In the Bible, the Rose of Sharon symbolizes beauty, and it is used in the book of Song of Solomon to describe the beauty of King Solomon’s lover. In Christian tradition, the petals of the rose symbolize Christ’s wounds from the crucifixion. The color of the rose also holds symbolic meaning. Typically, a white rose represents Christ’s purity and a red rose represents Christ’s sacrificial blood. I’ve elected to image my rose as both white and red and is drawn in the style of what might appear in a stained glass window. The Rose of Sharon is often used as another name for Christ, especially in Pentecostal and African American churches. Interestingly, the rose is not a true rose, but a flowering shrub. I’ve added the thorns as a symbol of the crown of thorns worn by Christ during His passion.
