My son is at an RC school and once a year they have a May procession. May is the month of Our Lady and the children process around with their flowers and then lay them as offerings, by the statue of Mary at the end. The children who have just celebrated their first Holy Communion are dressed up in their finery:
- Boys in red ties, red sashes, white shirt and grey trousers.
- Girls in a white dress which can vary from the simple to the elaborate with veils, headdresses, tiaras, gloves etc. as optional extras.
It’s always a lovely sight to see and the children get to wear their posh clothes for another day. There’s quite a range of flowers taken to school ranging from hand picked garden flowers (my preference) to commercial bouquets from garage or supermarket.
With the dresses there is a similar range too from simple white/ivory shift dresses to full blown gypsy wedding dress affairs. Again I think the simpler versions look best and so much more suited to a 7 year old girl. The boys all look the same: smart, but simple.
The May Procession is a lovely chance to get outside and watch the children walk round while they sing hymns. There are some lovely hymns to Our Lady and the children seem to enjoy singing them. It’s a highlight of the school calendar and the children look forward to taking part. It’s a very pretty sight and I’ve been known to shed a tear or two. It also involves the parents with the school, which has to be a good thing.
The greatest honour though is being selected as May Queen. This is usually a girl from the top class. Sometimes they wear their confirmation dress, but actually they look lovely in just a school dress.
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