Christmas rose, also known as the Glastonbury Rose. This is a little white flower that grows in northern Europe during the winter. Legend has it that the Christmas rose is of miraculous origin. As the Christmas rose represents purity, it has often been carved into confessionals as a five-petal flower: the penitent walks in a guilty sinner, and out with their purity restored. It also appears in plenty of medieval heraldry, among other uses.
The use of a rose has been common sense since the 13th Century and is frequently used in Gothic wood carving as well as in hand embroidery. The Messianic rose can take on many forms. The design is part of a collection of vintage embroidery designs that date back to the late 1870s.
The word “antiphon” is probably not in the vocabulary for those of us who aren’t all that familiar with liturgical chants but traditionally they were short chants of the Psalms often sung with a refrain. The meaning of antiphon actually has its roots in Greek origin as it literally means “before the sound.” The most famous song or hymn to come forth from the O Antiphons is the Christmas hymn “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.
Katharina is believed to have been born in 1499, the daughter of a poor German nobleman and his wife. Like so many men, her father was left to raise his daughter when her mother died young. To better care for her, Mr. Von Bora took his daughter Katharina to a convent in 1504, where she would be educated.
From the very beginning, Christians have celebrated Advent with some antiphons like O Radix Jesse that encapsulate the Old Testament prophecies fulfilled in the Incarnation. “O Radix Jesse,” translated in English as “O Root of Jesse,” celebrates the royal descent of Jesus through His mother Mary.
Rose vestments are used for two Sundays in the church year. Rose vestments are worn during the seasons of Advent and Lent. Gaudete Sunday is celebrated during the Season of Advent. Laetare Sunday is celebrated during Lent.
The choice between blue and purple Advent vestments reflects diverse traditions. Blue, popular in Scandinavia and the British Isles (“Sarum blue”), symbolizes the night sky before dawn, echoing themes of hope and new beginnings tied to the Christmas narrative. While, purple vestments, symbolizing penitence, have distinct connotations. Historically derived from Mediterranean snails, purple’s expense symbolizes royalty.
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