Interesting facts

As early as the early Middle Ages sage was being used widely in central Europe. It owes to the Virgin Mary its reputation for being able to grant eternal life. According to legend, in her flight to Egypt with the infant Jesus she is said to have hidden from Herod under a sage bush. Many sayings, such as "Whoever grows sage barely looks at death!" (Karl Friedrich Wilhelm Wander), bear witness to its healing properties. Sage is one of the strong August herbs which in churches were dedicated to the dying Mother of God on the feast of the Assumption. These important medicinal plants were herbs that were supposed to protect against magic, conflagration and hailstorms and also aided fertility and made it easier to give birth. They were placed in the seed chest or in the coffin of those who had died. Many were herbs to be burned as incense during religious festivals. Along with yarrow, mugwort, arnica, marigold and sage, familiar herbs such as lovage and dill came to be used as medicines.