6 



Flowers and Festivals 



other appellations \ from whence it appears that it is 

 considered a holy plant by certain classes in those 

 countries. 



The practice of decoration is frequently alluded 

 to in the writings of the Early Fathers, and in such a 

 manner as to leave no doubt of the prevalence and 

 piety of the practice. 



We read in Langley's translation of Polydore 

 Vergil, that the early Christians were in the habit of 

 ^^Trimmyng of the temples with hangynges, floures, 

 boughes, and garlondes.'^ S. Augustine also parti- 

 cularly mentions this custom; as, in describing the 

 renunciation of Paganism for Christianity made by 

 the expiring Martialis, whose son-in-law, after pray- 

 ing with much fervour at the foot of the altar, 

 carried off from it some of the flowers which were 

 placed there, to convey them to the bedside of his 

 dying relative. Paulinus, Bishop of Nola, gives us 

 another instance of the early use of flowers for 

 decoration of the Church for the annual festival of 

 his Patron Saint, in the following lines : — 



