The UU tradition of the Flower Ceremony began in 1923 with Norbert Fabian Čapek (CHA-pek), the Czech founder of the Prague Unitarian congregation, which at that time was becoming the largest Unitarian church in the world. The ritual symbolized the people’s unity by gathering many flowers together in one vase or basket. The ceremony emphasized a common human identity and was designed to be accessible to his community, in which there were many atheists, and also to recognize the presence of God, as the life-giving presence within all of us. Čapek introduced this special service to the church on June 4, 1923, and we are celebrating the Centennial today. Please bring a flower to share and take a different flower home!

–History by Petr Dolák Samojský