The rose is the queen of flowers in form, color and fragrant odor,
because of its beauty.

Let us turn now our gaze to the spiritual garden, the Church of Christ.
The various flowers there are the faithful, adorned with piety and
virtue, and spreading the fragrance of saintliness with which God is
pleased. In the Canticle of Canticles the Lamb of God is pictured as
feeding among the lilies. A beautiful thought! It tells us how the Lamb
of God, our divine Saviour, is fond of the flowers of God, the
God-loving souls, as is the lamb of the lilies.

And in this garden of God, the Holy Church, Mary is the rose, the pride
of the garden, the queen of the flowers. The rose is therefore the most
beautiful symbol of Mary, of all saints the queen, exalted above all
saints in sublimity, beauty, gentleness and sweetness. Therefore,
because Mary is among the saints what the rose is among flowers, she is
called "the mystical rose." And the name rosary is to remind us of
this.

The rose, furthermore, signifies the virtuous life of Mary the virgin.
The rosebud is a beautiful symbol of virginity. It is hidden as under a
veil. Lovely is the Christian virgin, hidden in the garb of innocence
like a rosebud. Mary is the Virgin of Virgins, and can above all be
compared to the fair and undefiled rosebud.

The open, blooming rose is an emblem of pure motherhood. Like the
opened radiant rose the Christian mother is in the full vigor of life;
her heart open with true love for her husband and children; and she
unfolds her soul to heaven, so that through prayer she may receive the
needed assistance for herself and hers. Through her good example in