Image by Stux from Pixabay
Tree Peony Flower
The Peony is known and called the Pentecost Rose, as it always blooms around this great Feast!
Joyous Holy Pentecost greetings!
Today is the Church’s Birthday!
Over the years I’ve noticed that Trinity Sunday may seem breezier than usual! The trees, flowers and grasses sway and dance in the gentle winds. The Breath of the Holy Spirit encompasses all. Today the sun shines brighter. More golden. Birdsong is sweeter. Beauty is everywhere, rejoicing vibrantly.
Previous Bisswood Pentecost Posts
Pentecost Greetings
Greetings on Pentecost
Mosaic of Life
Day of the Holy Spirit
Like so Many Thorns
Happy Holy Spirit Day
I Believe
Pentecost Traditions
Today green vestments are worn by the clergy. Parishioners also wear a bit of white or green if they wish. Churches are decorated with greenery and flowers reflecting the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life. People bring small floral bouquets to church with them and hold them during the Divine Liturgy, to be later placed in their icon corners, or on a loved one’s grave.
Long grasses strewn on the floor may be collected after Liturgy, taken home and braided into a Grass Cross for one’s icon corner. (Loosely form two individual braided pieces and wrap/tie them together with a long grass blade.) Kids love to do this.
How to Make a Simple Floral Pentecost Bouquet
(to bring and hold at church) Materials Needed: Tin Foil, Plastic Wrap, Paper Towel, Elastic Band
To make a small floral bouquet that won’t wilt, have at least 3 flowers with some greenery (herbs or leaves).
Remove extra leaves from bottom of stems. Tie a thin elastic band up towards the top of the bouquet. Cut the bottom of stems so they are even at bottom, and they can be held easily in your hand.
Lightly dampen (shouldn’t drip) 1 or 2 squares of paper towel and wrap around the bottom, and up the stems.
Next, wrap the paper towel and stems tightly in an approximate 11 x 14 inch piece of plastic wrap. It can go up as high as you wish, but make sure it’s enclosed securely under the stems, so as not to leak.
Now tear an approximately 11 x 14 inch piece of tin foil and lay the paper-towelled/plastic wrapped bouquet on top of it. Doesn’t matter if it’s on the shiny or dull side of the foil.
Fold up the foiled bottom, making sure to enclose the the stems.
Roll the foil tightly over and over, keeping the bottom sealed. Once completely closed, scrunch the foil to tighten more if needed.
My husband holds this finished garden bouquet of foxglove, nepeta catmint, valerian, hosta leaf, lemon balm, and maiden’s hair fern. The foil looks too loose for my liking, and will be scrunched and gently twisted more tightly.
Now you have a fresh Pentecost Bouquet for church. If you make two bouquets, you can share one with someone who may not have access to garden flowers.
With love in Christ.
