The History of Mourning Flowers
Upon hearing of someone's death, most people automatically send flowers to the funeral home. But few of us think about the origins of this long-standing tradition. Flowers once were used to cover up bad odors, but today they are simply an expression of sympathy.
Other People Are Reading
-
Origin
-
According to funeral director Todd Van Beck, flowers originally were used to help disguise the smell of a decomposing body. When President Andrew Johnson died in 1874, he was not embalmed. At the funeral, Lazarus C. Shepard, the president's undertaker, closed the casket and piled flowers high on top of it to cover up the stench emanating from his body.
In the Garden
-
Flowers became an integral part of the modern funeral in 1914 when Austin Miles wrote the famous funeral hymn "In the Garden."
-
Flower Ladies
-
The tradition of Flower Ladies began in the Midwest, and the family chose them as carefully as they selected the pallbearers for the funeral service. Flower Ladies were responsible for moving the floral arrangements from the funeral service and setting them up again at the graveside.
Modern Meaning
-
Sending flowers to those who are mourning is our way of expressing sympathy without words. The visual beauty of a backdrop of flowers creates a comforting setting for the bereaved to grieve the loss of their loved one.
Symbolism
-
Mourning flowers are symbolic of immortality and eternity. The brief life of flowers also symbolizes the fragility of our lives as human beings on Earth.
Sentiments
-
In funeral flower language, lilacs mean memory, marigolds represent grief and rosemary symbolizes remembrance.
-
References
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Jonelle B.
