Rosary

This article is about the Catholic Marian devotion. For other Christian forms, see rosary-based prayers. For the object & its related forms in other religions, see prayer beads. For other uses, see rosary (disambiguation).

The most commonly known format of the Rosary, flanked by the Bible and a free-standing Crucifix.

La Visione di San Domenico (The Vision of Saint Dominic), Bernardo Cavallino, 1640

The Rosary (Latin: rosarium, in the sense of "crown of roses" or "garland of roses"), usually in the form of the Dominican rosary, is a form of prayer used especially in the Catholic Church named for the string of prayer beads used to count the component prayers. When used of the form of prayer, the word is usually capitalized ("the Rosary"), as is customary for other names of prayers, such as "the Lord's Prayer", "the Hail Mary", "the Magnificat". When referring to the beads, it is normally written with a lower-case initial ("a rosary").

The prayers that essentially compose the Rosary are arranged in sets of ten Hail Marys with each set preceded by one Lord's Prayer and followed by one Glory Be. During recitation of each set, known as a decade, thought is given to one of the Mysteries of the Rosary, which recall events in the lives of Jesus and Mary. Normally, five decades are recited in a session. Other prayers are sometimes added after each decade (in particular, the Fátima Prayer) and before (in particular, the Apostles' Creed), and after (in particular, the Hail, Holy Queen) the five decades taken as a whole. The rosary as a material object is an aid towards saying these prayers in the proper sequence.

A standard fifteen Mysteries of the Rosary, based on the long-standing custom, was established by Pope Pius V in the 16th century, grouping the mysteries in three sets: the Joyful Mysteries, the Sorrowful Mysteries, and the Glorious Mysteries. In 2002 Pope John Paul II suggested a new optional set of five, called the Luminous Mysteries, bringing the total number of mysteries to twenty.

For over four centuries, the rosary has been promoted by several popes as part of the veneration of Mary in Roman Catholicism. The rosary also represents the Roman Catholic emphasis on "participation in the life of Mary, whose focus was Christ", and the Mariological theme "to Christ through Mary", taught by Saint Louis de Montfort.

Theological significance

A traditional five decade rosary in sterling silver

An Egyptian, Coptic-style rosary featuring an extra Coptic crucifix

The rosary is part of Catholic veneration of Mary, which has been promoted by numerous popes. In the 16th century, Pope Pius V associated the rosary with the General Roman Calendar by instituting the Feast of Our Lady of Victory (later changed to Our Lady of the Rosary), which is celebrated on 7 October.

Pope Leo XIII, known as "The Rosary Pope", issued twelve encyclicals and five apostolic letters on the rosary and added the invocation Queen of the most Holy Rosary to the Litany of Loreto. Pope Pius XII and his successors actively promoted veneration of the Virgin in Lourdes and Fatima, which is credited with a new resurgence of the rosary within the Catholic Church. Pope John Paul II (whose pontificate had major Marian themes) issued the Apostolic Letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae which built on the "total Marian devotion".

On 3 May 2008, Pope Benedict XVI stated that the Rosary was experiencing a new springtime: "It is one of the most eloquent signs of love that the young generation nourish for Jesus and his Mother." To Benedict XVI, the rosary is a meditation on all important moments of salvation history.

The Congregation for Divine Worship's directory of popular piety and the liturgy emphasizes the Christian meditation/meditative aspects of the rosary, and states that the Rosary is essentially a contemplative prayer, which requires "tranquility of rhythm or even a mental lingering which encourages the faithful to meditate on the mysteries of the Lord's life." The Congregation for Divine Worship also emphasizes the importance of the rosary as a formative component of spiritual life.

The theologian Romano Guardini thus defined the Roman Catholic emphasis on the rosary as "participation in the life of Mary, whose focus was Christ." This view had been endorsed by Leo XIII who viewed the rosary as a vital means to participate in the life of Mary and to find the way to Christ.

Devotions and spirituality

A Rosary bead with miniature reliefs

Main article: Rosary devotions and spirituality

Devotion to the rosary is one of the most notable features of popular Catholic spirituality. Pope John Paul II placed the rosary at the very center of Christian spirituality and called it "among the finest and most praiseworthy traditions of Christian contemplation."

Saints and popes have emphasized the meditative and contemplative elements of the rosary and provided specific teachings for how the rosary should be prayed, for instance the need for "focus, respect, reverence and purity of intention" during rosary recitations and contemplations.

From the sixteenth century onwards, rosary recitations often involved "picture texts" that assisted meditation. Such imagery continues to be used to depict the mysteries of the rosary. Saints have stressed the importance of meditation and contemplation. Scriptural meditations on the rosary build on the Christian tradition of Lectio Divina, (literally divine reading) as a way of using the Gospel to start a conversation between the soul and Christ. Padre Pio, who was devoted to the rosary, said: "Through the study of books one seeks God; by meditation one finds him."

References to the rosary have been part of a number of reported Marian Apparitions spanning two centuries. The reported messages from these apparitions have influenced the spread of rosary devotions worldwide. In Quamquam pluries Pope Leo XIII related rosary devotions to Saint Joseph and granted indulgences for adding a prayer to St. Joseph to the Rosary during the month of October.

Praying the rosary may be prescribed by priests as a form of penance after confession. Penance in this form is not generally intended as a "punishment"; rather, it is meant to encourage reflection upon and spiritual growth from past sins.

History

Main article: History of the rosary

According to pious tradition, the concept of the rosary was given to Saint Dominic in an apparition of the Virgin Mary in the year 1214 in the church of Prouille. This Marian apparition received the title of Our Lady of the Rosary. In the 15th century it was promoted by Alanus de Rupe (aka Alain de la Roche or Saint Alan of the Rock), a Dominican priest and theologian, who established the "15 rosary promises" and started many rosary confraternities.

According to Herbert Thurston, it is certain that in the course of the twelfth century and before the birth of St. Dominic, the practice of reciting 50 or 150 Ave Marias had become generally familiar. Despite the popularity of Blessed Alanus's story about the origins of the rosary, there has never been found any historical evidence positively linking St. Dominic to the rosary. The story of St. Dominic's devotion to the rosary and supposed apparition of Our Lady of the Rosary does not appear in any documents of the Church or Dominican Order prior to the writings of Blessed Alanus, some 250 years after Dominic. Leonard Foley noted that although Mary's giving the rosary to St. Dominic is recognized as a legend, the development of this prayer form owes much to the Order of Preachers.

The practice of meditation during the praying of the Hail Marys is attributed to Dominic of Prussia (1382–1460), a Carthusian monk, who called it "Life of Jesus Rosary". The German monk from Trier added a sentence to each of the 50 Hail Marys, using quotes from scriptures. In 1569, the papal bull Consueverunt Romani Pontifices by the Dominican Pope Pius V officially established the devotion to the rosary in the Catholic Church.

From the 16th to the early 20th century, the structure of the rosary remained essentially unchanged. There were 15 mysteries, one for each of the 15 decades. In the 20th century the addition of the Fatima Prayer to the end of each decade became more common. There were no other changes until 2002 when John Paul II instituted five optional new Luminous Mysteries.

Devotional growth

See also: Roman Catholic Mariology

Our Lady of Lourdes appearing at Lourdes with rosary beads.

The rosary has been featured in the writings of Roman Catholic figures from saints to popes and continues to be mentioned in reported Marian apparitions, with a number of promises attributed to the power of the rosary.

According to Alan de la Roche, the Virgin Mary is reputed to have made 15 specific promises to Christians who pray the rosary. The Fifteen rosary promises range from protection from misfortune to meriting a high degree of glory in heaven.

In the 18th century, the French priest, Louis de Montfort elaborated on the importance of the rosary and its power in his book Secret of the Rosary. He emphasized the power of the rosary and provided specific instructions on how it should be prayed, e.g. with attention, devotion and modesty (reverence), with reflective pauses between the beads and smaller pauses between phrases of the prayers.

One of the forces that drove the spread of the rosary during the 19th century among Roman Catholics was the influence of the Rosary Pope, a title given to Leo XIII (1878–1903) because he issued a record twelve encyclicals and five Apostolic Letters on the rosary, instituted the Catholic custom of daily rosary prayer during the month of October and, in 1883, added the invocation Queen of the most Holy Rosary to the Litany of Loreto.

Leo XIII explained the importance of the rosary as the one road to God from the faithful, to the mother and from her to Christ and through Christ to the Father, and that the rosary was a vital means to participate in the life of Mary and to find the way to Christ. This emphasis on the path through Mary to Christ has since been a key direction in Roman Catholic Mariology, with Mariology being viewed as inherent in Christology.

Rosary as a family prayer was supported by Pope Pius XII in his encyclical Ingruentium malorum: "The custom of the family praying of the Holy Rosary is a most efficacious means."

Structure of prayers

The crucifix on a rosary.

The structure of the Catholic rosary devotion is as follows:

The praying of the rosary is started on the short strand, with the sign of the cross on the Crucifix followed by reciting:

• The Apostles' Creed,
• The Lord's Prayer at the first large bead (for the intentions of the pope),
• Three Hail Mary on the next three beads (for faith, hope and charity),
• The Glory Be to the Father on the next large bead.

The praying of the decades then follows.

• Repeat the following cycle for each mystery:
  • Announce the mystery
  • The Our Father on the large bead
  • The Hail Mary on each of the adjacent ten small beads;
  • The Glory Be to the Father;
  • (The Fatima Prayer is commonly added here, as a pious addition: "O My Jesus, Forgive us our sins. Save us from the fires of hell. Lead all souls to Heaven. Especially those most in need of thy mercy.")
• In conclusion, the Hail Holy Queen prayer, the prayer "O God, whose only begotten Son...", and the sign of the cross.

Variations and common pious additions

See also: Rosary based prayers

Common pious additions to the Rosary occur after each decade and after recitation of the Hail Holy Queen. Some Catholics recite the Fatima Decade Prayer at the end of each decade following the Glory Be. Some add the Miraculous Medal prayer "O Mary, conceived without sin..." or the Fatima Ave refrain ("Ave, Ave, Ave Maria! Ave, Ave, Ave Maria!"). Others add a praying of a pious Eucharistic prayer "O Sacrament Most Holy, O Sacrament Divine, All praise and all thanksgiving be every moment Thine" at the end of each decade in honor of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. In the practice of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, there is an additional decade for the intentions of the students or the Virgin Mary.

A single decade Irish penal rosary

After the Hail, Holy Queen many Catholics add the prayer "O God, by Your Only Begotten Son...", the prayer to Saint Michael, and a prayer for the intentions of the Pope. In some cases, the Litany of Loreto may be recited at the end.

In the practice of the Dominican Order, the opening prayers of the rosary mirror the opening of the Divine Office:

1. In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
2. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with Thee.
3. Blessed art Thou among women, and Blessed is the Fruit of Thy Womb, Jesus.
4. O Lord, open my lips.
5. And my mouth will proclaim Your praise.
6. Incline Your aid to me, O God.
7. O Lord, make haste to help me.
8. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Group recitation of the Rosary

When a group recites the Rosary, it is customary that the prayers that constitute the decades are divided into two parts. A leader may recite the first half of the prayer while the other participants recite the rest.

The second part of the Our Father begins with "Give us this day our daily bread ..."; the second part of the Hail Mary begins with "Holy Mary, Mother of God ..."; and the second part of the Glory Be to the Father with "As it was in the beginning ..."

In another style of praying the Rosary, the recitation of the first part of the prayers is sometimes entrusted to different persons while still maintaining the traditional Leader versus Congregation style of praying.

Among certain cultures, in the First, Third and Fifth Mysteries only are recited by the single leader while the other members of the group say the second part, while, for variety and maintenance of prayerful focus, in the Second and Fourth Mysteries are recited by the congregation by saying the first part and the leader says the second part of the prayer.

Mysteries of the Rosary

The Mysteries of the Rosary are meditations on episodes in the life and death of Jesus from the Annunciation to the Ascension and beyond, known as the Joyful (or Joyous) Mysteries, the Sorrowful Mysteries, and the Glorious Mysteries. Each of these Mysteries contemplates five different stages of Christ's life. Pope John Paul II, in his apostolic letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae (October 2002), recommended an additional set called the Luminous Mysteries (or the "Mysteries of Light").

Joyful Mysteries

1. The Annunciation. Fruit of the Mystery: Humility
2. The Visitation. Fruit of the Mystery: Love of Neighbors
3. The Nativity. Fruit of the Mystery: Poverty (poor in spirit), Detachment from the things of the world, Contempt of Riches, Love of the Poor
4. The Presentation of Jesus at the Temple. Fruit of the Mystery: Purity, Obedience
5. The Finding of Jesus in the Temple. Fruit of the Mystery: True Wisdom and True Conversion, Piety, Joy of Finding Jesus

Luminous Mysteries

1. The Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan. Fruit of the Mystery: Openness to the Holy Spirit, the Healer.
2. The Wedding at Cana. Fruit of the Mystery: To Jesus through Mary. The understanding of the ability to manifest-through faith.
3. Jesus' Proclamation of the Kingdom of God. Fruit of the Mystery: Trust in God (Call of Conversion to Messiah)
4. The Transfiguration. Fruit of the Mystery: Desire for Holiness.
5. The Institution of the Eucharist. Fruit of the Mystery: Adoration

Sorrowful Mysteries

1. The Agony in the Garden. Fruit of the Mystery: Sorrow for Sin, Uniformity with the will of God
2. The Scourging at the Pillar. Fruit of the Mystery: Mortification, Purity
3. The Crowning with Thorns. Fruit of the Mystery: Contempt of the world, Courage
4. The Carrying of the Cross. Fruit of the Mystery: Patience
5. The Crucifixion and Death of our Lord. Fruit of the Mystery: Salvation, Forgiveness

Glorious Mysteries

1. The Resurrection. Fruit of the Mystery: Faith
2. The Ascension. Fruit of the Mystery: Hope and desire for ascension to Heaven
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit. Fruit of the Mystery: Holy Wisdom to know the truth and share with everyone, Divine Charity, Worship of the Holy Spirit
4. The Assumption of Mary. Fruit of the Mystery: Grace of a Happy Death and True Devotion towards Mary
5. The Coronation of the Virgin. Fruit of the Mystery: Perseverance and Crown of Glory, Trust in Mary's Intercession

Days of praying

The full rosary consists of praying the three traditional sets of mysteries (Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious), with sometimes the addition of the Luminous mysteries. The complete rosary, with all 15 or 20 mysteries, can be prayed each day. Alternatively, one set can be prayed each day, traditionally in the order:

Day of praying	With the Luminous Mysteries	Without the Luminous Mysteries
Sunday	The Glorious Mysteries	Advent and Christmas: The Joyful Mysteries Lent to Palm Sunday: The Sorrowful Mysteries Ordinary Time, Easter to Sunday before Advent: The Glorious Mysteries
Monday	The Joyful Mysteries	The Joyful Mysteries
Tuesday	The Sorrowful Mysteries	The Sorrowful Mysteries
Wednesday	The Glorious Mysteries	The Glorious Mysteries
Thursday	The Luminous Mysteries	The Joyful Mysteries
Friday	The Sorrowful Mysteries	The Sorrowful Mysteries
Saturday	The Joyful Mysteries	The Glorious Mysteries

Rosary beads

A 16th-century rosary found on board the carrack Mary Rose

Main article: Prayer beads

The rosary beads provide a physical method of keeping count of the number of Hail Marys said as the mysteries are contemplated. The fingers are moved along the beads as the prayers are recited. By not having to keep track of the count mentally, the mind is free to meditate on the mysteries. A five-decade rosary contains five groups of ten beads (a decade), with additional large beads before each decade. The Hail Mary is said on the ten beads within a decade, while the Lord's Prayer is said on the large bead before each decade. A new mystery meditation commences at each of the large beads. Some rosaries, particularly those used by religious orders, contain fifteen decades, corresponding to the traditional fifteen mysteries of the rosary. Both five- and fifteen-decade rosaries are attached to a shorter strand, which starts with a crucifix, followed by one large bead, three small beads, and one large bead, before connecting to the rest of the rosary.

Although counting the prayers on a string of beads is customary, the prayers of the rosary do not actually require a set of beads, but can be said using any type of counting device, by counting on the fingers, or by counting without any device at all.

Single-decade rosaries

Single-decade rosaries can also be used to pray the Rosary; the devotee counts the same ring of ten beads repeatedly for every decade. During religious conflict in 16th and 17th century Ireland severe legal penalties were prescribed against practicing Roman Catholics. Small, easily hidden rosaries were thus used to avoid identification and became known as Irish penal rosaries. Sometimes rather than a cross, other symbols of specific meanings were used, such as a hammer to signify the nails of the cross, Cords to represent the scourging, a Chalice to recall the Last Supper, or a crowing rooster signifying the resurrection.

Materials and distribution

A Saint Michael Rosary

The beads can be made from any materials, including wood, bone, glass, crushed flowers, semi-precious stones such as agate, jet, amber, or jasper, or precious materials including coral, crystal, silver, and gold. Beads may be made to include enclosed sacred relics or drops of holy water. Rosaries are sometimes made from the seeds of the "rosary pea" or "bead tree". Today, the vast majority of rosary beads are made of glass, plastic, or wood. It is especially common for beads to be made of material with some special significance, such as jet from the shrine of St. James at Santiago de Compostela, or olive seeds from the Garden of Gethsemane. In rare cases beads are made of expensive materials, from gold and silver to mother of pearl and Swarovski black diamond designs. Early rosaries were strung on thread, often silk, but modern ones are more often made as a series of chain-linked beads. Catholic missionaries in Africa have reported that rosaries made of tree bark have been used there for praying due to the lack of conventional rosaries. Our Lady's Rosary Makers produce some 7 million rosaries annually that are distributed to those considered to be in economic and spiritual need.

Most rosaries used in the world today for praying are made of simple and inexpensive plastic or wooden beads connected by cords or strings.The major cost is labour for assembly. A large number of inexpensive rosary beads are manufactured in Asia, especially in China and Taiwan. Italy has a strong manufacturing presence in medium- and high-cost rosaries.

Rosaries are often made for sale; hundreds of millions have also been made and distributed free of charge by Roman Catholic lay and religious apostolates worldwide. There are a number of rosary-making clubs around the world that make and distribute rosaries to missions, hospitals, prisons, etc. free of charge.

Wearing the rosary

The Apostolate of Holy Motherhood writes that that the Virgin Mary encourages the faithful to wear the rosary and scapular because "it will help them to love Jesus more" and serve as a "protection from Satan." In addition, Saint Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort encouraged Christians to wear the rosary, stating that doing so "eased him considerably". Many religious orders wear the rosary as part of their habit. A rosary hanging from the belt often forms part of the Carthusian habit.

Canon Law §1171 provides that sacred objects, which are designated for divine worship by dedication or blessing, are to be treated reverently and are not to be employed for profane or inappropriate use even if they are owned by private persons. As such, according to Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university:

If the reason for wearing a rosary is as a statement of faith, as a reminder to pray it, or some similar reason "to the glory of God," then there is nothing to object to. It would not be respectful to wear it merely as jewelry. This latter point is something to bear in mind in the case of wearing a rosary around the neck. In the first place, while not unknown, it is not common Catholic practice. ...while a Catholic may wear a rosary around the neck for a good purpose, he or she should consider if the practice will be positively understood in the cultural context in which the person moves. If any misunderstanding is likely, then it would be better to avoid the practice. ...Similar reasoning is observed in dealing with rosary bracelets and rings, although in this case there is far less danger of confusion as to meaning. They are never mere jewelry but are worn as a sign of faith.

Single-decade ring rosary

A rosary ring is a ring worn around the finger with 10 indentations and a cross on the surface, representing one decade of a rosary. These rosary rings were given to some Catholic nuns at the time of their solemn profession. A finger rosary is similar to a ring, but is somewhat larger. Rosaries like these are used by either rotating or just holding them between a finger and thumb while praying. A hand rosary is a decade in a complete loop, with one bead separated from ten other beads, this is meant to be carried while walking or running, so as not to entangle the larger type. Smaller ring rosaries became known as soldiers' rosaries, because they were often taken into battle by soldiers, most notably during World War I.

In addition to a string of beads, single-decade rosaries are made in other physical forms. A ring rosary, also known as a "Basque rosary", is a finger ring with eleven knobs on it, ten round ones and one crucifix.

A rosary bracelet is one with ten beads and often a cross or medal as well. Another form is the rosary card. A rosary card is either one with a "handle" that moves like a slide rule to count the decade, or it has a whole rosary with bumps similar to Braille and ancient counting systems. Some households that cannot afford Christian artwork or a crucifix, hang up a rosary. In addition, many Christians hang rosaries from the rear-view mirror of their automobiles as a sign of their faith and for protection as they drive.

Rosary and Scapular

Main article: Rosary and scapular

Rosary and Scapular

"The Rosary and the Scapular are inseparable" were words attributed to the Virgin Mary by Lucia Santos, one of the three children who reported the Marian apparitions of Our Lady of Fátima in 1917 and later the Pontevedra apparitions in 1925, Fátima, Portugal and Pontevedra in Galicia, Spain. In these apparitions, the Virgin Mary reportedly called herself The Lady of the Rosary and in one of the final Fátima appearances on 13 October 1917 had a Brown Scapular in one hand and a Rosary in the other. The Lady of the Rosary, reportedly encouraged the praying of the Rosary and the wearing of the Brown scapular.

Throughout history, the Rosary and the Scapular as objects for devotions and prayers have been supported, encouraged and linked by a number of popes, and specific and indulgences have been attached to them.

Rosary based devotions

The use of Novenas which include a rosary is popular among Roman Catholics. As in other Novenas, the traditional method consists of praying the rosary on nine consecutive days, and submitting a petition along with each prayer. Indulgences are provided for rosary Novenas that include specific prayers, e.g. a prayer to Saint Catherine of Siena and Saint Dominic.

The longer "54-day Rosary Novena" consists of two parts, 27 days each, i.e. three repetitions of the 9 day Novena cycle. It is an uninterrupted series of Rosaries in honor of the Virgin Mary, reported as a private revelation by Fortuna Agrelli in Naples, Italy in 1884. The Novena is performed by praying five decades of the Rosary each day for twenty-seven days in petition. The second phase which immediately follows it consists of five decades each day for twenty-seven days in thanksgiving, and is prayed whether or not the petition has been granted. During the novena, the meditations rotate among the joyful, sorrowful and glorious mysteries.

Rosary beads are at times used to say rosary based prayers which do not primarily involve the Hail Mary and the mysteries of the rosary. Some forms of the Roman Catholic rosary are aimed at reparation including the sins of others. An example is the Rosary of the Holy Wounds first introduced at the beginning of the 20th century by the Venerable Sister Marie Martha Chambon, a Roman Catholic nun of the Monastery of the Visitation Order in Chambéry, France. This rosary is somewhat similar in structure to the Chaplet of Divine Mercy introduced by Saint Faustina Kowałska, is said on the usual rosary beads, and is intended as an Act of Reparation to Jesus Christ for the sins of the world. These prayers often use rosary beads, but their words and format do not correspond to the Mysteries. Both Kowałska and Chambon attributed these prayers to visions of Jesus.

Recordings of the Rosary

Recordings of the rosary prayers are sometimes used by devotees to help with aspects of prayer such as pacing, memorization and by providing inspirational meditations. Some of the more well known include:

• The Rosary is a Place, Fr. Benedict J. Groeschel, CFR and Simonetta, The Saint Philomena Foundation
• The Rosary is a Luminous Place, Fr. Benedict J. Groeschel, CFR and Simonetta, The Saint Philomena Foundation
• The Rosary, Fr. Kevin Scallon and Dana, Heartbeat Records
• Pray the Rosary with Servant of God, Fr. Patrick Peyton

In non-Roman Catholic Christianity

Many similar prayer practices exist in other Christian communities, each with its own set of prescribed prayers and its own form of prayer beads, such as the prayer rope in Eastern Orthodox Christianity. These other devotions and their associated beads are usually referred to as "chaplets". The rosary is sometimes used by other Christians, especially in Lutheranism, the Anglican Communion and the Old Catholic Church. Other Protestants, however, such as Baptists and Presbyterians, do not use it.

Another example of rosary-based prayers includes the non-denominational Ecumenical Miracle Rosary, "a set of prayers and meditations which covers key moments in the New Testament".

Anglicanism

Main article: Anglican prayer beads

Anglican prayer beads

The use of the Roman Catholic Rosary is also fairly common among Anglicans of Anglo-Catholic churchmanship. Many Anglo-Catholic prayer books and manuals of devotion contain the Roman Catholic Rosary along with other Marian devotions. The public services of the Anglican churches, as contained in the Book of Common Prayer, do not directly invoke the Blessed Virgin or any other saint in prayer as the Thirty-Nine Articles reject the practice of praying to saints, but many Anglo-Catholics feel free to do so in their private devotions. Anglicans who pray the Roman Catholic Rosary tend not to use the Luminous Mysteries or the Fátima decade prayer.

Anglican prayer beads, also known informally as the "Anglican Rosary", are a recent innovation created in the 1980s. They consist of four "weeks" (the equivalent of a decade) of seven beads each. The weeks are separated from each other by single beads termed "cruciform beads." A variety of different prayers may be said, the most common being the Jesus Prayer.

Anglican Prayer Beads are not a Marian devotion, and there are no appointed meditations. Although it is sometimes called the "Anglican rosary," it is distinct from the Holy Rosary of Our Lady as prayed by Catholics, Anglicans, and other Western Christians.

Lutheranism

A small minority of Lutherans pray the Rosary. However, while following the Catholic format of the Rosary, each "Hail Mary" is replaced with the "Jesus Prayer". The only time the "Hail Mary" is said is at the end of the Mysteries on the medal, where it is then replaced with the "Pre-Trent" version of the prayer (which omits "Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death"). The final "Hail Mary" can also be replaced by reciting of either the Magnificat, or Martin Luther's "Evangelical praise of the Mother of God". The Wreath of Christ is used in the Swedish Lutheran church.

Churches named for the Rosary

For a larger gallery of church images, please see: Rosary church gallery.

Main article: Roman Catholic Marian churches

A number of churches around the world are named after the Rosary. These range from small churches in Poland, Canada, Brazil and Hong Kong to key basilicas at Lourdes and Fatima with millions of pilgrims per year.

• 

  Rosary Basilica, Fatima, Portugal, 1953.

• 

  Rosary Basilica, Lourdes, France, 1899.

• 

  Our Lady of the Rosary, Drawień, Poland, 1695.

• 

  Rosary Cathedral, Toledo, Ohio, 1931.

In Marian art

Since the 17th century, the Rosary began to appear as an element in key pieces of Roman Catholic Marian art, often in art that depicts the Virgin Mary. Key examples include Murrillo's Madonna with the Rosary at the Museo del Prado in Spain, and the statue of Madonna with Rosary at the church of San Nazaro Maggiore in Milan. Several Roman Catholic Marian churches around the world have also been named after the rosary, e.g. Our Lady of the Rosary Basilica, in Rosario Argentina, the Rosary Basilica in Lourdes and Nossa Senhora do Rosário in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

• 

  Madonna and rosary by Nicola Porta

• 

  Madonna with rosary, by Guido Reni, 1596

• 

  Madonna offering Saint Dominic rosary by August Palme, 1860

• 

  Madonna with the Rosary by Murillo, 1650

• 

  Madonna of the Rosary statue, Naples, Italy

• 

  Rosary Madonna, Porto Alegre, Brazil

• 

  Madonna with Rosary, South-Tyrol, Austria

• 

  Madonna with Rosary by Josef Mersa, Italy

• 

  Crucifixion and rosary

• 

  Saint Anthony with a rosary

• 

  Rosary with pomander

• 

  Old woman praying

• 

  Madonna of the Rosary by Caravaggio

See also

• The Angelus
• Anglican devotions
• Catholic devotions
• Confraternity of the Rosary
• Ecumenical Miracle Rosary for all Christians
• Methods of praying the rosary
• Our Lady's Rosary Makers
• Rosary-based prayers
• Rule of the Theotokos
• Prayer rope
• Secret of the Rosary
• Papal support
  • Ingruentium malorum, encyclical by Pope Pius XII (on reciting the rosary)
  • Rosarium Virginis Mariae, apostolic letter by Pope John Paul II
  • Rosary Pope (Pope Leo XIII)
• Non-Christian traditions
  • Buddhist prayer beads
  • Japa mala, Hindu prayer beads
  • Juzu, Asian prayer beads
  • Prayer beads
  • Tasbeeh, for Islamic prayer beads

References

• Ball, Ann. Encyclopedia of Catholic Devotions and Practices, 2003, ISBN 0-87973-910-X
• Winston-Allen, Anne. Stories of the Rose: The Making of the Rosary in the Middle Ages, (1997, Pennsylvania State University Press) ISBN 0-271-01631-0

Further reading

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• Beads and Prayers: The Rosary in History and Devotion by John D Miller, Continuum, 2001, ISBN 0860123200.
• Five for Sorrow, Ten for Joy: A Consideration of the Rosary by J. Neville Ward (Doubleday, 1973); revised as Five for Sorrow, Ten for Joy: Meditations on the Rosary (Seabury Classics, 2005) - an ecumenical Methodist minister's book on the Rosary. ISBN 1-59628-012-3
• Rosary of Our Lady of Sorrows, Friar Servants of Mary, Chicago, Illinois, 1990.
• The Lourdes Pilgrim, by Oliver Todd, Matthew James Publishing, 2003, p. 41.
• God Alone: The Collected Writings of St. Louis Marie De Montfort, by Saint Louis de Montfort, Montfort Publications, 1995 ISBN 0-910984-55-7
• Pope Pius XII Rosary encyclical Ingruentium malorum on the Vatican website
• Pope Paul VI, Apostolic Exhortation, Marialis cultus, To Honour Mary, 2 February 1974.
• Pope John Paul II Apostolic Letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae on the Vatican website

External links

• "Rosary of the Virgin Mary" from the Vatican website, in English and in Latin.
• Perpetual Web Rosary A continuing and interactive online Rosary
• How to pray the Rosary pamphlet A free downloadable pamphlet
• Emma Guzman being taught how to pray that long rosary properly