Vincenzina Krymow collection

Collection

Identifier: ML-060

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection contains the various Marian research and personal papers of Vincenzina Krymow, a volunteer at the Marian Library and the author of two books related to religious gardening: "Mary's Flowers: Gardens, Legends and Meditations" and "Healing Plants of the Bible." Materials in the collection date primarily from 1990-2010. The collection includes Krymow’s research, correspondence, publication material, photographs, presentations, travel ephemera, and other various materials related to her research about Mary Gardens and flower symbolism as well as articles, photographs, and devotional/pilgrimage material related to Black Madonna shrines of Europe.

Dates

Creation: 1953 - 2010
Creation: Majority of material found within 1998 - 2005

Access to Materials

This collection is open and available to the public for research in the Marian Library reading room. The materials are non-circulating.

Copyright Notice

The materials in this collection may be protected by copyright law (Title 17, U.S. Code). The materials are available for personal, educational, and scholarly use. It is the responsibility of the researcher to locate and obtain permission from the copyright owner or their heirs for any other use, such as reproduction and publication.

Biography of Vincenzina Krymow

Vincenzina “Ginny” Krymow was born January 25, 1930 in Detroit, Michigan. Moving to Centerville, Ohio in the 1970s with her husband and children, Krymow spent the majority of her professional career as a social worker and licensed family therapist in the Dayton area. Upon her retirement in 1987, she began to pursue her long-time interest in writing and journalism. She wrote many articles for the Dayton Daily News, the Catholic Telegraph, and St. Anthony Messenger Press. One article she was writing led her to discover the Marian Library where she eventually began to volunteer her time more extensively. An avid researcher, Krymow was very interested in gardening and spirituality and developed a relationship with John S. Stokes Jr., founder of the Mary’s Gardens Movement. She spent time researching various Biblical and Marian medicinal and symbolic plants and flowers, all of which inspired her successfully published books: Healing Plants of the Bible (2002) and Mary's Flowers: Gardens, Legends and Meditations (2002). She traveled the globe to document sacred gardens and shrines devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary and also had a special interest in researching Black Madonna shrines and documenting many across Europe during her travels. Generous in sharing her research interests and time with the community, she gave numerous talks and presentations to various religious and secular groups in Ohio interested in spiritual gardening and flower symbolism during the early 2000s. Along with being a volunteer at the Marian Library, Krymow was also a member of the Mariological Society of America (MSA) and the Marianist Environmental Education Center (MEEC).