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A royal trousseau for Mary
St. Rose of Lima used to bring a bouquet of flowers, which she cultivated for this purpose, to the feet of the statue of Mary every Saturday of the year. Mary, sensitive to this filial attention, took it upon Herself to provide the means to continue it. As a result, her garden never lacked flowers in any season, even in the scorching heat of the summer; this fact was noticed with admiration by all those who frequented her parents’ home. But these small gifts were far from expressing all the gifts she wanted from her august Mother. “If I were rich, she said, I would like to offer Her a golden crown adorned with precious stones. My poverty condemns me to give Her only flowers. The humble girl was not telling the whole truth, for her ingenious devotion provided her with the means to offer Her magnificent gifts twice a year. I am referring to the spiritual ornaments that she made for Her and for the Child Jesus.
Here is the project of one of these ornaments as it was found in her papers after her death. “Idea of a garment that I, Rose of Saint Mary, undertake to make for the Queen of the Angels, with the help of the Lord. I will make her a gown of six hundred Angelical Salutations and as many Salve Regina, with fifteen days of fasting, in memory of the very pure joy that Her Annunciation brought Her. I will add a mantle composed of the same number of salutations and Salve, fifteen rosaries and fifteen days of fasting, in memory of Her gracious visit to St. Elizabeth. The fringe and other ornaments of this mantle will be made up of six hundred salutations, as many Salves, in memory of the consolations which the birth of Her adorable Son gave Her. I will make the same expenses to provide Her with a veil. The necklace that I intend to give Her will be of the same value; and my intentions in making these two objects will be to celebrate the joy of the Presentation and the Recovery of Jesus in the temple. Finally, I will place in Her royal hand a bouquet composed of thirty-three Lord’s Prayers accompanied by an equal number of Salutations, Gloria Patri, Salve and Rosaries, to honor the thirty-three years that my Jesus lived here below.”
A postscript was then read on this note: “This ornament is complete. Blessed be God. All that remains is for me to excuse the defects of my work to my holy Mother, and the boldness I took in offering it to Her.”
(Father Huguet)
