The Rose Garden

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One of the most enchanting traditions associated with Saint Francis of Assisi takes place in the Rose Garden adjacent to the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Assisi. According to a centuries-old legend that has been passed down since at least the 13th century, Francis was once tormented by doubts and temptations as he sought to live a life of radical faith and simplicity. In his anguish, he is said to have rolled naked among the thorny brambles that grew around the area where he and his early followers lived, seeking to mortify his flesh and overcome these spiritual struggles.

What makes this tale unique is what happened next: at the moment of contact between his body and the thorny bushes, the thorns are said to have miraculously disappeared, transforming the brambles into roses without prickles. This distinctive variety — known locally as Rosa canina Assisiensis — is said to grow only in this garden, and its thornless stems are seen by pilgrims and visitors as a symbol of purity, divine grace, and the transformation of human weakness through faith.

Today, this Rose Garden of Saint Francis remains a place of quiet reflection and wonder. The thornless roses bloom here year after year, attracting visitors who come not only to admire their beauty but to connect with the spiritual meaning behind the legend. Walking among these rare roses, many pilgrims reflect on Francis’s profound humility and his belief in harmony between all creatures and creation.

Whether understood as literal history or as symbolic tradition, the story of the thornless roses has endured because it captures something deeply central to Franciscan spirituality: that suffering and struggle can be transformed into beauty when offered with faith, humility, and openness to God’s grace.

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