Rosary Beads

The modern day rosary owes its origins to the early days of Christianity. Whether we are talking about the rosary that were used by the early 3rd century eastern monks, or the 13th century St. Dominic rosary (The Psalter of Jesus and Mary), we use a rosary, modern or old, to help us quietly reflect on our faith. This allows us to enter a state of meditation where we can focus on the events in the life of Jesus and that of his mother Mary.

Reciting prayers on each bead not only helps us to keep track of the number of times a prayer is said, it also honors the Virgin Mary.

Iterations of the Rosary

The Earliest Known Form

The bare bones basic and earliest form of the rosary, were loose stones and pebbles that people would carry with them, in either their bags or pockets. Each stone and pebble would have served a similar purpose to the beads of the modern rosary. With a set prayer being allocated to each stone and pebble, and the prayer would have been recited once that stone or pebble was touched during the prayer cycle.

Strung Rosary

Another early form of the rosary was the humble knotted string or heavy cord. A few of these earlier rosaries may have even had stones, semi-precious gems or wooden carvings affixed to the string or cord in lieu of the knots, with many of these being fastened as beads while others had the string or cord tied off around it. The string or cord itself could have been left straight or finished in a closed loop and worn as jewelry, leather would later be used as the base material.

The First Official Beaded Rosary

During the 13th century, St. Dominic was visited by the Virgin Mary, who instructed him on how the Psalter of Jesus and Mary rosary could be easily accessed by the faithful for their prayers. As many people could not afford to purchase the Psalter text – a book specifically containing the 150 Psalms from the Book of Psalms – the Church approved the use of these 150 beaded rosaries allowing all Catholics and Christians to carry their own portable religious item.

The Modern Rosary

The rosary we see today has been around since the 16th century. In the 20th century, a medallion or pendant was incorporated into the design at the central point where the final link would form the loop/chain. Both designs are still available to date, and they can be made from most commercially available materials, from glass and plastic, to wood and stone, or even precious stones and metals.

Modern Rosary Layouts

The most common element in modern Rosaries is in their layouts. There are 59 beads in total, plus a cross or crucifix, and in the absence of a medallion or pendant there is another bead. Most rosary consist of 53 small beads. They may have 6 “secondary” beads that could be either 6 more of the same small beads or they could be of a different color or material, or even larger in size. There will also be a medallion/pendant or another bead. Some designs may even use a combination of these features.

General Layout of a Modern Rosary:

• A cross or a crucifix
• A “secondary” bead
• 3 x small beads
• A “secondary” bead
• A medallion, pendant or a bead
• 10 x small beads
• A “secondary” bead
• 10 x small beads
• A “secondary” bead
• 10 x small beads
• A “secondary” bead
• 10 x small beads
• A “secondary” bead
• 10 x small beads
• Linking back onto the medal, pendant or bead

Diagram of Typical Catholic Rosary Beads

Meditating on the Four Mysteries

While using the rosary beads we are meditating on the events in the life of Jesus, which are also referred to as mysteries; the Joyful mysteries, the Luminous mysteries, the Sorrowful mysteries and the Glorious mysteries.

On each day of the week, we are to contemplate the different meanings of each mystery.

Mondays and Saturdays: The Joyful Mysteries of Christ’s Birth

• The Annunciation: The Archangel Gabriel “announces” to Mary that she shall conceive the Son of God. (Luke 1:26-38)
• The Visitation: Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth, who is pregnant with John the Baptist. (Luke 1:40-56)
• The Nativity: Jesus is born. (Luke 2:6-20)
• The Presentation: Mary and Joseph “present” Jesus in the Temple where they meet Simeon. (Luke 2:21-39)
• The Finding in the Temple: After losing Him, Mary and Joseph find young Jesus teaching the Rabbis in the Temple. (Luke 2:41-51)

Tuesdays and Fridays: The Sorrowful Mysteries of Jesus’ Passion and Death

• The Agony in the Garden: Jesus sweats water and blood while praying the night before his passion. (Matt. 26:36-46)
• The Scourging at the Pillar: Pilate has Jesus whipped. (Matt. 27:26)
• The Crowning with Thorns: Roman soldiers crown Jesus’ head with thorns. (Matt. 27:29)
• The Carrying of the Cross: Jesus meets His mother and falls three times on the way up Calvary. (John 19:17)
• The Crucifixion: Jesus is nailed to the cross and dies before His mother and His apostle John. (Luke 23:33-46)

Wednesday and Sundays: The Glorious Mysteries of Jesus’ Resurrection and The Glories of Heaven

•  The Resurrection: Jesus rises from the dead. (Luke 24:1-12)
• The Ascension: Jesus leaves the Apostles and bodily “ascends” to heaven. (Luke 24:50-51)
• The Descent of the Holy Spirit: The Apostles receive the Holy Spirit in tongues of fire in the upper room with Mary. (Acts 2:1-4)
• The Assumption: Mary is taken bodily into heaven by God at the end of her life here on earth. (Rev. 12)
• The Coronation: Mary is crowned Queen of Heaven and Earth. (Rev. 12:1)

Thursdays: The Luminous Mysteries of Light

• The Baptism in the Jordan: The voice of the Father declares Jesus the beloved Son. (Matthew 3:13–16)
• The Wedding at Cana: Christ changes water into wine, his first public miracle. (John 2:1–11)
• The Proclamation of the Kingdom: Jesus calls to conversion and forgives the sins of all who draw near to him. (Mark 1:14–15)
• The Transfiguration: The glory of the Godhead shines forth from the face of Christ. (Matthew 17:1–8)
• The Institution of the Eucharist: Jesus offers the first Mass at the Last Supper with his apostles, establishing the sacramental foundation for all Christian living. (Matthew 26)

How to Hold and Use The Rosary

By holding the rosary between thumb and forefinger, you would recite a specific prayer on each of the beads as they are touched, and one for when the cross and the medallion are touched.

Some people wrap the rosary round their hand(s) as a sign of deep devotion and closes to God and Jesus. The rosary needs to freely flow through your fingers as you reach for the next bead, so if you seek to wrap your hand(s) with the rosary. Ensure that it is not wrapped too tightly, or use your free hand (the one not clasping the rosary) to bring bring the next bead forward.

Praying On Each Bead

Step 1) Most prayers that are uttered while using the rosary, have similar beginnings:

The prayers that are used in the next part do change when praying for different affects or outcomes. An example of this would be with “The St. Gertrude’s Prayer For The Souls in Purgatory”, that we covered in another article.

Step 2) For the next part of the prayer cycle, we will be using the more common prayers that are used with a rosary.

Step 3) Repeat step 2 four more times, reciting “Our Father” on even eleventh/different bead type.

Step 4) On the final bead after the last “Glory Be”. Either continue to clasp the last bead or hold onto the medallion and recite “Hail Holy Queen”