Sharp County record., 1891-04-23
THE GOLDEN ROSE.
The Costly Present Which the Popes some-
times send to Great Women.

Rome, after having been carried TO the
church of Santa Croce. Later on it
given to the most famous sanctuaries,
to Catholic sovereigns, to queens,
princes and princesses, famous gener-
ais and great personages devoted to the
church.
As none of the roses offered to the
basilicas are 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 Afterward, instead
of enamel, large ruby was placed in
the middle of the rose, giving deep
red luster to the flower. Innocent N.
had a superb golden rose made, weigh
ing pounds ten ounces, and adorned
with several sapphires. The rose Of
fered by Clement to N. the Queen and
Dauphin of France was valued at up
ward of $500 1t weighed pounds of
gold and had magnificent sapphire in
the middle.
Nowadays the golden rose costs about
e4OO. 1t is placed on branch with
leaves and several flowers planted in a
vase of silver gilt, with the papal arms
in relief and an inscription.
The explanation 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 where the Godhead dwells;
by the perfume and balsam put inside
by the pope, the glory and resurrection
of Christ"
The rite of benediction is exceedingly
solemn. The holy father, arrayed in
his sacradotal vestments, reads the for
mula of benediction from a book held
by one of the bishops assistant at the
pOntifcal throne. Two other bishops
stand at his sides with lighted candles.
The exalted dignitaries of the papal
court surround the pontiff and bear the
thurible, holy water vessel and the
vases of balsam and perfumes. One Of
tie Camerieri segreti participant,
kneeling down, presents the golden
rose, which has been hitherto standing
on a credence between two lighted wax
candles The pope, reciting the prayers,
blesses the incense, balsam and per-
fumes which are presented to him one
after another by cardinal. Having
placed them inside the flower he blesses
the latter itself.
The rose is also presented with great
ceremony by an ablegate specially de-
puted by the holy father. During the
mass the rose is placed on the altar, and,
after the tie Missa est, the ablegate
reads aloud the brief of the holy father
and presents this brief to the recipient,
who rises and places his or her hand on
the vase as if to take it. The ablegate
then repeats the following formula:
Take from our hands the rose which
we give to thee by special commission
intrusted to us by the holy father, Pope
N. May this rose signify to thee the joy
of the church militant and triumphant;
for the rose, the most beautiful Of flow
ers, symbolizes the crown of eternal
glory"
If the recipient be a king or queen,
the ablegate adds May your majesty
accept this gift, and with it the Divine
grace which the holy father implores
for you in its fulness and entirety from
God, who reigns for ever and ever
Amen"
To the above interesting details we
may add few more, gathered chiefly
from bull Of Benedict XIV, on this
subject. 1t appears that some writers
attributed the first origin of the Rose to
st. Leo TX, but the learned Benedict
proves that the custom was still more
ancient, though he declares the origin
can not be discovered. The most am
cient gift of the rose, after the time
when it used to be given to the pre-
fects of Rome, is that made by Urban
H. in 1906 to Fulk, Count Of Angers,
after the council Of Tours The first
lady TO receive IL was Queen Joanna,
OF Naples, in 1868, from the last named
pope, who also gave one to the basilica
Of st. Peter,
II would be impossible 20 repeat the
long list Of recipients (Which may be
seen in Moroni) We may select just a
few, Martin V, gave It to the republic
Of Florence (lil0); Eugenius ". in liii
TO Henry W., king Of England; Mich
olas V. TO the Empress Eleanor (ld52);
Innocent VIII. in 1856 TO King James
III. Of Scotland; Alexander VI to
Queen Isabella Of Spain, 1903, and next
year TO the Sanctuary Of Our Lady Of
Hal, in Flanders; Julius II. to Henry
VIII OF England, who received II yet
twice again, from Leo \, and Clement
VII. Q52N. Paul ILL., sent 1t to Queen
Catherine de Mcdici Julius III, $500
10 Queen Mary Of Englandi Gregory
XIII. in 1884 10 the Sanctuary OF
Loreto Ms also SiXtus "
Once more the rose cane to England
In 1925, sent by Urban VIZ TO Queen
Henrietta About thig time Il became
unusual TO bcstow II on queens and
princcsscs, Venice, or It's Dogcs re.
ccivcd the rose Nbout six times, the last
time from Gregory XVI In 1889, Plus
1S, gave II TO his goddOughter Maria
pia, daughter Of King Victor Emman.
uel, afterward queen Of Portugal, and
in 1Sl0 TO the queen of the Two Sicilies,
whose daughter he baptized at q eta
London Tablet