears are darker, a reddish brown. Its name already carries its taste: it comes from a Semitic root meaning “to be bitter”.
Gifts fit for kings
For centuries, these resins travelled along the caravan routes of Arabia. In the Sultanate of Oman, UNESCO inscribed the Land of Frankincense on the World Heritage List in 2000: the frankincense trees of Wadi Dawkah, the caravan oasis of Shisr and the ports of Khor Rori and Al-Baleed bear witness to a trade that flourished from the 4th century BC to the 16th century.
In the temples of Egypt, a resin was burned every day at sunrise, myrrh at midday and kyphi at sunset, and myrrh also played a part in funeral rites. To offer frankincense and myrrh was to offer the rarest things the world knew. An ancient reading of the story, handed down by Christian tradition, sees three symbols in them: gold for the king, frankincense for the divine, myrrh for mortality.
When fragrance was smoke
The word “perfume” still bears the trace of this smoke. It comes, through the French parfum, from the Old Provençal perfumar or the Italian perfumare, built on the Latin per, “through”, and fumare, “to smoke”. Before bottles and essences, to perfume was to burn fragrant materials: in the temples, resins smouldered on embers and their smoke rose towards the sky.
What do they smell like?
Frankincense is luminous: fresh and resinous, with a lemony, peppery facet that recalls the stone of churches. Myrrh is darker and warmer, balsamic, slightly bitter. One rises, the other envelops; together, they compose the amber, smoky trail we associate with winter evenings.
Sancta Myrrha, a Christmas of resins
This is the accord we chose for Sancta Myrrha, a fragrance of the Rest virtue: myrrh, frankincense and black pepper curl into dark spirals, down to a base of balms and benzoin. Harper’s Bazaar UK named it Best Candle in its Best of the Best Beauty Awards 2026.
Poured in the Loire Valley from entirely plant-based rapeseed wax, into a jar crafted in Tuscany, the 240 g Signature Candle burns for about 60 hours. Light it as the daylight fades, for a long evening or a quiet read.
A candle created to accompany refocusing, introspection and the quiet hours of the evening.
Three ways to host with resins
- In the entrance, without a flame. The Sancta Myrrha Scented Stone, carved from Lutetian limestone in La Roche-Guyon, welcomes your guests with a discreet trail from the door.
- In the living room, before they arrive. Light the candle an hour ahead: the fragrance has time to settle, and its trail lingers once the flame is out. Avoid the dinner table, where it would mingle with the food.
- To give. The Sancta Myrrha Ritual Set brings together the Signature Candle and the Miniature Stone Set in the same fragrance. The madder-red ribbon and your message are complimentary: add them from your cart.
Two thousand years after the Magi, frankincense and myrrh have lost none of their power to evoke. Find all our ideas on our Gifts page.
Frequently asked questions
Why did the Magi bring frankincense and myrrh? These resins were among the most precious goods of the ancient world. A traditional reading also sees symbols in them: frankincense for the divine, myrrh for mortality.
What is the difference between frankincense and myrrh? They are the resins of two different trees: frankincense, or olibanum, comes from Boswellia; myrrh from Commiphora myrrha. Frankincense smells fresh and resinous, myrrh warmer and more bitter.
Which candle should I choose for a frankincense and myrrh scent? Sancta Myrrha brings together myrrh, frankincense and black pepper on a base of balms and benzoin, as a 240 g Signature Candle or a Scented Stone.
Further reading
