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Is there any connection to ‘May Day’ flower baskets and the Blessed Virgin Mary?

When I was growing up, I remember making "May Day Baskets" at home and at school (1st to 3rd grade).  These baskets were made using construction paper and filled with fresh flowers.  We placed these on neighbors’ porches and/or handed them out on the first of May.  As Catholics, we celebrate the month of May with veneration to our Blessed Mother.  However, the distribution of these flower baskets is not rooted from Catholic tradition…but maybe it should be. 

In the Catholic Church’s liturgical year the entire month of May is devoted to the veneration of the Virgin Mary. The high point has always been the ritual known as “The Crowning of Mary,” instituted by St. Philip Neri in 16th century Italy, after which it quickly gained widespread grass-roots popularity. This ritual is usually performed on May Day, but alternatively on another early day of the month including Mother’s Day (always the second Sunday of May), and remains popular in Catholic congregations today. Ever since its inception, the ritual has involved a group of young children proceeding in song to a statue of Mary and placing a crown of flowers on her head. After Mary is crowned, a litany is sung or recited in which she is praised and called the Queen of Earth, Queen of Heaven, and Queen of the Universe, among other titles.  Some Marian hymns also call her the “Queen of May.”  

Mary is called Queen because she is the perfect follower of Christ, who is the absolute crown of creation. She is the Mother of the Son of God, who is the messianic King. Thus, in an eminent way, she won the ‘crown of righteousness' (2 Tim 4:8); ‘the crown of life’ (Jas 1:12); and ‘the crown of glory’ (1 Pet 5:4).  Mary is queen, “a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars” (Rev12:1). 

In Christian art, Mary is sometimes depicted with a regal crown as early as the 4th century CE. The flowers in her crown represent Mary’s virtues and the crowing ritual takes place in spring because she brought life into the world. Venerating Mary in May also makes sense because much of May falls within the 50-day Easter season ending with Pentecost – the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles and other followers of Christ – and Mary was with the apostles waiting for the Spirit to descend (Acts 1:12-14). 

Mary always leads us to Jesus, her Son. When we go to her, we always meet Jesus, our Savior. She helps us follow her Son more faithfully. May we all, like Saint John, take Mary into our home and make room for her in our daily lives. 



Author Bio:
Deacon Dan Vaughn