The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1889-01-18
Select stlisccIlanp.
THE GOLDEN ROSE.

The golden rose. in the form of
which since the days OF Sixtus w..
1t has been presented to soyereiens,
princes. generals. cathedral CHAPTERS.
famous shrines. or cities. meritinp
from the successor of 81. Peter tn,
mark Of his favor, i>. writes the Lon
don Table. not single flower. Ii is
a golden branch. to which thorns are
appended. covered with leaves. buds
and flowers, the topmost rose being
the largest, the whole deftly wrought
IN pure gold. With the principal rose
Is placed small receptacle, usually Il
cup with a lid over it. in which. when
blessing the golden res, the Pope
places balm and musk. The flower.
or rather the branch, is planted in 4
vase, OF which the shape and design
vary according to the fancy OF the au.
gust donor, but which has ALWAYS en-
graved on It's pedestal the arms and
name Of the Pope who blessed and be
slowed the golden rose which it con
tains. AS the flower is blessed. bur
not necessarily bestowed. annually. II
not seldom happens that the Pope who
llrSi blessed il is MT the same Pope
who gives it away If no worthy re
clpIent Is found for it. the golden rose
may remain from year TO wear in the
treasury of the papal chapel. In 1919
Is unfortunately was there when the
agents of the Roman Republic despoil-
ed the treasury and stole the golden
rose. Its intrinsic value depends
greatly on the financial resources of
the Pope who happens to order its
Probably economical reasons
obliged later Popes to dispense with
the splendid ruby that was attached
Is bud to the chief rose. and with
the other precious stones with which
the branch was laden. Similarly the
vase, once Of gold. has now come to be
of silver gilt. The Jesuit Baldassarj
states that 1850. five hundred GOLD
scudi were used in making the rose
Alexander III. had two made. one To
the value of twelve hundred. the 9th
er eight hundred gold scudi. while
Pope Clement lN. sent a golden rose,
valued at sixteen hundred gold schu-
Ii, and weighing eight pounds. TO the
Queen of France The artist received
sixty pounds for his skill in making
his golden rose. which WAS most deli /
eately wrought. Within he princi
pal flower splendid sapphire was set
innocent NJ. had Il rose made of great
weight. worth fourteen hundred scu-
II or crowns. An old newspaper OF
Rome gives description of the golden
'ose presented to the Queen IF Naples T
~ Plus lN. i'll 1912 The vase of sill +
ier gilt was ornamcntcd with oak .
caves and armorial bearings. The de-
'lgn of the vase was suggested By one
II porcelain given by King Charles \. .
o Leo Nil. and now in the Vatican
library. The vase was of ortaoon
orm. and measured eight inches by
our. The height of tha branch or
golden rose WAS no less than eighteen
EchcS. Such i the Papal gift of to
lay In earlier times the golden rose
might vary in form, but it seems al
Ways then To have consisted of a single
'">e maftc of gold coIorcd 10 initiate
he natural flower. emblem of all that
beautiful, pur, and loying.thc queen
,! flowers, the layorite ot painters and
poets, meet gitt of 4 Pope to those who
lavc served well the cause OF til,
'hurch and of civilization in the State. /.
The givinr Of the golden rose is al
ray> done "lth solemn ceremonial Ii
IL rcrsoRagr Ia whom the flower is to