Christianity and the trees

"To the sweetest daughter Basiliana that
lived for 5 years, 2 months and 23 days...
Her parents Basiliano and Sudenzia
dedicated, in opposition of their hopes
laid down on april 10th".

When the Roman Empire fell (in 476 AD) it followed a period of heavy economic and social crisis, that brought the population and the commercial exchanges to a radical reduction. Almost at the same time, begins the missionary activity, promoted by Milan Church, even if the oldest epigraphic reports (among them also The Sarcophagus of Basiliana, discovered in San Lorenzo of Parabiago) date back only to V Century AD.
Of this period is also the foundation of the first rural parishes, around which begin to organise whole communities.
The course of christianisation was widespread, but very slow: it was indeed about the appropriation of pagan elements, in order to re-edit them in light of the christian message. Names of the plants have the sign of this process: it is christianised all the flora that, let the pagan gods, turned to Evil, Saints, Christ and Virgin Mary. The treewas particulary loaded of symbols since the ancient times: well-established in the ground, but with its branes stretched out to the sky was considered as member of both worlds, that human and that divine. With the Christianity the tree becamesymbol of the new life given to the humans.