By Rochelle Cassella
Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities Director of Communications
My grandfather, an immigrant from Italy, planted peonies and irises around my family home when I was a child. The irises, with their tall stems and bearded faces, fascinated me. But I preferred the peonies, their full blossoms and various colors—pink with white, white with pink and the flaming deep red of magenta. I would bend down and breathe in their rose-like aroma.Years later, I was thrilled to learn that the home my husband and I purchased more than 20 years ago
had peony bushes in the backyard. Each spring, I eagerly await late May and early June when they blossom so I can fill big vases with them and bring their scent into the house.
I love to garden, but I’m definitely an “amateur” gardener. While I’ve always adored peonies, I didn’t know much about them besides the myth that “they need ants to open them.” (In reality, ants are just attracted to the buds’ sweet nectar.) My interest deepened when I learned that peonies are also called the Pentecost Rose, especially in Germany and Eastern Europe, where they’re used to decorate churches.
Peonies symbolize the Holy Spirit due to their typical bloom time—late May or early June—aligning with Pentecost. The red varieties, in particular, evoke the fire of the Holy Spirit’s presence and spiritual renewal. In religious art, peonies represent God’s love: both his gift of the Holy Spirit to guide us, and our loving gratitude for what he has given.
Peonies are valued not only for their symbolism but also for their healing properties. For 1,500 years, they have been used to relieve pain and as an anti-inflammatory, with claims of improving blood circulation and reducing blood pressure. Although their symbolism as God’s love might suggest a Franciscan connection, peonies are most closely associated with Benedictine monks, who, during the Middle Ages, grew them in monastery gardens for both medicinal purposes and altar decoration.
This Pentecost, find some peonies. Breathe in their aroma and decorate your home, not just for their beauty, but as a way to remember the layers of meaning these flowers carry—from family tradition to reminders of God’s love and renewal.
