GARLANDS OF ROSES loi 



Verona.' The Virgin, with the Child upon her 

 knee, sits upon the ground in a carefully walled in 

 garden, of which the only other human occupant 

 is Saint Catharine, who strings a crown of roses. 

 The garden is full of birds and bird-like angels, 

 and in one corner is the ' sealed fountain ' of the 

 Canticles. 



As a general rule, roses massed together, in 

 garlands, in baskets, or thickly growing, are the 

 symbols of heavenly joys, and single roses are 

 the symbols of divine love. But there is one 

 single rose which is also the symbol of joy — it 

 is the golden rose which is the gift of the Popes. 

 Durandus writes : * So also on the Sunday, 

 Loetare Jerusalem, the Roman Pontiff beareth 

 a mitre, beautified with the orfrey, on account 

 of the joy which the golden rose signifieth, but 

 on account of the time being one of sadness, he 

 weareth black vestments." 



* St Leon is seen upon the chdsse of Charle- 

 magne 3 with the golden rose in his right hand. 

 The golden rose being the image of Heaven, 

 according to the Liturgy, it became, in the hands 



'Museum, Verona. * Rat. Off., iii. i8, 



' Trhor of Aix la Chapelle. 



