Morning journal and courier., 1891-02-20
THE GOLDEN ROSE,


THE GOLDEN ROSE.
The Costly Present which the Popes
Sometimes Send to Great Women.
[From the London Tablet
From a continental contemporary we
translate the following interesting article:
A good deal has been said lately about
the Golden Rose" chiefly on account of
the report that the pope intended to con-
fer the distinction this year on Mime. Car
not. The news, published by several
French papers, was incorrect; but it has
called attention to the origin one of the
most ancient pontifcal decorations.
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 1t was
given to the most famous sanctuaries, to
Catholic sovereigns, to queens, princes and
princesses, famous generals, and great per-
sonages devoted to the church.
As none of the roses offered to the basil
icas 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, q large ruby
was placed in the middle of the rose, Civ
ing deep red lustre to the flower. limo
cent X1 had superb Golden Rose made,
weighing pounds 10 ounces, and adorned
with several sspphires. The rose offered
by Clement NJ to the queen and dauphin
of France was valued at upward of e320.
1t weighed eight pounds of gold and had
magnificent sapphire in the middle
Nowadays the Golden Rose costs about
e40O. 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 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 rite of benediction is exceedingly
| solemn. The holy father, arrayed in his
sacerdotal vestments, reads the formula of
benediction from book held by one of
| the bishops assistant at the pontificial
| 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 per-
L 1ulucS. ouS VI lu6 SSEIen par
| ticipanti, kneeling down, presses the
Golden Rose, which has been hitherto
| standing on q credence between two light
| ed wax candles. The Pope, reciting the
| prayers, blesses the incense, balsam and
perfumes, which are presented to him one
after another by a 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 Ite 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 flowers, symbolizes the
crown of eternal glory"
If the recipient be king or queen, the
| Ablegate adds: MAY your majesty accspt
| this gift, and with it the divine grace
| which the holy father implores for you in
| its fulness and entirely 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 a plenary indulgence to
| all the members of the royal or imperial
| family.
To the above interesting details we may
| add few more, gathered chiefly from a
bull of Benedict XIV. on this subject. II
appears that some writers attributed the
| first origin of the Rose to st. Leo IX., but
Il tho Loo mad RanpT1pt that ha
| tom was still more ancient, though he de-
clares the origin cannot be discovered
| The most ancient gift of the rose, after the
| time when it used to be given TO the pre-
| fects of Rome, is that made by Urban Ii.
| in 1896 to Fulk, count of Anglers, after the
| council of Tours. The first lady to re-
ceive it was Queen Joanna of Naples, in
| 1868, from the last named pope, who also
| gave one to the basilica of st. Peter.
| 1t would be impossible to 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 Flor
ence Q419); Eugenius V. in 1914 to Henry
| VI, king of England; Nicholas V. to the
Empress Eleanor u452l; Innocent VIII. in
| 1886 to King James III. of Scotland; Alex
| ander 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 1t
yet twice again from Leo Y. and Clement
VIII 1924. Paul III. sent it to Queen
Catherine de Medici; Julius III. 1555) 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
1925, sent by Urban VIII. to Queen Hen
rietta. About this time it became usual t.
bestow it on queens and prineesses. Ven
ice, or its Doges, received the Rose about
six times, the last time from Gregory XVI
in 1888. Plus TX gave it to his god
daughter, Maria Pia, daughter of Kine
Victor Emmanuel, afterwards queen oi
Portugal, and in 1S49 two the queen of th'
Two Sicilies, whose daughter he baptized
at Gaeta.