Sunday, February 27, 2011

Snow Drops

027

A walk through the church yard gave us this view of the snowdrops. Aliens from Turkey thought to have been brought over by the Romans, they have become essentially British. This is a typical British Norman Church yard with ancient evergreen yew trees.

Just looking at the flowers is a prayer anticipating the coming joys of spring which starts on 21st March. Tradition has it that snowdrops symbolise new life and were planted in church yards as they flowered around Candlemas (2nd February).

This is the feast that commemorates the presentation of Jesus in the temple as a baby and the end off Mary’s ritual uncleanness; the white of the snowdrop represents her purification and the coming of the Light of the world. Church candles are blessed on this day and the glow of the snowdrops anticipates this.

www.walsinghamabbey.com/walsinghamabbey/Snowdrops.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galanthus

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