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                                               Intro Mary Garden

The Garden Way of The Rosary
.

John S. Stokes Jr.


     In the 12th century, St.
Bernard spoke of the Blessed 
Virgin Mary as "The rose of
charity, the lily of chastity,
the violet of humility and the
golden gillyflower of heaven",
and, in the 13th, St. Francis
of Assisi was reported to have
taken care not to step on even
the least flower, as it was a
symbol of Mary, "The Flower of
the Field"; but it is not known just when the Marian and other
Christian symbolical flower names actually became widespread in the
oral traditions of the European countryside.  The earliest record
we have found of a flower named for Mary is "Seint Mary gouldes"
("Saint Mary's Golds") included in a 1373 recipe as one ingredient
of a potion sent to 'distroie the pestilence'.

     We do know that Marian flower symbols must have been
prevalent in Catholic culture by the 16th century because of the
many Christian names given to Latin American flowers following the
travels there of Spanish and Portuguese missionaries - such as the
naming of the American marigold (Tagetes) from its perceived
resemblance to the European Marygold (Calendula), and also the
naming of the American Passion Flower (Passiflora) from its parts
seen to recall Christ's lash, crown of thorns, nails of the Cross,
and other instruments of his Passion symbolized individually by
various European flowers.  Also, in the 16th century,
illustrations incorporating symbolic flowers were found, for
meditation, in French and Flemish Books of Hours.  From this we
conclude that flower symbols of Our Lady probably had become
prevalent in the countrysides by the 15th century.

     It was also in the 15th century that the practice was adopted
of meditating on selected Mysteries of Mary's life while praying
the Aves of the Rosary.  The praying of Hail Marys using prayer
beads was introduced as a popular outgrowth of the praying of the
150 Psalms of the Psalter for the souls of the deceased, reported
from the 8th century.  For wider use, the lengthy monastic praying
of the psalms was simplified by the 12th century through the
praying in their place of 150 or 50 Our Fathers, on "Pater Noster"
beads; and, then, in the 13th, by the praying of 150 or 50 Hail
Marys in Mary's praise in the "Psalter of Our Lady".  With the
addition, by the 15th century, of the meditations on Mary's
Mysteries, the Rosary, now prayed for general intentions, was
widely promulgated in its present form through the zeal of Blessed
Alan de la Roche, (c. 1428-1475).

     The name "Rosary", meaning a garland or bouquet of roses, was
given to the Psalter of Our Lady as a consequence of "an early
legend which after traveling all over Europe, penetrating even to
Abyssinia, connected this name with a story of Our Lady, who was
seen taking rosebuds from the lips of a young monk when he was
reciting Hail Marys and to weave them into a garland which she
placed upon her head.  A German metrical version of this story is
still extant dating from the thirteenth century."  (Catholic
Encyclopedia (1912) Vol 13, p.187).

     Alan de la Roche attributed the praying of the Rosary for
pressing community concerns to St. Dominic, who was said by legend
to have had a private revelation from Mary requesting this, and
the practice soon became universal in the Church.  Although
scholars have found no support for the revelation of the Rosary
in the writings or contemporary records of St. Dominic, this
concern is now largely academic following upon Mary's appearances
at Lourdes and Fatima exhorting the praying of the Rosary, in each
instance holding a string of Rosary beads in her hands.

     The observation by those with spiritual vision of flower
"pneums" issuing and rising heavenwards from the lips of persons
praying the vocal Paters and Aves of the Rosary is evidently
reflected in the original Communion Verse for the Mass for the
feast of the Rosary of Mary (October 7th), established in 1573:

                Send forth flowers as the Lily,
                  and yield a fragrance,
                And bring forth leaves in grace,
                  and praise with canticles,
                And bless the Lord in his works."

                         Sirach 39:13-14 (Ecclesiasticus 39:18-19)

.

      The Rosary prayer pneums,
 originally uttered in Mary's praises and
 seen as woven by her into a garland and
 placed on her head, are now envisaged
 also as petitionary prayers passing
 through the hands of Mary Mediatrix and,
 with enhancement and embellishment by her,
 "making our prayers hers", transported by
 angels to Christ and the Trinity, through
 whom they are graced with blessings, and
 then, again through her hands, returned
 to earth as a response of grace to the
 petitions prayed for.  This is
 represented in the heavenly tableau of
 Mary's appearance at Knock in Ireland
 with her hands in special channeling
 position.

     In the Mary Garden we have found it
 fitting to place the reflections
 quickened by the Flowers of Our Lady in
 the context of the fifteen mysteries of
 Knock Mary Garden Grotto   the Rosary; and to conclude the mental
                            Prayer engendered by them with the
petition of the closing prayers of the Rosary, "that while
meditating upon these mysteries of the Blessed Virgin Mary we may
imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through
Christ Our Lord.  Amen"

     As the three Aves at the beginning of the Rosary are employed
to place the five mysteries about to be meditated on for the day
in the context of the full fifteen Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious
Mysteries, so, on entering the Mary Garden, and before considering
the individual symbolism of the flowers, we similarly dispose
ourselves to this full meditative context as we reflect upon how
all white flowers symbolize the Joyful Mysteries, red and purple
flowers the Sorrowful Mysteries, and yellow and gold flowers the
Glorious Mysteries.

     Then, as we draw closer to the flowers, we are reminded by
their beauty of the beauty of Mary's holiness as "Flower of
flowers" (Chaucer); and by their spotless, translucent purity of
her immaculate spiritual purity through which she was open to the
fullness of grace - bestowed in accordance with God's desire, will
and plan for all creation, and especially for humans created to
this end in the divine image and likeness, to share, show forth
and participate to the fullest in the divine goodness and
creating, saving, and sanctifying action.

     Finally, as we behold each flower, we reflect and meditate on
the particular mystery or aspect of Mary's life it symbolizes (see
the accompanying article, "Flower Theology.") - praying that we
may imitate Mary's virtues, excellences and holiness mirrored by
it, and then, through her sure petitions, intercession and
mediation, obtain the graces it promises, as shown forth in all
fullness in her.

     It is fitting that the religious flower symbolism of nature
and that of the Rosary are reunited at Knock, where the Mary
Garden planted at the Blessed Sacrament Chapel in 1983 is believed
to be the first established at a national Marian Shrine, and
following upon which the entire grounds have been planted with
flowers, making the whole shrine, as it were, a Marian Meadow.




Copyright Mary's Gardens 1995