Concerning the blessing of the Rose, which takes place on Laetare Sunday, and its tradition.
At Rome the Popes have been accustomed on the Fourth Sunday of Lent, in which is sung in the Church: Laetare Jerusalem, to bless the golden Rose, and, after the solemnities of the Mass, to give it as a gift to some great leader, if one is present in the Curia. But if there is not a leader worthy of such a great offering in the Curia, it is sent outside to some king or leader as it will have pleased our most holy Lord (Pope) with the council of the sacred college. For the Holy Pontiff is accustomed either before or after the Mass to call the cardinals together for a meeting in his chamber, or wherever it pleases him, and to deliberate with them, to whom the rose should be given and sent. Therefore for its blessing next to the prepared bench, where the Pope receives his vestments, a small altar is prepared, and on it two candlesticks, and the Pope, wearing an amice, alb, cincture, stole, pluvial, and mitre, approaches this altar, and with the mitre removed, says:
Our help is in the name of the Lord.
Who has made heaven and earth.
The Lord be with you.
And with your spirit.
O God, by Whose word and power all things have been made, and by Whose will all things are directed: You Who are the joy and delight of all the faithful: humbly we beg Your majesty, that You may deign in Your holiness to bless and sanctify this rose most pleasing in odor and sight, which today we carry in our hands as a sign of spiritual joy, as the people consecrated to you and led out of the yoke of the Babylonian captivity, through the grace of Your Only begotten Son: Who is the glory and exultation of the Israelite people of that Jerusalem, which is our mother on high, may You make joy present in our sincere hearts, and because Your Church exults and rejoices today in this sign for the honor of Your name, may You, O Lord, grant it true and perfect joy, and accepting its devotion may You forgive its sins, fill it with faith, foster it with indulgence, protect it with mercy, destroy its adversities, grant all things prosperous for it: as far as it may go through the fruit of good work into the odor of the perfumes of that flower, which having been produced from the root of Jesse, is mystically called the flower of the field and the lily of the valleys: with which it may rejoice without end in celestial glory with all the saints. Who lives and reigns in the unity of the Holy Ghost God world without end. Amen.
After the prayer is finished he anoints the golden rose with balsam, which is in the little branch itself, and places rubbed moss upon it, which are brought to him from the sacristy: and he puts incense in the thurible in the accustomed manner, and lastly he sprinkles the rose with holy water, and incenses it. Meanwhile the Cleric of the Apostolic Chamber holds up the rose, which he then gives into the hands of the Cardinal Deacon from the right and the Cardinal Deacon gives it into the hands of the Pope, who, carrying the rose in his left hand, and blessing with his right hand, proceeds to the chapel, while the Cardinal Deacons lift the fringe of the pluvial on the way: when he has reached the faldistorium (kneeling stool), he gives the rose to the aforesaid Deacon, who hands it to the Cleric of the chamber, and the Cleric places it on the altar.
After the Mass is finished, the Pope having prayed before the altar, receives the rose as above, and carries it to his chamber. And if the one, to whom he wishes to give it, is present, he calls him to his feet, and gives the rose to him kneeling, while the Pope says:
Receive from our hands, who although undeserving hold the place of God on earth, this rose, through which is signified the joy of both Jerusalems, namely the Church Triumphant and the Church Militant, through which that most beautiful flower itself, which is the joy and crown of all the saints is manifested to all the faithful of Christ, accept this, O most beloved son, who according to the age are noble, powerful, and endowed with much virtue, so that you may be made more renowned in every virtue in Christ Our Lord as the rose planted on the banks of many waters, which grace may He Who is three and one deign to grant you from His abundant clemency, forever and ever. Amen.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
This was done in the chapel sometimes after the Mass was finished, before the Pope descended from his seat; but it is more suitable that the Pope should return to his chamber with the rose, and I find it done thus by earlier popes. The one to whom the rose is given, after he kissed the hand and foot of the Pope, and thanked him as the time demanded, when the Pope took off his sacred vestment in his chamber, that one, carrying the rose in his hand, is accompanied all the way to his home by the college of Cardinals, himself between two older Deacons behind all the other Cardinals, while around him are the footsoldiers of the Roman Curia with their baculi, who are accustomed on that day to receive gifts from the one who has the rose.
About Me
- Stephen Heiner
- Stephen is one of those people that loves music, art, politics, literature, his Catholic Faith, writing, reading, worthwhile discussions, traveling, staying in, going out, building fires, eating mangoes, making tea, cooking pasta, talking with those close to him, and living life to the fullest. You know, one of those people.
His points of view are often contrarian, but not for that sake alone, but because so much of society has decided to not critically think through its daily existence. What he writes here or anywhere is not dogma, but the opinion of one man, open to debate and needful of discussion and disagreement.
God gave Stephen two ears and one tongue and he labors to hear much before speaking (or writing) much, though his natural inclination is much otherwise.
Stephen spent 4 years in the US Marine Corps Reserve as a Nuclear Biological Chemical Defense Specialist. He holds a BA in English Literature with minors in Catholic Studies and Business from Rockhurst University. He also holds a Masters in Business Administration from St. Louis University.