A Call for Flower Lovers!
We are looking to create a team of volunteers to help choose and purchase flowers for the decoration of the holy tomb on Holy Friday and Pascha (at the Cathedral and Chapel).
If you are interested (men and women are welcome!), please contact the office at 416-603-3224 or office@stvolodymyr.ca.
Шукаємо любителів квітів!
Нам потрібні волонтери, які можуть допомогти обрати і придбати квіти для декорування ікон на Велику П’ятницю – гробу Христового після зняття з Христа. Якщо Ви зацікавлені (запрошуються як жінки, так і чоловіки!), будь ласка зв’яжіться з офісом за телефоном 416-603-3224 чи напишіть на електронну пошту office@stvolodymyr.ca. Волонтери зустрінуться зі священниками своїх парафій після Літургії у Вербну Неділю.
Creating Teams and Orthodox Floral Design
Some parishes, especially larger ones like cathedrals, have actual Flower Committees or Beautification Teams where they work together to create the beautiful decorations, including the greenery for Pentecost (Зелені Свята) and the flower urns outside the front doors. Indeed some jurisdictions (as in other ethnic Churches like the Greeks, OCA, or Antiochian) have actual Orthodox floral design training programs for the volunteers (as decorating an icon is most certainly different than designing a bouquet!)! (See here how the large team of Greeks decorates the tomb of Christ for Holy Friday!)
Why Flowers?
Flowers are a way to beautify the temple which is also considered an offering: an offering to God but it can also be an offering to the saint represented in the icon. Over time the practice in the UOCC has become to keep artificial flowers on the tetrapod (the icon table at the front of the church) but the original practice was placing fresh flowers and changing them based on the feast day (white lilies for Pascha, greenery for Pentecost, white roses for the Dormition of the Theotokos etc.). If you are ever moved to do so, you are welcome to bring fresh flowers (whether one or two to place on the icon or a bouquet in a vase to place at the base etc.) whether in memory of someone, as an offering to God or to a saint.
How to Decorate Icons
A Greek Orthodox parish in Wellington, Australia
Offering flowers can be as simple as laying one or two stems on the base or top of the icon or a bouquet in a vase placed near the icon (so that others can still venerate the icon) or as sophisticated as using floral foam etc. Here are some instructions to show how to use floral foam to put flowers on all 3-4 sides of the icon.
Here are some activities that can also be done with children to practice decorating icons:
Sources:
https://festalcelebrations.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/icon_flowers.pdf
http://orthodoxtraditions.blogspot.com/2012/12/flowers-at-church.html
https://orthodoxartsjournal.org/decorative-borders-adding-beauty-in-an-orthodox-church/
https://stmichaeljermyn.org/files/CHURCH%20SCHOOL/Venerating-Icons.pdf
https://www.facebook.com/wellingtonflowerco/photos/a.337443636849090/600891807170937/?type=3 https://orthochristian.com/146693.html#:~:text=The%20fresh%20leaves%20and%20flowers,of%20the%20Giver%20of%20Life.
https://neoskosmos.com/en/2019/04/25/life/arts/symbolism-behind-traditions-of-holy-week/
https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/bs-md-greek-orthodox-epitaphio-20160430-story.html