Go to Home Page
                                               Intro Mary Garden

The Mary Calendar

(Sample Pages 1-4 of 57.  It is hoped this book will be
re-published.)


.


JANUARY

THE INCARNATION is the central fact in the history of mankind and
in the life of a Christian, therefore the Church commemorates it
continually in Angelus and Ave.  To the piety of our forefathers
the sweetness of the Manger at Bethlehem permeated the year; in
every walk abroad their intuitive devotion carried out the
intention of the Church, and they saw everywhere signs and symbols
of the presence of God-made-Man and of his holy Mother.  Every
field path and hedgerow became an illuminated Book of Hours. There
is some flower or leaf or berry in each month of the year to which
was assigned some holy association or lovely legend.  This is
especially the case with the wild flowers of summer, many of which
were thought of as being among the manger hay.  Those who love to
look through nature up to nature's God might well make a
collection of these and dry them in readiness for the Christmas
Crib.

.


The CHRISTMAS ROSE, Helleborus niger, is a native of southern
Europe which has long been cultivated in England. It is found in
most gardens. It is called the Holy Night Rose, Rose of Noel and
Christ's Bloom.  01d pictures and mystery plays frequently
introduced these lovely blossoms, for a charming legend was
attached to them.

     A shepherd girl named Madelon followed the Shepherds of
Bethlehem to the manger.  She was very poor and had nothing to
offer to the Child, which distressed her greatly.  God had pity on
her and sent the Angel Gabriel to console her.  "Why do you weep?"
he asked.  "Because I have nothing to give to the Baby and his
Mother," she answered.  Then the Angel took her by the hand and led
her outside the cave where he touched the frozen ground with his
staff, and immediately there sprang up the exquisite blossoms of
the Christmas Rose.