May 23 The Rosalia

IN ROME, THE FLOWER OF CHOICE WAS THE ROSE. IT WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE WORSHIP OF CERTAIN GODDESSES AND WAS, FOR THE ANCIENT ROMANS, A SYMBOL OF BEAUTY AND THE FLOWER OF "VENUS." IN ANTIQUITY, THE ROSE ALSO HAD A FUNERARY CONNOTATION, AND THE ROMANS ALSO SAW IT AS A SYMBOL OF DEATH AND REBIRTH HENCE, THEY NOT ONLY PLANTED THEM ON GRAVES, BUT EACH YEAR ON THIS DAY, THE "ROSALIA", A SACRED ROSE FESTIVAL WAS HELD, AND DURING THIS FESTIVAL, ROSES WERE SCATTERED OVER GRAVES AFTER WHICH SOCIAL BANQUETS WERE HELD AT WHICH ROSES, THE PRODUCT OF THE SEASON WERE PRESENTED TO THE GUESTS.

THE" ROSALIA" ASSOCIATED WITH THE REBIRTH OF THE EARTH IN THE SPRING AND TO THE FLOWER GODDESS," FLORA, "WAS AN IMMENSELY POPULAR PUBLIC HOLIDAY, CELEBRATED WITH GAMES AND THEATRICAL PERFORMANCES THE FESTIVAL WAS DEDICATED TO SPRINGTIME AND TO THE FLOWER GODDESS" FLORA" AND THE LOVE GODDESS, "VENUS." SINCE FLOWERS, ESPECIALLY ROSES, WERE PLENTIFUL AT THAT TIME OF THE YEAR, THEY WERE USED IN MANY DIFFERENT KINDS OF PERFUMES, COSMETICS, AND TEAS.

ACCORDING TO AN OLD LEGEND, "FLORA", THE ROMAN GODDESS OF "SPRING" AND "FLOWERS", WAS WALKING THROUGH THE WOODS WHEN SHE HAPPENED UPON THE BEAUTIFUL BODY OF A DEAD MAIDEN. BEING GREATLY SADDENED BY THIS SHE BEGGED THE GODS OF "OLYMPIA" TO ASSIST HER IN GIVING THIS YOUNG GIRL NEW LIFE AS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL FLOWER. ONE GOD GAVE THE BREATH OF LIFE, ANOTHER BATHED HER IN NECTAR, ANOTHER FRAGRANCE, ONE GAVE HER FRUIT; IT WAS FLORA HERSELF CONTRIBUTED PETALS. THE RESULT WAS THE VERY FIRST ROSE.

The rose is called the queen of flowers,

Surrounded by her sisters fair,

A lovely throng of beauties rare,

She holds her court 'mid summer bowers,

'Neath smiling skies of sunny blue,

Gayly they bloom the summer through

Brightening all the golden hours.

-HATTIE L. KNAPP-

Reference: alchemy-and-alchemists.blogspot.com