Christmas Flora and Foliage

       

The Druids also held holly, one of the only vibrant plants to be found during the Winter, in high esteem as a plant of death and regeneration. Since its berries are red...the color of life and blood...it was perceived as a "female" plant, representative of the Goddess. Ivy, the accepted symbol of friendship, was believed to represent the consort of the Goddess and, therefore, "masculine" in nature. The ancient custom of decorating the doorway with entertwined garlands of holly and ivy represented unity between the dual halves of divinity or, alternatively, the ritualized battle of the sexes.

Tradition held that whoever first brought holly into the house at Christmastime, whether it be the master or mistress, would be the one who should rule the household for the coming year.

With the advent of Christianity, holly became associated with the word "holy." Symbolically, it represented the crown of thorns worn by Jesus and it was believed that the berries of the holly plant, originally yellow in color, were stained red by the blood of Christ. The "Sans Day Carol," a traditional carol from Cornwall in England, focuses on this aspect of the holly's symbolism and the different colors of berries to be found on hollies. As mentioned, red was representative of Jesus' blood, while white berries found on some holly trees symbolized Jesus' purity. Green berries represented the cross upon which Christ died and black berries, the death of Jesus.

LEGEND OF THE CHRISTMAS ROSE

The Legend of the Christmas Rose is a charming tale of a little shepherd girl named Madelon.

As Madelon tended to her sheep one cold and wintry night, Wise Men and shepherds passed by Madelon's snow-covered field bearing gifts for the Christ Child. Following, Madelon saw the Magi present gold, myrrh and frankincense to the baby...even the humble shepherds had brought fruits, honey and doves to give to the babe...but Madelon had nothing, not even a simple flower for the Newborn King. Standing outside the stable where Jesus had been born, poor Madelon wept, wishing that she had a gift she could carry to the infant. A watching Angel, taking pity on Madelon, caused the snow at the feet of the small girl feet to vanish, thus revealing a most beautiful white flower whose petals were tipped with pink, formed by the Angel from the tears which had fallen from the eyes of the little shepherdess. Overjoyed, Madelon presented her gift at the manger of the baby Jesus...her gift of the Christmas Rose.

The Christmas Rose is also associated with Saint Agnes, Patroness of Purity, Chastity, Betrothed Couples, Virgins and Rape Victims.

Saint Agnes is honored as one of the four great virgin martyrs of the Christian Church. She was beheaded at the age of 12 or 13 early in the Fourth Century during the reign of Diocletian, the Roman emperor who ordered the last great persecution of Christians which began in early 303 A.D. Having no desire to marry, Saint Agnes was prepared to die for the sake of her faith and virginity as the "Bride of Christ" rather than become the wife of a Roman prefect's son.

Saint Agnes is among the most widely honored of Roman martyrs and one of the most popular Christian saints. After her death, she was buried in her parents' household cemetery located a short distance from the city limits of Rome. Initially, a modest chapel was placed over the saint's grave but after Christianity became one of the lawful religions of the Roman Empire, the shrine of Saint Agnes was enlarged and transformed. According to legend, Constantina (the oldest of Constantine's daughters by his first wife, Fausta) was afflicted with leprosy and reputedly cured of the disease after praying Saint Agnes's tomb.

The shrine, known today as the "Basilica of Saint Agnes Outside the Walls," is famous for its mosaics, galleried nave and for housing the relics of the saint in an ornate silver sarcophagus solidly encased beneath the altar.

Saint Agnes has played a prominent role in Christian art, frequently depicted as a young woman bearing a palm leaf or sword while cradling a lamb. The symbolism of the lamb is suggested both by her innocence and purity...the Latin word for "lamb" is agnus. The association of Saint Agnes with the Christmas Rose is one of purity, represented by the flower's delicate white blossoms.

The Feast of Saint Agnes (celebrated on January 21st) is marked every year in Rome with a custom which is rich in symbolism and tradition. Two very young lambs from the sheepfold belonging to the Trappist Fathers of the Monastery of Tre Fontane near Saint Paul's Basilica are crowned and placed in straw baskets, which have been carefully decorated with red and white flowers and streamers: red standing for the martyrdom of Saint Agnes, and white for her purity. The lambs are then taken to the Basilica of Saint Agnes where a solemn feast day Mass is held. Shortly after, a procession composed of young girls in white dresses and veils...as well as carabinieri in uniforms and hats of red and blue...bear the lambs upon their shoulders and proceed down the center aisle. The lambs are ceremoniously incensed and blessed before being shown to the Pope at the Vatican and finally given over to the care of the Benedictine Nuns of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere, who rear them until Maundy Thursday, at which time they are sheared.

From the wool of the lambs are woven approximately 12 pallia a year, made by the Oblates of Saint Frances of Rome. The pallium is an article of ecclesiastical apparel consisting of a narrow circular band of white wool embroidered with six small crosses, bearing a weighted pendant in the front and in the back. The garment is slipped over the head and hangs down, front and back, in the shape of a "Y," thereby draping the shoulders and symbolic of the sheep carried by the Good Shepherd. The pallium is worn during ceremonies by the Pope, metropolitan archbishops and patriarchs. Until an archbishop receives a pallium, he may not exercise metropolitan jurisdiction, and if he should be transferred to a new archdiocese, then he must request a new pallium. All archbishops are buried with their pallia, which are received directly from the Pope.

               

Leaves of costmary or alecost were used to add spice to holiday ale (also known as "wassail") in olden Europe, while bay laurel, along with other forms of greenery, have been used in decorations since ancient European times to help celebrate the Winter Solstice. Bay laurel is associated with Apollo, God of Light, and serves as a reminder that the long Winter will soon melt into Spring.

Frankincense and myrrh were two of the gifts offered by the Magi to the Christ Child (the other being gold). Frankincese pods and myrrh gum are both scented plant materials which may be classified as herbs. Frankincense, also called Olibanum, has been used for centuries in religious rites and as a medicinal treatment for both internal and external ailments. It is a resin found in small thorny trees known as Boswellia Thurifera which grow in Africa, Yemen and countries around the Red Sea. The sap oozes from the trees, forming small white pod which harden upon contact with the air and turn yellow. These pods are then burned for their aroma. The oil of frankincense is calming and soothing and deepens breathing.

Myrrh was used by the Egyptians and Hebrews for incense, cosmetics, perfumes and medicines. It has also been used as an embalming tool. Like frankincense, myrrh was once considered to be a rare treasure. Again, it is a resin and is derived from the shrub Commiphora, which is found in Arabia and Abyssinia. Another name for garden myrhh is "sweet cicely." The plant has fern-like foliage with dull white flowers and grows to be approximately three feet tall. Myrrh is an effective medicine for treating sore throats, infected gums, thrush and athletes foot. It contains cleansing agents, useful in countering poisons found in the body, and helps to stimulate the circulatory system.

Frankincense and myrrh are becoming available to day through dealers in potpourri materials. Blended with gold yarrow, they are used to create the "Potpourri of Three Kings." Yarrow also bears signficance in the Christmas tradition in its own right. Sometimes called "carpenter's weed" (because of its purported folk-healing powers against cuts), it is associated with Joseph the Carpenter, who was the earthly father of Jesus.

article by novareina.com