"The rose is of great antiquity and the history of civilisation can almost be traced through the history of the plant. The earliest domesticated roses are thought to have been types of deep crimson 'Rosa Gallica', and to have originated in Iran. Carried by merchants, pilgrims, and possibly crusaders, the rose made its way to Greece through the Holy Land and Asia Minor. Drawings of roses from the sixteenth century B.C. have been discovered on the walls of caves in Knossos on Crete. The word 'rose' comes from the Greek 'rhodon', meaning red, and the island of Rhodes was most probably named because the 'quuen of flowers' grew there profusely.
Fourteen of the roses in my selection of fifteen (see Gardening with God blog) were introduced to Britain before the close of the nineteenth century, in the middle of which Pope Pius IX had defined the doctrine (of the Immaculate Conception). 'Rosarie de l'Hay scraped in because many people who heard or read the Pope's Bull would have still been alive when the 'rugosa' arrived here. Further, it stands for all of us who have lived since then to honour the Immaculate Conception of Mary. And how could one leave out a rose with such a name? My list covers all shades of pink, from the palest blush to deepest crimson. All are exquisite; all are fragrant. The rose has symbolised the Blessed Virgin Mary or been associated with her in the literature of Britain and Ireland for at least nine hundred years. There is an eighth-century Irish Litany that refers to her as 'the crimson rose of the land of Jacob', and the beautiful fifteenth century carol praises her thus:
'Ther is no rose of swich vertu
As is the rose that bare Jesu:
Alleluya!
For in this rose conteined was
Heven and erth in litel space
Res miranda.
By that rose we may wel see
That he is God in persones three,
Pari forma.' "
Copyright Jane Mossendew 2002
Tomorrrow: Note on the Rose and the Virgin Mary in Art
3 comments:
What a beautiful meditation! I am a great lover of roses, and I grow Roseraie de l'Hay and Rosa Mundi - the bicoloured rose which flowers but once, but of medieval origin. I always like to think that rosa mundi refers to Our Lady rather than the Rosamund, mistress of Henry II. Could the latter explanation have been added after the Reformation?
In our last home I grew 'Regensburg' in honour of the then Cardinal Ratzinger! Wouldn't it be nice if someone were to name a rose after the Holy Father?
Yes it would be lovely, but they'd have to breed it first. I might write to David Austin or Peter Beales. What family of Rose do you think? And what colour?
ICPP
J
I once read that people who commission roses can't specify a shade or type. However, I suppose a creamy-white remontant floribunda, perfumed, as the Holy Father has been so fruitful in his life and work. The fragrance would symbolise his deep prayer (liturgically symbolised by incense). It would, of course, be thornless.
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