Gabriella Greek named rose queen in Nesquehoning
The Rev. Allen Hoffa, rector of the Shrine of St. Therese of Lisieux, throws some roses from the steps of the shrine after a helicopter dumped hundreds over the crowds in New Columbus on Sunday during the annual Shower of Roses.
Liam Gavin, 4, of Conshohocken, holds a rose he caught during the Shower of Roses. AMY MILLER/TIMES NEWS
The helicopter pilot drops roses over the crowd during the annual Shower of Roses celebration. Scan this photo with the Prindeo app for a photo gallery. AMY MILLER/TIMES NEWS
A statue of St. Therese of Lisieux, the Little Flower of Jesus, sits outside the shrine in New Columbus Sunday afternoon.
A statue of St. Therese of Lisieux, the Little Flower of Jesus, sits outside the shrine in New Columbus Sunday afternoon.
The Rev. Alan Hoffa blesses the 2018 Rose Queen, Gabriella Greek. He is assisted by altar boy Matthew Rehrig. MYRNA GLEDHILL/TIMES NEWS
Crowds gathered on the grounds surrounding the Shrine of St. Therese of Lisieux, the Little Flower of Jesus, Sunday to see if they could catch one of the many roses that fell from heaven during the finale of the 86th annual Shower of Roses in the New Columbus section of Nesquehoning.
The event, which has drawn crowds from the tri-state area, is a special dedication to St. Therese.
The day started with a spaghetti dinner, followed by Mass and the crowning of the Rose Queen.
This year’s queen was Gabriella Greek, daughter of attorney Michael and Michelle Greek of Nesquehoning; and her princesses were Christine Walko and Kaitlyn Doyle.
The Little Flowers for the day included Caitlyn Kovatch, Skylare McConnon, Maggie Homyak, Isabella Rose Dancoma, Cara Rehnert, Nina Thorpe, Esmarelda Petschauer and Margaret Petschauer.
Participants then gathered after Mass for a special procession through the Little Flower section of New Columbus, followed by the benediction and then the highly anticipated rose drop.
Revelers could be seen pointing over the mountain range as the helicopter carrying hundreds of roses came into view. They then ran in the hopes of catching one of the roses that fell from the sky as the helicopter made passes over the shrine and grounds around it.
The roses represent the belief that when someone’s prayer is answered by St. Therese, that person will smell the fragrance of roses, or find a rose in an unusual place.
The belief is thought to have come from St. Therese’s promise to send a shower of roses to earth as proof of God’s existence.
St. Therese was canonized in 1925.
