Dear Readers,

Today, February 16th is the six year anniversary of One Small Rose!

It’s hard to believe how much has happened in the last six years…

In this post I want to share the connections between: Our Lady, roses, and my blog.

Tradition

As early as the first century, Christians have associated the rose with the Mother of God.

Below are a few traditions from the East and West.

Akathist

The Akathist Hymn is a profound, devotional poem, which sings the praises of the Holy Mother and Ever-Virgin Mary. It is one of the most beloved services in the Orthodox Church. It was composed in the imperial city of Constantinople, “the city of the Virgin,” by St. Romanos the Melodist, who reposed in the year 556.

(Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America)

Rejoice, unfading rose.
Rejoice, the only one who budded forth the unfading apple.

[…]

(The Akathist, Canon Ode One, The Eirmos)

The Akathist Hymn is to the Eastern Churches what the Rosary and Litanies of the Blessed Virgin Mary are to the Latin Rite.

Litany

The Litany of Loreto, which was officially approved in 1587 by Pope Sixtus V, invokes Our Lady as Rosa Mystica (Mystical Rose).

It’s believed to be a medieval rhymed litany influenced by Eastern Marian devotion. It’s most likely inspired by the Hymnos Akathistos (Akathist Hymn).

Rosary

Our Lady gave St. Dominic the Marian Psalter which has become the Rosary devotion.

The word rosary comes from the Latin rosarium which means “rose garden” or “bouquet of roses”.

According to pious tradition, Our Lady receives a crown of roses each time the rosary is prayed.

Saints

Countless Saints have written about Our Lady, and many have connected her to the rose.

Below is one example from St. Bernard of Clairvaux, a Doctor of the Church.

“Eve was a thorn, Mary a rose. Eve was a thorn that wounded; Mary a rose, soothing the passions. Eve was a thorn fastening death upon all; Mary a rose restoring all to the heritage of salvation. Mary was a rose, white in her virginity, red in her love; white in her flesh, red in her mind; white as she walked the path of virtue, red in trampling upon vice; white in the purification of her affection, red in the mortification of her flesh; white in her love of God, red in her compassion for her neighbor.”

Apparitions

The Blessed Virgin Mary has revealed herself throughout the centuries all over the world.

In many apparitions, roses have been present. Below are three examples.

Our Lady of Guadalupe

In 1531, Our Lady appeared to St. Juan Diego in Tepeyac Hill, Mexico. On December 12th, dozens of Castilian (Spanish) roses miraculously bloomed in the middle of winter in an infertile location to prove the apparition was from heaven.

Our Lady of Lourdes

In 1858, Our Lady appeared to St. Bernadette Soubirous in Lourdes, France. When Mary appeared, a pale yellow rose was on top of each foot.

Rosa Mystica

From 1947 to 1966, Our Lady appeared to Pierina Gilli in Montichiari, Italy. On June 13, 1947 Mary appeared with three roses: one white, one red, and one yellow/golden. She said, “I wish the 13th of July of each year to be celebrated in honor of the ‘Rosa Mystica,’ the Mystical Rose.”

The white rose represents the spirit of prayer. The red rose represents the spirit of expiation and sacrifice. The yellow/golden rose represents the spirit of penitence. She referred to herself as “Rosa Mystica” several times.

Blog

Tagline

When I first started my blog, the tag line was AD JESUM PER MARIAM.

I added ET JOSEPH later for St. Joseph.

For those who aren’t aware, the phrase is Latin for TO JESUS THROUGH MARY.

I became aware of the phrase several years ago while preparing to consecrate myself to Jesus through Mary.

As I continue to grow in my spiritual life, my devotion to Our Lady continues to grow.

Over time, my blog has become more Marian.

Since my blog is a reflection of my spiritual life, it makes perfect sense that many of my posts focus on Our Lady.

The tag line sums up both my spirituality and my blog.

Name

In the anniversary post from last year, I explained the meaning behind my blog’s name.

In a nutshell, my name is Terése Rose and One Small Rose is sort of a play on St. Thérèse’s nickname The Little Flower.

When I chose the blog’s name, I didn’t think much about it. It came to me quickly.

I didn’t realize the profound and direct connection between Mary and roses when I chose the name!

When I created the blog, I didn’t have a clear plan except to glorify God through it.

I didn’t realize it would be Marian, but this should have been obvious since I am consecrated to Our Lady and have a strong devotion to her.

This blog has become an offering to Jesus through Mary – one small rose offered by one small soul.

Thank You

Thank you for your support over the last six years!

I appreciate every person who reads and follows my blog.

I pray that my blog is encouraging you to live your faith and become a saint.

I also pray it’s helping you grow closer to Jesus through Mary and St. Joseph.

I don’t know how long this blog will continue, but I’m grateful for your support up to this point.

If you want this blog to continue, please ask God to give me the ability to do so.

Thank you for your prayers. May God reward you.

May the Lord always be glorified through One Small Rose

P.S. I still have social media accounts but rarely use them. The best place to find me is here on my website