On Sunday, the Protestant Church remembers the death of one of her most beloved Saints. Martin Luther died February 18th, 1546. I have been interested in flowers and greenery lately—probably preparing my garden in my mind in preparation for springtime.
In honor of Martin Luther, I want to discuss his rose. The symbol of the Reformation and of Martin Luther is a beautiful rose: The Luther Rose. It is a complex summary, with much thought put into it.
This seal/symbol was designed by Luther and is the essence of his theological position and his faith. The cross in the center is black to remind of us of our sin and the need of the Savior on the cross. The heart is red—its natural color—to show that by Faith in the Crucified One we are saved. Because of the joy that salvation brings, a white rose surrounds the heart of the believer. The field of blue is the heavenly future that the believer looks joyously forward towards. Luther explains all of this much more eloquently in a letter to Lazarus Spengle—excerpt in link.
Now…if you have been paying attention to Ecclesiastical Sewing, you will have noticed that we have a very special fabric. If you are new—WELCOME—or if you have not noticed lately, let me tell you about our fabric!
Our Luther Rose Brocade has the actual Luther Rose Symbol woven into the fabric. The fabric was developed by Carrie R. around fall of 2016. Carrie wanted to create something special for the 500th Anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. After talking to her fabric supplier in England, Peter encouraged her to use her own Luther Rose design and make a fabric. Never having designed a fabric, her Patonce Cross and her Luther Rose Symbol came together nicely, but Carrie was having trouble making the vines interact just right. Carrie’s old pastor—the venerable Pastor Robson—had encouraged her to start talking with Edward Riojas—the artist of the Higher Things magazine. This was the perfect opportunity to get in touch with him and with Edward’s help, the vines came together in a matter of hours; the design was sent to England; and the rest is history!
We hope and pray that this beautiful Luther Rose Brocade fabric will serve various churches for many, many years to come. It is a true honor to use our time and talents to the glory of God and the beautification of His House. Thank you for reading and learning about the symbolism and craft that went into making this special ligurgical brocade fabric.
~Nihil Sine Deo~
Bibliogrphay
Weedon, William. Celebrating The Saints. St. Louis Missouri: Concordia Publishing House, 2016.
Please visit our website at www.ecclesiasticalsewing.com to see our complete line of liturgical fabrics and church vestments. You may also contact us through the online webpage to inquire about custom orders or vestments.