Paola’s comment on my earlier blog about Twenty-four Hours of passion started me looking for more information.

By chance I came across an article by Ali Barwani in a recent issue of The Lady about the passion fruit and passion flowers.

So put away those thoughts about erotic pastimes and concentrate on the connection between the flower and the Crucifixion.

The structure of the passion flower was used by early Catholic missionaries to teach people about Christ’s suffering on the cross.

The three spreading stigmas represent the nails, the five stamens symbolising the wounds. The stalk supporting the male and female parts is said to be the flagellation column and the double row of filaments of the corona are either the crown of thorns or Christ’s halo. Ten petals are the disciples (without Peter and Judas) with the leaves standing for Christ’s five fingers or the grasping hands of the Roman centurions. The scourges are represented by the tendrils of the flower.

Having read the full article I am now waiting, I hope not in vain, for my plant which this year has had more flowers than ever before to produce some juicy passion fruits.