This Is Italy
Also this year, at Easter, Sint Pietersplein will be 'adorned' with flowers from the Netherlands. Thanks to old and new sponsors, flower growers, transport company and many others, this good Dutch tradition is taking shape again this year.
Arranger Piet van der Burg and a team of florists and other volunteers, in close cooperation with the Vatican, are busy preparing for the implementation in 2023. They guarantee the highly valued quality of Dutch flowers.
For a while, the Dutch sea of flowers threatened to disappear forever at the time of Easter, because too many sponsors had dropped out. In 2022, under the leadership of the Frisian Church, a new start was made with the 'Flowers for the Pope' project. '
The gesture of flowers from the Netherlands to the Pope in Rome and from the Dutch church province to the world church is a wonderful gesture of commitment,' says Rector Antoine Bodar on behalf of the Frisian Church.
'Thanks for the flowers'
The fact that Dutch flowers can be seen on Sint Pietersbloem when the pope pronounces his Easter blessing is a custom that goes back to the pontificate of Pope John Paul II. The first time was in 1985, and would actually be a one-off. But as with all good traditions, it grew into an annual event.
The Polish pope made it a habit to express his gratitude in Dutch at the end of his speech, with the words 'Thank you for those flowers'. Although Pope Francis has previously thanked the Netherlands for the floral gift, he has not yet adopted his predecessor's snarky words.
Frisian Church
The Frisians Church is a Dutch Catholic parish at the foot of St Peter's Square in Rome. Every year, about 20.000, mostly Dutch pilgrims, visit the Frisian Church.
The flowers are offered free of charge. 'It is a beautiful tradition that the Dutch Christians offer the pope this splendor of flowers on the solemnity of Easter,' says Bodar.
The Frisian Church sincerely hopes to receive more contributions. These are very welcome with a view to the future of this special project, which expresses the bond of the Netherlands with the Wereldkerk so beautifully.
Source: press release Frisian Church Rome
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