SICILY: ZAGARA, FLOWER OF LOVE...
SICILY: ZAGARA, FLOWER OF LOVE...
Have you ever used the phrase "Orange Blossom" in reference to weddings?
Orange blossoms, or Zagare, are indeed the symbol, by tradition, of marriage, and the reason comes from a curious and ancient legend...
During Spanish rule in the kingdom of Sicily, an unidentified Spanish king received as a gift an orange tree that he became particularly fond of. He had it planted in the central garden of the castle making sure that it could be admired and smelled from wherever in the manor he was.
During a visit, an ambassador asked the king if he could have a twig of that admirable tree with its fragrant flowers. The king, jealous, refused to favor the request, explaining that he would never give his prized plant to anyone.
The ambassador, hurt, did not give up and decided to trick the king by secretly turning to the court gardener and paying him as much as 50 gold coins in exchange for the twig.
With the rich proceeds, the gardener was finally able to form a dowry for his daughter and marry her off. On her wedding day, the girl wore a sprig of orange blossoms in her hair as an expression of gratitude to that aromatic plant that had allowed her to be happy by getting married.
Since that day, the Zagara (from Arabic Zahara, flower shining white) has become the symbol of marriage, of pure, fertile and eternal love...
We would like to thank the following sources for the information gathered and invite you to further investigate:
Reference Photo:
Wedding Rings
Photo 5426441 © Atman / Dreamstime.com
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Flower Zagara
Photo 142968037 © Alfio Scisetti / Dreamstime.com
Photo Orange
Photo 9124950 / Flower © Adonis1969 / Dreamstime.com
Bridal Photos
Photo 35634913 © Manifeesto / Dreamstime.com
Photo Sicily Oranges and Lemons
Photo 43943467 © Siculodoc / Dreamstime.com
