Iris means "rainbow" in Greek. The flower got its name from the Greek goddess Iris, the goddess of the rainbow, who was a messenger on Mount Olympus. Iris would take messages from heaven to earth by the arc of the rainbow. The word iris also means "eye of heaven." It was the name given to the goddess, the flower, and the center of your eye - symbolizing that each of us carries a piece of heaven with us.
The Roman Catholic Church ascribed the lily as the special emblem of the Virgin Mary. Due to its three petals, the fleur-de-lis (iris) has also been used to represent the Holy Trinity.
The three petals of the iris represent faith, wisdom, and valor. It has been a symbol of royalty and divine protection for centuries throughout the world. |
