Wallpaper 1 : The Swallow and Greater Celandine

The name Chelidonium comes from Greek and means “swallow.” According to ancient legends, swallows used the leaves of this plant to restore the eyesight of their blind young. Because of this belief, greater celandine was used in the Middle Ages to treat eye ailments — not based on science, but on magical and symbolic thinking.

According to another legend, the plant sprang from the blood of a serpent whose head was crushed by Christ. This was said to explain the yellow, biting sap found in the stems. As a result, the plant acquired strong religious and magical symbolism.

In the Middle Ages, the plant was sometimes placed on the head of a sick person to predict recovery: tears meant healing was near, while singing was feared as a sign of death. It was also believed that carrying greater celandine offered protection against misfortune and enemies. Even alchemists used the plant in their search for the legendary Philosopher’s Stone.

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