October 4

Feast of St. Francis of Assisi (d. 1226)

Flower of the Day

Roses

Roses are also associated with SS. Dorothy and Thérèse of Lisieux (who both send roses from Heaven), Elizabeth of Hungary, and Rose of Lima. St. Francis once threw himself on the thorns of a rosebush as penance. Since then, the rosebushes in that garden (near the cloister of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Assisi) have no thorns. See also the entry for Castilian Roses. (June) White: Mary's Purity

Red: Mary's Sorrow and the Blood of Christ. Also martyrdom.

Gold: Mary's Glory

Red and White: Visitation

Ave Maria!