Candlemas, held on 2 February celebrates the forty-day occasion after the birth of Jesus when his mother Mary went to the synagogue to seek a blessing. In the Middle Ages, parishioners used to progress around the Church holding lightened candles to celebrate this event, taking the candles home with them afterwards. Thus Snowdrops, the Candlemas bells, would probably be in bloom at that time so they became a symbol of the purity of the Virgin Mary.
Snowdrops were not native to Britain. They were brought to England by European monks; some say Italian monks in the 1500’s. Monks were herbalists and the snowdrop was one such plant grown in monastery gardens. A bulb stroked over the head supposedly helped with headaches.
Ancient uses and festivals
Snowdrops were first recognised in ancient Greece as having effects on the mind. In Homer’s Odyssey, it has been suggested that the snowdrop, whose ‘flower was as white as milk’, was the plant referred to whose power helped Odysseus rid himself of the effects of Circe’s powerful witchcraft. The Greek name for the snowdrop is Galanthus. Greeks and the Medieval monks must have known something about the snowdrop, as Galanthus a primary ingredient of Galantamine, is now recognised as inhibiting the breakdown of acetylcholine in the brain and Galantamine is used in the treatment of Alzheimer’s and mild dementia.
Snowdrops originally were widespread across Europe and the Middle East. In Tajikistan, the Festival of Snowdrops celebrates the sign that Spring is on its way and the victory of light over darkness. Children collect the flowers for grandmothers, mothers, sister and neighbours. In return they are given pastries and fruit. Families gather to enjoy a feast including their traditional pilaf. A later festival, Nowruz, celebrated mainly in the Middle East, this year on March 20th is recognised as Persian New Year, the official first day of Spring.
Ancient myths, and snowdrops
There are myths which revolve around snowdrops. Persephone was abducted by Hades to become queen of Hades. Her mother Demeter, goddess of agriculture and fertility was naturally devastated at the loss of her daughter. Neglecting her duties of being a goddess, she scoured the country far and near to discover the whereabouts of her beloved daughter. The land was driven in widespread famine and starvation due to Demeter’s neglect. Finally, Zeus, the father of Persephone sent Hermes to rescue her. When found in the Underworld a compromise was made between Hades and Zeus. Because Persephone had eaten six pomegranate seeds, she had to stay six months in the Underworld as the queen. But she could return to Earth for the other six months to be with her mother, who then would return to her duties as goddess in looking after the land and restoring agriculture and fertility. When Persephone left the Underworld she brought snowdrops with her, and they became a symbol of her return and the sign of the oncoming Spring.
In the Christian myth, an Angel witnessed the sorrow of Eve when she was thrown out of Eden. From a fruitful, bounteous garden of peace, Eve now faced the reality of a dark, cold barren land. There were no flowers in this desolate place. Some say the Angel witnessed the flood of tears running down Eve’s cheeks. Feeling sorry for Eve, the Angel transformed her tears into snowdrops, making them the first flowers to appear on Earth.
Another myth tells of how the Angel saw Eve shivering in the cold, devasted at her fate. Snow was falling heavily; Eve was becoming colder. Snowflakes were swirling around her face, so as they fell, the Angel transformed the snowflakes into snowdrops and they gently fell to the ground, once again becoming the first flowers to appear on Earth.
Snowdrops in British history
Snowdrops in Britain were not recorded before 1597 when they were noted in the book written by John Gerard, ‘The Herball or General Historie of Plantes.’ They were not widespread growing wild in woodlands in the UK until 1778. Before that time, they were seen in ruined abbeys and churchyards. Brought from Europe in the 1500’s by monks, they were in churchyards growing in clumps amongst the gravestones. They had become a symbol not only of death but also of the hope of resurrection. Some even linked the flower bud to being a body wrapped in a white shroud.
However, in Victorian times they were seen bringers of death, probably because of their association with graveyards. Victorians would never bring snowdrops into the house as it was considered that if one did then a relative would be dead within one year. Wordsworth captured this:
‘Chaste snowdrop, venturous harbinger of Spring
And pensive monitor of fleeting years.”
In the Victorian Book of Flowers, the snowdrop is hope. In the Dunblane massacre, it symbolised sorrow the bringer of death.
Prelude to Spring
There is also a link to Persephone’s return from the Underworld and the death of the Earth to its regeneration when she returned to herald the Spring with her snowdrops. That is what snowdrops do. Underground the mature bulbs regenerate to produce small offsets which eventually grow into new bulbs, hence the formation of clumps of flowers. Most of the seedpods are not pollinated and even those that are fertile would produce a much slower growth and chance of becoming plants.
The snowdrops have their own anti-freeze system which protects them from the cold. They have a tough leafy spear; a spathe which can force itself through frozen ground, they can bloom in very cold weather and are seen as messengers of the forthcoming Spring.
Postscript
There are many places to visit the white carpets of snowdrop amongst the leafless trees. The photograph above comes from the ancient woodland in Hawthorn Dene. It would be interesting, but impossible to discover what stories some of these snowdrops could tell. What would they think they were, bringers of hope of darkness into light or the symbol of sorrow and death?
