During the Palm Sunday service at St Mary’s church, Witney, Oxfordshire, an appeal was made for people to donate rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) ‘for use in the Easter Crown’.  Subsequent enquiries to the parish office led to a reply from the team rector:

‘The Easter Crown is the transformation of a Crown of Thorns into a Crown of Glory – so twisted thorns become rosemary (traditionally a symbol of remembering) and roses [Rosa cvs].  Though I’m not sure of the historical roots of this.’

Is the custom unique to Witney, or is it known elsewhere?

Image:  rosemary, cultivated, All Saints’ churchyard, Bakewell, Derbyshire, May 2019.