OUR LADY'S FLOWERS 135 



behovable and convenient for the service of the same 

 church." 



We read that WilHam, Abbot of St. Albans 

 (a.d. 1214-35), appointed that '' the wax taper, 

 which we are accustomed to wreathe about with 

 flowers, should be burnt before the beautiful image 

 of Mary, carved by William of Colchester, both 

 day and night on the principal feasts, and during 

 the procession which is held in honour of the Blessed 

 Virgin." 



l^he Lily^ though not indigenous to Palestine, was 

 early known both in Syria and in Egypt, and so it 

 may quite likely be that the lily work which figured 

 so largely in the ornamentation of Solomon's 

 Temple, was modelled from Lilium candidum. 

 As typical of purity and majesty, the Greeks 

 dedicated it to Hera, the sky-mother; so it was 

 quite a natural transition in the very early days of 

 Christianity for the lily to be given to Mary, emblem 

 of moral beauty and purity. 



" From Visitation to St. Swithin's showers, 

 The Lily white reigns Queen of Flowers." 



The Italian Masters portray Our Lady always 

 with a spray of lilies, and also St. Joseph, on account 

 of his staff having blossomed and brought forth a 

 lily. At the Annunciation, the angel Gabriel 

 carries in his hand a branch of the Madonna lily. 



Tradition tells us that St. Thomas refused to 

 believe in the bodily assumption of Our Lady into 

 heaven, and desired that her tomb should be opened. 

 This was done, whereupon it was found to be full 

 only of a wealth of lilies and roses. 



In 1048, the Order of Knights of St. Mary of the 



