Sicily: Zagara, Flower of Love ...

Jun 16, 2022by MM Independent

Have you ever used the phrase "Orange flowers"With reference to the wedding?

Orange flowers, or zagare, are in fact the symbol, traditionally, of the wedding and the reason derives from a curious and ancient legend ...

During the Spanish domination in the Kingdom of Sicily, an unidentified Spanish King not identified, received an orange tree as a gift to which he was particularly fond of. He made him plant in the central garden of the castle making him be able to admire him and smell it on any part of the manor he was.

During a visit, an ambassador asked the king to have a twig of that admirable tree with very fragrant flowers. The king, jealous, refused to encourage the request by explaining that he would never give anyone his fine plant to anyone.

The ambassador, who remained bad, did not give up and decided to deceive the king by addressing the court gardener to secretly pay him 50 gold coins in exchange for the twig.

With the rich proceeds, the gardener finally could form a dowry for his daughter and get her marry. On the wedding day, the girl wore a sprig of orange blossom in her hair as an expression of gratitude towards that aromatic plant that had allowed her to be happy by counteracting her wedding.

From that day the Zagara (from Arabic Zahara, flower shining with white) has become the symbol of marriage, of pure, fertile and eternal love ...