Passion Sunday has also been called Care or Carle Sunday, possibly derived from the Anglo-Saxon word caru meaning grief, pain. A special food was prepared called ‘Carlings’ which were grey peas, soaked overnight in water and then fried in butter. During the following week children usually went out to gather branches of willow, box and yew ready to use as palms on Palm Sunday. (1)

The Passion Flower, Passiflora coerulea, has traditionally symbolised Christ’s Passion – his sufferings. The leaves represent the spear which pierced his side. The threads or filaments that form the corona represent the scourge. There are five stamens and they represent the crown of thorns. Above the stamens are three stigmas that represent the nails used to fasten Jesus to the Cross. (2) Referring to the Passion Flower in his poem, ‘Invitation to Flowers’, Bernard Barton writes:

“…Though fair as any gracing Beauty’s bower,
Is link’d to Sorrow like a holy thing,
And takes its name from Suff’ring’s fiercest hour –
Be this thy noblest fame, imperial Passion-flower!” (3)