The pomegranate is the national fruit of November. The luscious color of the flesh is a gorgeous choice for an Autumn Wedding but especially for a November Bride. The theme of the pomegranate along with ancient traditions is always a nice touch to the Fall Wedding as well.Photo: Linda R. Herzog
In Greek myth of Persephone's abduction by Hades, lord of the underworld, the pomegranate represents life, regeneration, and marriage. One day while out gathering flowers, Persephone noticed a narcissus of exquisite beauty. As she bent down to pick it, the earth opened and Hades dragged her down to his kingdom. By eating a few pomegranate seeds, Persephone was married to Hades with the Pomegranate being a symbol of the indissolubility of marriage.
In Judaism, Pomegranate seeds are said to number 613-one for each of the Bible's 613 Commandments according to Nurock and Good in The Fruits of the Land, 1968. The pomegranate was revered for the beauty of its shrub, flowers, and fruit symbolizing sanctity, fertility, and abundance. The Song of Solomon compares the cheeks of a bride to the halves of a pomegranate.
An Islamic legend holds that the pomegranate contains one seed that comes down from paradise. Pomegranates have had a special role as a fertility symbol among the Bedouins of the Middle East. A pomegranate is split open by the groom as he and his bride enter the door of their house. Abundant seeds ensure that the couple who eat it will have many children.
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