5 min read
- what is the rosary?
- who started the rosary and when?
- why pray the rosary?
- how to pray the rosary?
What is the rosary and why pray it
Rosary in Latin is,”a garland of roses.” It is a devotion to honor Mary. It is also a weapon in spiritual warfare. source: Catholic
Catholics believe it is like giving Mary a garland of roses. Every Hail Mary is a white rose symbolizing her purity and every our Father is a red rose for Jesus’ sacrificial blood. To read the story of the rosary garland view here
the Rosary saved a college girl from Ted Bundy
On a chilly winter evening at 3:00 am in January of 1978, Ted Bundy broke into a sorority house on the Florida State University campus. He savagely raped and killed 2 women in the dorms and approached the room of another young woman. He opened the door while he clutched a wooden bat. But, when he saw the rosary in the girl’s hands he mysteriously fled.
The girl had to promise her grandmother to pray the rosary every night. Though the woman fell asleep that night with an unfinished rosary, she was protected from harm.
“The rosary is the weapon.”
st. Padre pio
Who started the rosary and when?
The Story of the Apparition of Mary to St. Dominic
It is unknown who started the rosary. However, in the year 1221, Mary appeared to St. Dominic de Guzman in Prouilhe, Southern France. At that time, the Church was battling a new heresy. (belief contrary to Catholic doctrine) It called itself, the Albigensian heresy or Catharism.
{According to Britannica, This group of people claimed that humans were “spirits trapped in physical bodies” and that there were two opposing gods. One was good who created the spirit and the other was evil controlling the flesh. Most importantly, the heresy “denied the divinity of Christ and the goodness of the created material world” It instituted a belief in suicide and a hate for the sacrament of marriage. (source: Catholic Culture)}
Read about the heresy here on New Advent
make sure to read the full article on the origins of the Rosary on Franciscan Media here!
“Wonder not that you have obtained so little fruit by your labors, you have spent them on barren soil, not yet watered with the dew of Divine grace. When God willed to renew the face of the earth, He began by sending down on it the fertilizing rain of the Angelic Salutation. Therefore preach my Psalter composed of 150 Angelic Salutations and 15 Our Fathers, and you will obtain an abundant harvest.”
Mary to St. Dominic
How can you pray the rosary?
Conclusion
The steps to praying the Rosary are:
- Make the Sign of the Cross and say the “Apostles’ Creed”
- Say the “Our Father”
- Say three “Hail Marys” for Faith, Hope, and Charity
- Say the “Glory Be”
- Announce the First Mystery and then say the “Our Father”
- Say ten “Hail Marys” while meditating on the Mystery
- Say the “Glory Be” (Optional: Say the “O My Jesus” prayer requested by Mary at Fatima)
- Announce the Next Mystery; then say the “Our Father” and repeat these steps (6 through 8) as you continue through the remaining Mysteries.
- Say the closing prayers: the “Hail Holy Queen” and “Final Prayer”
- Make the “Sign of the Cross”
click here to view it on Rosary Center
source : United States Center of Catholic Bishops
What is Your Favorite Prayer?
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