San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-06-08
GIVEN BY MANY .P0PES.
THE OFFERING OF THE GOLDEN
ROSE AND WHAT 1T IMPLIES.
1t Is IA Costly Present Which the Popes
Sometimes Send to Great Women-The
Ceremony Is an Impressive one-some
of the Royal Recipients.

From continental contemporary we
translate the following interesting article:
\ good deal las been said lately about
the Golden Rose" The news, published
by several French papers, was incorrect,
bat it has called attention to the origin of
one of the most ancient pOntifcal decora-
tiOA,.
in early times the Golden Rose was Of
fered by the pontiffs to the projects of
Rome, after having been carried to the
Church of Santa Croce. Later on it was
given TO the most famous sanctuaries, to
Catholic sOvereigns, to queens, princes and
prnccSScs, famous generals and great per-
sOnages devoted to the church.
As none of the roses offered to the basil
icas is eXtant it is impossible to ascertain
the model then in use. 1t is only known
that it was merely a single flower in red
enamel, to initiate the roses natural color.
Atterward, instead of enamel a large ruby
was placed in the mitsdle of the rose, Civ
ing deep red luster to the flower. limo
cent XI had a superb golden rose made,
weighing s pounds 10 ounces, and adorned
with several sapphires. The rose offered
by Clement X1 to the queen and dauphin
of France was valued at upward of $500.
1t weighed eight pounds of gold, and had
a magnificent sapphire in the middle.
Nowadays the Golden Rose costs about
e4OO. 1t is placed on branch with leaves
and several flowers, planted in vase of
silver gilt, with the papal arms in relief
and an inscription.
The explanation given of the symbolism
is this: THE rose symbolizes by its gold
the Almighty Lord of all things; by the
splendor and richness of the metal, the
eternal light wherein the Godhead dwells;
by the perfume and balsam put inside by
the pope, the glory and resurrection of
Christ"
THE CEREMONY.
The rite of benediction is exceedingly
solemn. The holy father arrayed in his
sacerdOtal vestments, reads the formula
of Denedction from book held by one of
the bishops assistant at the pontifcal
throne. Two other bishops stand at his
sides with lighted candles. The exalted
Lignitaries of the papal court surround the
pontif and bear the thurible, holy water
vessel, and the vases of balsam and per-
fumes. One of the Camerieri segreti par
ticipanti, kneeling down, presents the
golden rose, which has been hitherto stand
ll1 Oh a CEtilCuCt DSUWttH IWO
wax candles. The pope, reciting the pray
ers, blesses the incense, balsam and per-
fumes, which are presented to him one
after another by a cardinal. Having placed
them inside the flower he blesses the lat
ter itself.
The rose is also presented with great
ceremony by an ablegate specially de-
Duted by the holy father. During the mass
TIE rose is placed on the altar, and after
the Itc Missa est the ALLOCATE reads aloud
the brief of the holy father and presents
this brief to the recipient, who rises and
r.arys his or her hand on the vase as if to
take it. The ablegate then repeats the fol-
lowing formula: Take from our hands
tx rose which we give to thee by special
commission inJrusred to us by the holy
fatLcr, Pope y. May this rose signify to
thee the joy of the church militant and
triumphant; for the rose, the most beauti-
it.i Cf flowers, symbolizes the crown of eter-
n%l glory"
If the recipient be king or queen the
ablegate adds: May your majesty accept
tAis gift, and with it the divine grace which
the holy father implOres for you in its full
ness and entirety from God, who reigns
for ever and ever. Amen"
The sovereign having kissed the rose,
the Ablegate announces to all present
that the pope grants plenary indulgence
to all the members of the royal or imperial
family.
ROYAL RECIPIENTS.
To the above interesting details we may
add few more, gathered chiefly from a
bull of Benedict XIV on this subject. 1t
appears that some writers attributed the
first origin of the rose To St. Leo TX, but
:hc learned Benedict proves that the Gus
N was still more ancient though he de-
.-i."eS the origin cannot he discovered. The
nest ancient gift OF the rose, after the time
When IL used TO be given to the projects of
Rome, is that maze by Urban ii in 1896 to
luik, Count of Anglers, after the council of
Tours. The first lady to receive it was
GuTen Joanna of Naples IN 1868 from the
last named pope, who also gave one to the
.,.-i.ica of St. Peter.
Il would be impossible to repeat the long
lit of recipients (Which may he seen in
MUroni). We may select just few Mar.
tin V. gave it to the republic of Florence
(lII9): EU!,eniUs " in l4i4 to Henry VI
Sing of EHgland; Nicholas Y to the En-
Dress Eleanor O4j2): lnnoccnt VIII in 1886
IL King James III of Scotland; Alexander
VI to Queen Isabella Of Spain, 1893, and
next year to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of
Hal, in Flanders; Julius Ii to Henry VIII
Of England, who received it yet twice
again, from Leo y and Clement VII
N52i). Paul III sent it to Queen Cathe-
rine de Medici; Julius III Q555) to Queen
Mary of England; Gregory XIII in 1884 to
the Sanctuary of LOreto, as also Sixtus V
Once more the rose came to England in
lC25, sent by Urban VIII to Queen Hen
rietta About this time it became usual
to bestow it on queens and princesses.
Venice, or its dOges, received the rose
about six times, the last time from Greg
DRY XVI in 1883. Plus TX gave it to his