The Immediate Rose

The Immediate Rose (from the series: Stigma & Style)

The rose may not be as immediate as it seems. It is an ancient flower, whose origin is prehistoric. In the Smithsonian Museum you can view a fossilized rose that was pressed into the rock millions of years ago. We don’t know when it was first cultivated, but rumor suggests that it was brought to the West from Persia by Alexander the Great.

The name of the “rose” derives from Hrod, a giantess of Norse mythology who symbolized fame and renown. It has been called the “queen of flowers”. The Virgin Mary was called “rosa mystica”, after the flower and some Christian writers say that the rose originated from drops of Christ’s blood falling upon a thorn bush.

“Mystery glows in the rose bed, the secret is hidden in the rose.”

So sang the Persian poet, Farid ud-din Attar, the author of The Conference of the Birds.