Italy - An Avalanche of Roses to Celebrate Easter

The Dutch floricultural sector, for more than three decades the main provider of the flower decorations of St. Peter's Square in Rome during the Easter Week, has given a new meaning to this tradition, restored this year after last year’s first interruption ever due to the pandemic.

The Avalanche Rose Symbol of Easter 2021

The novelty of this year is represented by the careful choice of only one flower for the decorations, to represent hope, pureness, strength, connection, modesty and humility in these darkened times: the Avalanche Rose.

Pope Francis I during the Easter Vigil
Beeld: ©Vatican News
Pope Francis I during the Easter Vigil

In Saint Peter's Basilica for the Easter Celebrations

These roses were chosen to pay homage to the Pope for Easter 2021, and to give comfort to the ill and the fragile. Before leaving the Netherlands to reach their final destinations in the Vatican and in various retirement communities in Rome and Novara they were blessed by H.E. Hans van Ende, Bishop of Rotterdam.

The Avalanche roses were the protagonists of the decorations of the Saint Peter’s Basilica during the Holy Easter celebrations of last week, and of a heartfelt donation to the guests of retirement communities in Rome and Novara.

Avalanche Roses

A Beautiful Initiative

This initiative could take place thanks to the collaboration between Avalanche+ and Paul Deckers, Federfiori/Ascom Novara, Felini Foundation, Comitato Festa dei Nonni (Grandparents Day Committee) and the Embassy of The Netherlands in Rome.

Love, Care and Attention to the Elderly and the Fragile

Conveying a message of care, attention and love to the elderly and fragile and connecting the different generations through the universal language of flowers has been inspirational to this initiative, which has taken place in continuity with the successful campaign based on the same themes during Grandparents Day and the Week against Solitude of October 2020.

Avalanche Roses in retirement communities