Flower girls during Holy Saturday Matins

[Maria]

A friend of mine has a grandmother who recalls throwing flower petals on the Epitaphios back in the 1920s. For context, in her village women weren't even allowed to go shopping on their own. So the theory that this custom is due to feminism is wrong.

Very interesting input.. Not allowing ladies to go shopping alone is a wise custom, particularly during sales.

My husband asks me to buy him a few necessary items during sales (shoes, socks, and slacks), but will he accompany me? No way! He has read about women elbowing and assaulting other women during these Thursday Midnight Madness sales following Thanksgiving. I carefully pick my battles preferring not to shop at the Midnight Madness sales, instead, I usually shop online and then my hubbie will look at the photos in peace and safety.

How extensive is the use of flower girls?

Do all Orthodox Christian churches have flower girls on Palm Sunday?

Personally, I have never seen the use of flower girls at Holy Saturday Matins as it is the priest who tosses red rose pedals and laurel leaves all over the church floor (and drives the janitor crazy).

Does the Orthodox Church have the custom of flower girls during weddings or is this a western custom?

[Jean-Serge]

These are my observations in France:

• Palm Sunday: I've never seen flower girls in Russian and Serbian parishes
• Holy Saturday: the same but I saw in a "Greek" parish the priest throwing petals for the vespers of Holy Saturday, nothing like this in Russian usages I could see
• Pentecost: in the Serbian practice, at least the one I could see, grass is put on the floor of the church and people plait a crown with it during the reading of the prayers when people are prostratred (not the best way to concentrate on the prayers)

At weddings, as far as I know, throwing petals on the ground in the aisle is a western practice (I'm not sure it existed even in protestant and catholic church in the 1970s and 1980s) but I've seen it in Greek weddings in the US on youtube. It seems to me that Greeks are in fact the most westernized in the US: pews, organ, service of betrothal made in the nave and not in the narthex etc. Regarding the flower girls holding bunch of flowers and standing, it is also definitely a western practice. Liturgically, it means nothing, the witnesses are supposed to be behind the couple and hold the crowns (depending on the type of crown and practice) but not standing with flowers in their hands.

[Maria]

How extensive is the use of flower girls?

Do all Orthodox Christian churches have flower girls on Palm Sunday?

Personally, I have never seen the use of flower girls at Holy Saturday [Matins] Vesperal Divine Liturgy as it is the priest who tosses red rose [pedals] petals and laurel leaves all over the church floor (and drives the janitor crazy).

Does the Orthodox Church have the custom of flower girls during weddings or is this a western custom?

I am quoting my original post to make some necessary corrections (including a misspelling).
I meant to say Holy Saturday Vesperal Liturgy, not Holy Saturday Matins.

While I have seen the priest toss blessed rose petals and laurel leaves at the Holy Saturday Vesperal Liturgy, I too, have never witnessed flower girls spreading flower petals on Holy Saturday Matins.

Tossing bicycle pedals might cause some damage. :ohvey: :shock:

[Barbara]

^ Funny !

Interesting discussion here.
Laurel leaves ? I didn't know about that, either.
What a pleasant smell and uplifting idea along with the rose PETals...