ROSE OF SHARON/CISTUS CRETICUS.

Also called Rock Rose or labdanum. This is a fragrance of prophecy, visions and all quests for truth. Rose of Sharon cannot provide answers, nor can it speak, but it stimulates the eternal knowledge that is intrinsic to all human beings. Rose of Sharon brings awareness that the universal spirit can be glimpsed and absorbed into our very being, although the complete merging with God must remain just out of reach while we fulfill our role here on earth.

Not a true rose (Rosa damascena) the beautiful blooms of this plant have a soft honey-like scent and are thought to be the flowers of a shrub that grows wild on the Plains of Sharon just west of Jerusalem. "I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valley." (Song of Solomon 2:1)

BIBLE : JESUS — ROSE OF SHARON

The Saviour by El Greco,
1604-1614, El Greco Museum at Toledo, Spain



The song leader stands before the congregation and announces the number of the next hymn. As you turn the pages, you quickly realize that you know the song—"Jesus, Rose of Sharon." But if you are anything like most of the people singing, truth be told, you do not know what the term "Rose of Sharon" means. So, what does it mean?

This may come as a shock, but the phrase is used only once in the entire Bible, and it does not refer to Jesus. In Song of Solomon 2:1, Solomon’s wife describes herself as the "rose of Sharon." From her description, we can see that it is a complimentary term that expresses beauty.


The word Sharon (also spelled Saron) means a level place or plain, and is found in numerous verses in the Bible, including Acts 9:35 and 1 Chronicles 27:29. In God’s Word, the term is used to describe one of the largest plains in all of the land of Palestine. You can locate this valley by looking just north of the city of Joppa on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.


From what we know about the place, the Sharon valley was a fertile plain that was home to many beautiful flowers. Isaiah 35:2 lists Sharon in a context discussing blooming plants and describes the valley as "excellent." Sharon was renowned for its majesty and beauty, but what about its "rose?"


A true rose, like the one sweethearts exchange on Valentine’s day, is probably not what the Bible calls the "rose of Sharon," since these flowers are very uncommon in Palestine. In fact, although no one can say for certain which flower is the actual "rose of Sharon," many scholars think the best guess is the cistus (also known as the rock-rose). The cistus blooms in various parts of the land of Palestine, and in ancient times was known for its soothing aroma and pain-relieving qualities.

No one knows for sure when or why the term "rose of Sharon" was given to Jesus. But some reasons do make good sense. Christ’s healing powers and pain-relieving actions were similar to certain traits of the rock-rose. Is it any wonder that the "Great Physician," Who came to physically heal the sick and spiritually take away the plague of sin from the world, should be given the name of a flower known for its sweet aroma and pain-relieving qualities?

Cistus Creticus "Rose of Sharon": In the season of Bible it produced labdanum in the region of Jerusalem.

Holy Friday

El Creco
Domenikos Theotokopoulos
"Christ Carrying the Cross"

El Creco
Domenikos Theotokopoulos
"Crucifixion"

Domenikos Theotokopoulos, was born in northern Crete (labdanum area), about 1541

What plants were observed on the Shroud of Turin?

The most significant plants that Danin and Baruch identified and reported on are:

1) Chrysanthemum coronarium: This is one of the most prominent plant images on the Shroud. It is not a very strong geographical indicator in that it is a widespread Mediterranean species. It is, however, a good temporal indicator since it blooms between March and May. This suggests that the image was formed at that time of year

2) Zygophyllum dunosum: This is the second most prominent floral image on the Shroud. The phonologic stage of bloom, as seen on the Shroud, indicates that it was cut or picked sometime between December and April. This plant grows only in the Sinai, a small area of Jordan adjacent to Israel, Jerusalem, and an area of Israel south of Jerusalem.


3)Gundelia tournefortii: In addition to faint imagery, there are also a very significant number of pollen spores for this species on the Shroud. Such large quantities of pollen grains, of this otherwise insect-pollinated plant, can only be explained by physical contact with the Shroud. Gundelia blooms in Israel between March and May. This plant also grows throughout Turkey, Syria, northern Iran, northern Iraq, and in northern Israel. The southernmost edge of its growing region is Jerusalem.

4) Cistus creticus: Numerous pollen grains tend to confirm a fuzzy image of this plant on the Shroud�s surface. This is considered a very high geographic indicator since it only grows in Israel along the Mediterranean coast areas and the higher elevations east of the coast, but only as far in that direction as the old city of Jerusalem.

5)Capparis aegyptia: This plant grows only in Israel, Jordan, and the Sinai. According to Danin and Buruch, Flowering buds of this species begin to open about midday, opening gradually until fully opened about sunset. Flowers of this species, seen as images on the Shroud, correspond to opening buds at three to four o�clock in the afternoon. The last four plants on the Shroud are significant because, as Danin and Baruch report, [the assemblage] occurs in only one rather small spot on earth, this being the Judean mountains and the Judean Desert of Israel, in the vicinity of Jerusalem.

http://www.shroudstory.com/faq/Shroud-Turin-Plants-Specific.htm