Church Flowers for Christmas

Madonna Lily

 

 

 In many local churches it is customary to fill the sanctuary with red poinsettias for Christmas.  This post is for those who may wish to depart from that custom.

The liturgical color for Christmas is white.  That means that the priest's vestments and the altar frontal will be white.  Accordingly, white flowers can make a stunning church flower decoration for Christmas.

Here is what my favorite church flower writer, Katharine Morrison McClinton has to say on the subject:

"Liturgical usage calls for a white frontal for Christmas, and thus it seems that white flowers are also appropriate at the altar to carry out the symbolical purity of the occasion.
A plan of decoration which uses white on the altar and green for the rest of the church illustrates the rule of placing your decoration so that the attention is drawn to the eastern end.

White Poinsettia

"If we decide that altar flowers should be white on Christmas there are none more appropriate than Madonna lilies.  Their stately dignity and well-defined form carry at a distance.  However, the calla lily, or almost any other white flower in season, maybe used, providing it is arranged so that it carries as a mass arrangement and may be seen at the far end of the church.  White roses or carnations may be massed in oval bouquets and outlined in a fan of green foliage.  White gladioli, when their stems are cut down, are also effective.  Other white flowers for use at Christmas are cyclamen, white azalea, white primroses, and white poinsettias.  Two vases of flowers are sufficient if they can be arranged to carry at a distance.  If not, four vases may be used, or, in the case of the liturgical altar with its six decorative candlesticks, a vase of flowers may be placed between each candlestick, and vases of flowers may also be put in the niches of the reredos."

Patteson-Knight and St. Claire have this to say:

"Tradition dictates the use of broad-leaf or needled evergreens in the church on Christmas Day.  Holly . . . is especially preferred.  More recently this tradition has been extended to include poinsettias or, lacking them, a wealth of red flowers.  Even so, white is still the sacred color of Christmas.  No greater effect is needed that day than a white frontal and white flowers in white or gold vases besides gold candlesticks on the altar. 

"The choice of red or white flowers and the number of containers depends on the arranger.  Two vases should be sufficient, however.  If other containers are desired, they may be placed at the altar ends or on pedestals at either side. 

"The choice between red and white flowers may also depend on the coloring of the dorsal or reredos. Red is complementary to and blends well with dark tan interiors.  Any other color but white tends to thin out unless its mass is considerable.  In larger sanctuaries this is also true of white flowers, unless they are built up and backed with evergreens."

I think that for a Traditional Latin Mass in a small chapel, McClinton's idea of placing small vases of flowers between each of the candlesticks on the altar shelf is most appropriate.

Sources for text:  McClinton, Katharine Morrison; Flower Arrangement in the Church; (Morehouse-Gorham Co., New York, 1958), pp. 75-76; Frances Patteson-Knight and Margaret McReynolds St. Claire, Arranging Flowers for the Sanctuary (Harper & Bros., New York, 1961), p. 97.

Sources for images:
Madonna lily, photo by Maciel Godlewski, from Wikimedia Commons, some rights reserved (click for license)
White poinsettia, from Pixabay, public domain image

About Church Flowers during Advent

Traditionally, the general rule is that there should be no altar flowers during Advent, although evergreens may be placed in the sanctuary. This is because it is a solemn season of preparation for Christmas.  The season's penitential nature can be seen in its liturgical color, which is violet.

The booklet A Handbook for the Sacristan by Rev. William A. O'Brien, M.A. published in 1932 states, "The altar is not decorated with flowers or other ornaments during Advent, except on the third Sunday, or 'Gaudete' Sunday, and Christmas Eve." (page 58)

As the Sacristan Handbook states, an exception to the general rule is made for the Third Sunday, called "Gaudete".  Its name comes from the first word of the introit of the day's Mass -- in English "rejoice" ("Rejoice in the Lord always . . .".)  Gaudete Sunday anticipates the joy of Christmas.

On Gaudete, rose-colored vestments are worn.  Therefore, a pair of vases filled with pink roses or pink carnations is appropriate.  Because of the solemnity of the overall season, some sources suggest that this should be a restrained presentation and no more than two vases should be used. (See e.g. Katharine Morrison McClinton, Flower Arrangements in the Church (1958), Morehouse-Gorham Co., New York, p. 92.)

As for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the liturgical color is white.  As far as I know, there is no prohibition against honoring Our Lady with altar flowers on this Holy Day.  A prohibition seems unlikely since even during Lent when altar flowers are forbidden, an exception is made for the Feast of the Annunciation.

That being said, it might be best to just use very nice foliage.  According to an old English "table of flowers" for feast days, the appropriate foliage for the Immaculate Conception is arbor vitae (pictured above). In any event, one should attempt to maintain the sense of restraint appropriate to the season.

Image:  From Wikimedia Commons.  (Click for license.)

Te Deum Laudamus

Te Deum laudamus: te Dominum confitemur. 
Te aeternum Patrem omnis terra veneratur. 
Tibi omnes Angeli; tibi caeli et universae Potestates; 
Tibi Cherubim et Seraphim incessabili voce proclamant: 
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth. 
Pleni sunt caeli et terra maiestatis gloriae tuae. 
Te gloriosus Apostolorum chorus, 
Te Prophetarum laudabilis numerus, 
Te Martyrum candidatus laudat exercitus. 
Te per orbem terrarum sancta confitetur Ecclesia, 
Patrem immensae maiestatis: 
Venerandum tuum verum et unicum Filium; 
Sanctum quoque Paraclitum Spiritum. 
Tu Rex gloriae, Christe. 
Tu Patris sempiternus es Filius. 
Tu ad liberandum suscepturus hominem, non horruisti Virginis uterum. 
Tu, devicto mortis aculeo, aperuisti credentibus regna caelorum. 
Tu ad dexteram Dei sedes, in gloria Patris. 
Iudex crederis esse venturus. 
Te ergo quaesumus, tuis famulis subveni: quos pretioso sanguine redemisti. 
Aeterna fac cum sanctis tuis in gloria numerari.

V. Salvum fac populum tuum, Domine, et benedic hereditati tuae. 
R. Et rege eos, et extolle illos usque in aeternum.

V. Per singulos dies benedicimus te. 
R. Et laudamus nomen tuum in saeculum, et in saeculum saeculi.

V. Dignare, Domine, die isto sine peccato nos custodire. 
R. Miserere nostri, Domine, miserere nostri.

V. Fiat misericordia tua, Domine, super nos, quemadmodum speravimus in te. 
R. In te, Domine, speravi: non confundar in aeternum.

 

O God, we praise Thee, and acknowledge Thee to be the supreme Lord. 
Everlasting Father, all the earth worships Thee. 
All the Angels, the heavens and all angelic powers, 
All the Cherubim and Seraphim, continuously cry to Thee: 
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts! 
Heaven and earth are full of the Majesty of Thy glory. 
The glorious choir of the Apostles, 
The wonderful company of Prophets, 
The white-robed army of Martyrs, praise Thee. 
Holy Church throughout the world acknowledges Thee: 
The Father of infinite Majesty; 
Thy adorable, true and only Son; 
Also the Holy Spirit, the Comforter. 
O Christ, Thou art the King of glory! 
Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father. 
When Thou tookest it upon Thyself to deliver man, 
Thou didst not disdain the Virgin's womb. 
Having overcome the sting of death, Thou opened the Kingdom of Heaven to all 
believers. 
Thou sitest at the right hand of God in the glory of the Father. 
We believe that Thou willst come to be our Judge. 
We, therefore, beg Thee to help Thy servants whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy 
Precious Blood. 
Let them be numbered with Thy Saints in everlasting glory.

V. Save Thy people, O Lord, and bless Thy inheritance! 
R. Govern them, and raise them up forever.

V. Every day we thank Thee. 
R. And we praise Thy Name forever, yes, forever and ever.

V. O Lord, deign to keep us from sin this day. 
R. Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.

V. Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, for we have hoped in Thee. 
R. O Lord, in Thee I have put my trust; let me never be put to shame.