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Coptic Rosary with the Coptic Rosary cross

RosaryFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Rosary (from Latin rosarium, meaning "Crown of

Roses"[1] or "garland of roses"[2]), also known as the

Dominican rosary,[3][4] is a form of prayer used especiallyin the Catholic Church or a string of prayer beads used tocount the component prayers. When used of the form ofprayer, the word is usually capitalized ("the Rosary"), as iscustomary for other names of prayers, such as "the Lord'sPrayer", "the Hail Mary", "the Magnificat". When used ofthe beads, it is normally written with a lower-case initial ("arosary").

The prayers that essentially compose the Rosary arearranged in sets of ten Hail Marys preceded by one Lord'sPrayer and followed by one Glory Be to the Father. Duringrecitation of each set, known as a decade, thought is givento one of the Mysteries of the Rosary, which recall events inthe lives of Jesus and Mary. Normally, five decades arerecited in a session. Other prayers are sometimes addedafter each decade (in particular, the Fatima Prayer) andbefore (in particular, the Apostles' Creed), and after (inparticular, the Hail, Holy Queen) the five decades taken asa whole.

The rosary as a material object is an aid towards sayingthese prayers in the proper sequence.

A standard fifteen Mysteries of the Rosary, based on the long-standing custom, was established by Pope Pius V inthe 16th century, grouping the mysteries in three sets: the Joyful Mysteries, the Sorrowful Mysteries, and theGlorious 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.[5] The rosary also represents the Roman Catholic emphasis on "participation in the life ofMary, whose focus was Christ," and the Mariological theme "to Christ through Mary," taught by Saint Louis de

Montfort.[6][7][8]

Contents

1 Theological significance

1.1 Devotions and spirituality

1.2 Penance or reparation

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A traditional five decade rosary in

sterling silver

2 History

2.1 Devotional growth

2.1.1 Rosary Novena

3 Structure of prayers

3.1 Variations and common pious additions

3.2 Group recitation of the Rosary

4 Mysteries of the Rosary

4.1 Days of praying

5 Rosary beads

5.1 Single-decade rosaries

5.2 Materials and distribution

5.3 Wearing the rosary

5.4 Rosary and Scapular

6 In non-Roman Catholic Christianity

6.1 Anglicanism

6.2 Lutheranism

7 Churches named for the Rosary

8 In Marian art

9 See also

10 References

11 Further reading

12 External links

Theological significance

The rosary is part of the Catholic veneration of Mary, which has beenpromoted by numerous popes. In the 16th century, Pope Pius Vintroduced the rosary into the Roman Catholic liturgical calendar as theFeast of Our Lady of Victory (later changed to Our Lady of the Rosary),celebrated on October 7.

Pope Leo XIII, known as "The Rosary Pope", issued twelve encyclicalsand five apostolic letters on the rosary and added the invocation Queenof the most Holy Rosary to the Litany of Loreto. Pope Pius XII and hissuccessors actively promoted the veneration of the Virgin in Lourdes andFatima, which is credited with a new resurgence of the rosary within the

Catholic Church.[9] Pope John Paul II (whose pontificate had major

Marian themes) issued the Apostolic Letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae[10] which built on the "total Mariandevotion" pioneered by Saint Louis de Montfort.

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A Rosary bead with miniature reliefs

On May 3, 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."[11] To Benedict XVI, the

rosary is a meditation on all important moments of salvation history.[11]

The Congregation for Divine Worship's directory of popular piety and the liturgy emphasizes the meditative aspects

of the rosary, and states:[12]

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.[12]

The theologian Romano Guardini thus defined the Roman Catholic emphasis on the rosary as "participation in the

life of Mary, whose focus was Christ."[6] His statement echoed the view that in Roman Catholic Mariology the pathto Christ is through Mary, with Mariology being inherent in Christology; a sentiment also expressed by saints such

as Louis de Montfort who was a strong rosary advocate.[13][14] 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.[7]

Devotions and spirituality

Devotion to the rosary is one of the most notable features of popular

Catholic spirituality.[15] Pope John Paul II placed the rosary at the verycenter of Christian spirituality and called it "among the finest and most

praiseworthy traditions of Christian contemplation."[16][17]

Saints and popes have emphasized the meditative and contemplativeelements of the rosary and provided specific teachings for how the rosaryshould be prayed, for instance the need for "focus, respect, reverence

and purity of intention" during rosary recitations and contemplations.[18]

From the sixteenth century onwards, rosary recitations often involved"picture texts" that assisted meditation. Such imagery continues to beused 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 away 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."[19]

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.[20][21] InQuamquam 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.[22]

Penance or reparation

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Praying the rosary may be prescribed by priests as a form of penance after confession. Penance in this form is notgenerally intended as a "punishment"; rather, it is meant to encourage reflection upon and spiritual growth from past

sins.[23]

Some forms of the Roman Catholic rosary are aimed at reparation including the sins of others. An example is theRosary of the Holy Wounds first introduced at the beginning of the 20th century by the Venerable Sister Mary

Martha Chambon, a Roman Catholic nun of the Monastery of the Visitation Order in Chambéry, France.[24] Thisrosary is somewhat similar in structure to the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, is said on the usual rosary beads, and is

intended as an Act of Reparation to Jesus Christ for the sins of the world.[25]

History

There are differing views on the history of the rosary. According to tradition, the concept[26] of the rosary wasgiven to Saint Dominic in an apparition by the Virgin Mary in the year 1214 in the church of Prouille. This Marian

apparition received the title of Our Lady of the Rosary.[27] In the 15th century it was promoted by Alanus de Rupe(aka Alain de la Roche or Saint Alan of the Rock), a learned Dominican priest and theologian, who established the"15 rosary promises" and started many rosary confraternities. However, most scholarly research suggests a more

gradual and organic development of the rosary.[28]

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".[9] The German monk from Trier added a sentence to each

of the 50 Hail Marys, using quotes from scriptures.[9][29] 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.[30][31]

From the 16th to the early 20th century, the structure of the rosary remained essentially unchanged.[28] There were15 mysteries, one for each of the 15 decades. In the 20th century the addition of the Fatima Prayer to the end ofeach decade became more common. There were no other changes until 2002 when John Paul II instituted fiveoptional new Luminous Mysteries.

Devotional growth

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

As early as the 15th century, through Saint Dominic and Alan de la Roche the Virgin Mary is reputed to have made

15 specific promises to Christians who pray the rosary.[32] The Fifteen rosary promises range from protection from

misfortune to meriting a high degree of glory in heaven.[33] In support of this statement Cardinal Patrick Joseph

Hayes of New York provided his imprimatur to this effect.[34]

In the 18th century, the French priest Louis de Montfort elaborated on the importance of the rosary and its power

in his widely read book Secret of the Rosary.[35] He emphasized the power of the rosary and provided specificinstructions on how it should be prayed, e.g. with attention, devotion and modesty (reverence), with reflective

pauses[36] between the beads and smaller pauses between phrases of the prayers.[37]

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Our Lady of Lourdes

appearing at Lourdes with

rosary beads.

One of the forces that drove the spread of the rosary during the 19th century among Roman Catholics was theinfluence of the Rosary Pope, a title given to Leo XIII (1878–1903) because he issued a record twelve encyclicalsand 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.[38]

Leo XIII explained the importance of the rosary as the one road to God, from the father to the son, to his mother,and from her to the human race. He said that no human creature can change this and therefore there exists only oneroad for 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.[7] This emphasis on the path throughMary to Christ (which was also a basis for some of Louis de Montfort's writings) has since been a key direction inRoman Catholic Mariology, with Mariology being viewed as inherent in Christology, and the rosary paving that

path.[39][40]

Rosary as a family prayer was supported by Pope Pius XII in his encyclicalIngruentium Malorum: "The custom of the family praying of the Holy Rosary is a

most efficacious means."[41]

Rosary Novena

The use of Novenas which include a rosary is popular among Catholics.[42][43]

As in other Novenas, the traditional method consists of praying the rosary on

nine consecutive days, and submitting a petition along with each prayer.[44]

Indulgences are provided for rosary Novenas that include specific prayers, e.g.

a prayer to Saint Catherine of Siena and Saint Dominic.[44]

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 ofRosaries in honor of the Virgin Mary, reported as a private revelation by

Fortuna Agrelli in Naples, Italy in 1884.[43][45] The Novena is performed bypraying five decades of the Rosary each day for twenty-seven days in petition.The second phase which immediately follows it consists of five decades eachday for twenty-seven days in thanksgiving, and is prayed whether or not thepetition has been granted. During the novena, the meditations rotate among the joyful, sorrowful and glorious

mysteries.[45]

Structure of prayers

The structure of the Catholic rosary devotion is as follows:[46]

The sign of the cross on the Crucifix and then the Apostles' Creed;

The Our Father on the first large bead;

The Hail Mary prayer on each of the three small beads with the following intentions (the theological virtues):

1. For the increase of faith

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The crucifix on a rosary.

A single decade Irish penal

rosary

2. For the increase of hope

3. For the increase of charity

The Glory Be to the Father prayer;

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 and the sign of the cross.

Variations and common pious additions

Common pious additions to the Rosary occur after each decade and after recitation of the Hail Holy Queen. SomeCatholics recite the Fatima Decade Prayer at the end of each decade following the Glory Be. Some add theMiraculous 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, OSacrament Divine, All praise and all thanksgiving be every moment Thine" at the end of each decade in honor ofJesus in the Blessed Sacrament. In the practice of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, there is an additionaldecade for the intentions of the students or the Virgin Mary.

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

In the practice of the Dominican Order, the opening prayers of the rosary mirror

the opening of the Divine Office:[47]

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.[48]

Group recitation of the Rosary

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When a group recites the Rosary, it is customary that the prayers that constitute the decades are divided into twoparts. A leader may say the first part and the other participants say the rest.

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

The recitation of the first part is sometimes entrusted to different persons. At other times, in the first, third and fifthMysteries a single leader says the first part and the other members of the group say the second part, while, forvariety, in the second and fourth Mysteries the general body says the first part and the leader says the second part.

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,[46] 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.[46] Pope John PaulII, in his apostolic letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae (October 2002), recommended an additional set called the

Luminous Mysteries (or the "Mysteries of Light").[49]

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

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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. 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), withsometimes the addition of the Luminous mysteries. The complete rosary, with all 15 or 20 mysteries, can be prayedeach day. Alternatively, one set can be prayed each day, traditionally in the order:

Day of

praying

With the Luminous

MysteriesWithout the Luminous Mysteries

Sunday The Glorious Mysteries

Advent and Christmas: The Joyful MysteriesLent to Palm Sunday: The Sorrowful MysteriesOrdinary Time, Easter to Sunday before Advent: The GloriousMysteries

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

The rosary beads provide a physical method of keeping count of the number of Hail Marys said as the mysteries

are contemplated.[46] The fingers are moved along the beads as the prayers are recited. By not having to keeptrack of the count mentally, the mind is supposed to be freed to meditate on the mysteries. A five decade rosary

contains five groups of ten beads (a decade), with additional large beads before each decade.[50] The Hail Mary is

Pope John Paul II, 1996, Gift And Mystery, Doubleday BooksISBN 978-0-385-40966-7 page 28

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A 16th-century rosary found on

board the carrack Mary Rose

A Single-decade

ring rosary

said on the ten beads within a decade, while the Lord's Prayer is said on the large bead before each decade. A newmystery is meditated upon at each of the large beads. Some rosaries, particularly those used by religious orders,contain 15 decades, corresponding to the traditional 15 mysteries of the rosary. Both five and 15 decade rosariesare attached to a shorter strand, which starts with a crucifix followed by one large, three small, and one large beads

before connecting to the rest of the rosary.[46]

The praying of the rosary is started on the short strand, reciting theApostles' Creed at the crucifix, the Lord's Prayer at the first large bead,three Hail Marys on the next three beads (for faith, hope and charity),then the Glory be to the Father on the next large bead. The praying of thedecades then follows. Although counting the prayers on a string of beadsis customary, the prayers of the rosary do not actually require a set ofbeads, but can be said using any type of counting device, by counting on

the fingers, or by counting without any device at all.[46]

Single-decade rosaries

Single-decade rosaries, also referred to as chaplets, can also be used to pray the Rosary;the devotee counts the same ring of ten beads repeatedly for every decade. Duringreligious conflict in 16th and 17th century Ireland severe legal penalties were prescribedagainst practicing Roman Catholics. Small, easily hidden rosaries were thus used to avoid

identification and became known as Irish penal rosaries.[46] Sometimes rather than across, other symbols of specific meanings were used, such as a hammer to signify the nailsof the cross, Cords to represent the scourging, a Chalice to recall the Last Supper, or acrowing rooster signifying the resurrection.

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.[51] These rosary rings were given to some

Catholic nuns at the time of their solemn profession.[51] Some ring rosaries have a smallbearing on the inside of the ring to facilitate turning. 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. Ahand rosary is a decade in a complete loop, with one bead separated from ten other beads, this is meant to becarried while walking or running, so as not to entangle the larger type. Smaller ring rosaries became known assoldiers' 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 knownas a "Basque rosary", is a finger ring with eleven knobs on it, ten round ones and one crucifix. A rosary bracelet isone with ten beads and often a cross or medal as well. The most modern form is the rosary card. A rosary card iseither one with a "handle" that moves like a slide rule to count the decade, or it has a whole rosary with bumpssimilar to Braille.

Materials and distribution

The beads can be made from any materials, including wood, bone, glass, crushed flowers, semi-precious stonessuch as agate, jet, amber, or jasper, or precious materials including coral, crystal, silver, and gold. Rosaries aresometimes made from the seeds of the "rosary pea" or "bead tree". Today, the vast majority of rosary beads aremade of glass, plastic, or wood. It is especially common for beads to be made of material with some special

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A Saint Michael Rosary

significance, such as jet from the shrine of St. James at Santiago de Compostela, or olive seeds from the Garden ofGethsemane. In rare cases beads are made of expensive materials, from gold and silver to mother of pearl andSwarovski black diamond designs. Early rosaries were strung on thread, often silk, but modern ones are more oftenmade as a series of chain-linked beads. Catholic missionaries in Africa have reported that rosaries made of treebark have been used there for praying due to the lack of conventional rosaries. Our Lady's Rosary Makersproduce some 7 million rosaries annually that are distributed to those considered to be in economic and spiritual

need.[52]

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

Rosaries are often made for sale; hundreds of millions have also been made anddistributed free of charge by Roman Catholic lay and religious apostolatesworldwide. There are a number of rosary-making clubs around the world thatmake and distribute rosaries to missions, hospitals, prisons, etc. free of charge,distributing tens of millions of rosaries every year.

Wearing the rosary

Beads may be made to include enclosed sacred relics or drops of holy water. One Catholic catechism instructs the

faithful to wear the rosary as "it will help them to love Jesus more" and serve as a "protection from Satan."[53] Inaddition, Saint Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort encouraged Christians to wear the rosary, stating that doing so

"eased him considerably".[54] Many households that cannot afford Christian artwork or a crucifix, hang up a

rosary.[55]

Many religious orders wear the rosary as part of their habit. A rosary hanging from the belt often forms part of the

Carthusian habit.[56] A person may be wearing a rosary as a statement of faith, to keep it handy for praying

throughout the day, or to avoid losing it.[57] Canon 1171 requires individuals to treat all sacred objects

reverently.[58]

Rosary and Scapular

"The Rosary and the Scapular are inseparable" were words attributed to the Virgin Mary by Lucia Santos, one ofthe three children who reported the Marian apparitions of Our Lady of Fátima in 1917 (declared "worthy of belief"by the Catholic Church) and later the Pontevedra apparitions in 1925, Fátima, Portugal and Pontevedra in Galicia,

Spain.[59] In these apparitions, the Virgin Mary reportedly called herself The Lady of the Rosary and in one of thefinal Fátima appearances on October 13, 1917 had a Brown Scapular in one hand and a Rosary in the other. TheLady of the Rosary, reportedly encouraged the praying of the Rosary and the wearing of the Brown

scapular.[60][61]

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Rosary and Scapular

Throughout history, the Rosary and the Scapular as objects for devotionsand prayers have been supported, encouraged and linked by a number ofCatholic figures such as popes, saints and cardinals and specific promises

and indulgences have been associated with them.[62][63][64]

Following their joint growth in the 18th and 19th centuries, by the early20th century the Rosary and the devotional Scapular had gained such astrong following among Catholics worldwide that the CatholicEncyclopedia of 1914 stated: "Like the Rosary, the Brown Scapular

has become the badge of the devout Catholic."[65] In the mid 20thcentury, the United States "Scapular Magazine" helped enroll one millionAmericans to pray the Rosary based on the Our Lady of Fatima

messages.[66] The Rosary and the devotional scapular continue to be linked in the 21st century.[67]

In non-Roman Catholic Christianity

Many similar prayer practices exist in other Christian communities, each with its own set of prescribed prayers andits own form of prayer beads, such as the prayer rope in Eastern Orthodox Christianity. These other devotions andtheir 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.[68][69] Other Protestants,however, such as Baptists and Presbyterians, do not use it and actively discourage their members from using thismethod of prayer.

Rosary beads are at times used to say rosary based prayers which do not primarily involve the Hail Mary and themysteries of the rosary. In Catholicism examples include the Chaplet of Divine Mercy introduced by Saint Faustina

Kowałska, and the Rosary of the Holy Wounds introduced by Sister Mary Martha Chambon.[24] These prayersoften use rosary beads, but their words and format do not correspond to the Mysteries. Both Kowałska and

Chambon attributed these prayers to Jesus as part of their visions of Jesus.[70]

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";[71] according to the maker's Web site

it has gained a favourable response from both Catholic and Protestant Christians.[71]

Anglicanism

The use of the Roman Catholic Rosary is also fairly common among Anglicans of Anglo-Catholic

churchmanship.[72] Many Anglo-Catholic prayer books and manuals of devotion contain the Roman CatholicRosary along with other Marian devotions. The public services of the Anglican churches, as contained in the Bookof Common Prayer, do not directly invoke the Blessed Virgin or any other saint in prayer as the Thirty-NineArticles reject the practice of praying to saints, but many Anglo-Catholics feel free to do so in their privatedevotions. Anglicans who pray the Roman Catholic Rosary tend not to use the Luminous Mysteries or the Fátima

decade prayer.[68]

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Anglican prayer beads

Anglican prayer beads, also known informally as the "Anglican Rosary", are a recent innovation created in the

1980s.[73] They consist of four "weeks" (the equivalent of a decade) of seven beads each. The weeks areseparated from each other by single beads termed "cruciform beads." A variety of different prayers may be said,the most common being the Jesus Prayer.

No "power and promises" are associated with the Anglican Prayer Beads by those who pray on them. TheAnglican Prayer Beads are not a Marian devotion, and there are no appointed meditations. Although it is sometimescalled the "Anglican rosary," it is distinct from the Holy Rosary of Our Lady as prayed by Catholics, Anglicans, and

other Western Christians.[72]

Lutheranism

A small minority of Lutherans pray the Rosary.[74] However, while following theCatholic format of the Rosary, each "Hail Mary" is replaced with the "Jesus

Prayer".[69] The only time the "Hail Mary" is said is at the end of the Mysteries onthe 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").[69] 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".[69]

Churches named for the Rosary

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

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 Museodel Prado in Spain, and the statue of Madonna with Rosary at the church of San Nazaro Maggiore in Milan.

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Several Roman Catholic Marian churches around the world have also been named after the rosary, e.g. Our Ladyof the Rosary Basilica, in Rosario Argentina, the Rosary Basilica in Lourdes and Nossa Senhora do Rosário inPorto Alegre, Brazil.

Madonna and rosary byNicola Porta

Madonna with rosary, byGuido Reni, 1596

Madonna offering SaintDominic rosary byAugust Palme, 1860

Madonna with theRosary by Murillo, 1650

Madonna of the Rosarystatue, Naples, Italy

Rosary Madonna, PortoAlegre, Brazil

Madonna with Rosary,South-Tyrol, Austria

Madonna with Rosaryby Josef Mersa, Italy

Crucifixion and rosary

Saint Anthony with arosary

Rosary with pomander

See also

The Angelus

Anglican devotions

Catholic devotions

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References

Confraternity of the Rosary

Cross necklace

Ecumenical Miracle Rosary for all Christians

Legion of Mary

Life of Jesus in the New Testament

Methods of praying the rosary

Our Lady's Rosary Makers

Rosary-based prayers

Rule of the Theotokos

Prayer rope

Saint Louis de Montfort

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

1. ^ "Rosary." Online Etymology Dictionary. Douglas Harper. 3 May. 2008.

(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Rosary)

2. ^ "Rosary". Wedgewood, Hensleigh. A Dictionary of English Etymology. 2nd ed. London: Trubner & Co., 1872.

pg 544. (http://books.google.com/books?id=eqkFAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA544&dq=rosarius+garland&as_brr=1)

3. ^ Cross, Frank Leslie; Livingstone, Elizabeth A. (2005). The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church

(http://books.google.com/books?id=fUqcAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA1427) (in English). Oxford University Press.

p. 1427. ISBN 9780192802903. Retrieved 29 April 2014. "The rosary was propagated by the establishment of

rosary confranternities, which were increasingly under Dominican control; in 1569, Pius V gave the Dominican

Master General exclusive control over them. As a consequence, until 1984 the blessing of rosaries came to be

reserved to Dominicans or priests having special faculties. Besides the Dominican rosary, there are various other

forms. The Servite rosary, for instance, has seven sections in memory of the Seven Sorrows of the BVM, each

consisting of the Lord's Prayer and seven Hail Marys; it apparently dates from the 17th cent. and was approved by

the General Chapter of Servites in 1646."