92 FLORAL SYMBOLISM 



who in their earthly Hfe could rejoice in their 

 faith even when overwhelmed with troubles. 

 Symbol of holy joy is the crown of roses 

 which Saint Cecilia wears. Her legend, like 

 other legends of the Early Church, is both more 



I 



poetic and more allegorical than those which 

 originated in later times. 



Saint Cecilia lived in virginity with her 

 husband Valerian, who, through love of her, H 

 became a Christian and was baptized. 



' And returning home he found Cecilia in 

 her chamber conversing with a glittering angel 

 . . . and he held in his hand two crowns of 

 roses and lilies, and he gave one of them to Cecilia 

 and the other to Valerian. 



' And on the morrow, when Tibertius came 

 to salute his sister-in-law Cecilia, he perceived 

 an excellent odour of lilies and roses, and asked 

 her, wondering, whence she had untimely roses 

 in the winter season.' (That is, whence came 

 her holy joy during the season of persecution.) 

 * And Valerian answered that God had sent 

 them crowns of roses and lilies but that he could 

 not see them till his eyes were opened and his 

 body purified' (by baptism). 



