In the ancient times, Christians associated roses with the Virgin Mary. The ancient Romans and Greeks, roses represented love and beauty and also associated it with their goddess Aphrodite. Ancient Egyptians used roses to worship their goddess Isis - the perfect wife and mother. A red rose now present at funerals represent the blood of Jesus Christ. Since a red rose is associated with Jesus Christ as well as Mary, you will often see Celtic crosses with a red English rose entwined across it with thorns. A red one can also represent martyrdom, spiritual growth and unconscious beauty.
