Passion Flower ~ Floral Friday

"Lavender Passion Flower"

(1/30 sec.@ F/7.1, ISO 100, 10mm fl, diffused natural light, tripod)

Call me a traditional girl, but I thought I'd post a floral photo today that represents the fact that today is an important day for believers like myself around the world. In fact there are thousands and thousands of believers in other countries this very minute that are risking their very lives to observe the great act of the Cross on this Good Friday of the Easter weekend. Thought I'd post this beautiful flower that has great symbolism attached to it on this sacred day.

The Passion Flower, representing the great passion Christ showed on the cross has different meanings to it's different parts. Just a little botanical history for you all today;

~The pointed tips of the leaves were taken to represent the Holy Lance.

~The tendrils represent the whips used in the flagellation of Christ.

~The ten petals and sepals represent the ten faithful apostles (excluding St. Peter the denier and Judas Iscariot the betrayer).

~The flower's radial filaments, which can number more than a hundred and vary from flower to flower, represent the crown of thorns.

~The chalice-shaped ovary with its receptacle represents a hammer or the Holy Grail.

~The 3 stigmas represent the 3 nails and the 5 anthers below them the 5 wounds (four by the nails and one by the lance).

~The blue and white colors of many species' flowers represent

Heaven and Purity.

 

My hope is you all have a wonderful weekend, whether you celebrate this special holiday or not. Find something beautiful and touching to photograph over the next three days perhaps. And thanks for the ramble folks.