Faith is at the Center of Fresh Rosary

Large rosary laid out in a circle with a cross in the center.

Who we are:

We’re a Catholic- owned business and  make  rosaries from large fresh roses. You won’t find a more beautiful rosary for a Mass of Christian Burial, wedding, Quinceanera or other special event. Other florists’ rosaries are made of baby roses and spray roses, and the rosebuds can fall out when you move the rosary. Ours is both durable and gorgeous, and can be moved without worry.

How this all started:

She didn’t always focus on rosaries. Julia Miller started as an award-winning and popular wedding florist, (Julia’s Floral in Washington State). A friend asked her to create some meaningful funeral flowers for her Catholic, Spirit-filled mom. The rosary caused a sensation, including healing of estranged family relationships and returning to the faith. That story is here:  “It All Began with Barbara.”

It became immediately clear that the world needed giant-sized fresh rosaries, and Julia was supposed to make that a reality.

How we give back:

We support St. Paul Evangelization Institute, Sacred Heart Radio in the Pacific Northwest, Encounter Ministries, and other charities.  We also pray over your rosary for your intentions, and write Rosary Novenas, which you can find on our Fresh Thoughts Blog.

Marty’s Rosary

The first floral rosary I made using baby roses. It was for my brother Marty’s funeral in 1997. A Naval Reserve Officer, he’d been in far from home in San Antonio, Texas, participating in his annual “active duty tour,” when doctors discovered a huge amount of cancer in his liver. But he was only 40 years old.

Getting Marty Home –

So we boarded a Medevac flight. Soon Marty became too fragile to continue to our state of Washington. While some said prayers from afar, others flew to California and around his hospital bed to say goodbye. He passed away in the ICU at Travis Air Force Base near Fairfield, California, just nine days after diagnosis.

A Holy Death –

Marty held a true devotion to the Rosary, which he prayed daily. Therefore, after he received his final sacraments, we prayed the Rosary around him, and just before the final Amen, we witnessed heaven come to earth and retrieve his soul. We were sweating, and weeping, and with seven of us in his small ICU room, we were warm. Maybe someday I’ll find better words, but Marty’s face lit up like a child seeing Christmas for the first time. I’m certain I saw his soul leave his body – it was like he was wriggling up and out of a turtleneck with his arms at his sides. Right then, a cool breeze circled the ceiling, although the nurse said there was no air conditioning in the room.

At the funeral –

Among other flower arrangements in red, white and blue, I displayed a Rosary of fresh roses for my brother. The Navy paid respects with flag ceremony, presentation of arms, and a bugler to play Taps. It’s now over 20 years since Marty’s passing, and I will always remember his holy death, and his most fitting celebration of life.

So I became “The Rosary Lady” –

Since then I’ve made too many fresh rosaries to count. Each one is meaningful, because it honors a soul beloved by God, and it comforts surviving loved ones, and encourages people to pray.

My hope is that the heart of every person who encounters a Fresh Rosary will pause a moment to consider Heaven. God has great love for each soul. He sent his son, Jesus, a carpenter born of a humble and faithful woman, to build us a bridge to heaven for the desire to lead us there.

Blessings,

Julia Dreves Miller