Spiritual Meaning Of Broken Rosary? Best 51 Answer

I don’t know of any graveyards for broken sacred objects. But a blessed crucifix or statue is not just an ordinary item: it is blessed. And blessed objects should be treated with reverence.

If you cannot repair the item or have no use for it, you may dispose of the item through incineration, burial, or religious disposal.

There are no hard and fast rules for “religious disposal,” but common sense should help you figure it out. What you want to avoid is someone combing through the trash only to discover a statue of Our Lady in the dumpster. That’s not how you treat a woman, and certainly not Our Lady.

Rev. Francis Hoffman, J.C.D., executive director of Relevant Radio. Follow him on his Facebook page Father Rocky.

Are there items that you would like to bury or cremate at the end of your life? Perhaps you recently lost a loved one and it would bring you comfort to place an item or two in the open coffin during the visit. Let’s discuss some common things that people have buried with them, as well as some things to avoid placing in a cremation coffin set.

1. Photographs

It is customary to place photographs in a person’s coffin prior to burial or cremation.

The picture could be of the family or a significant other of the deceased. You can also add photos of a special place or a pet.

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2. Flowers

It is only natural for flowers to be placed in a person’s coffin before the funeral. After all, they are beautiful items to have available during the funeral. While flowers are not typically placed in a coffin during an open-coffin visit, a mourner may push a bud onto a loved one’s chest before the coffin is permanently closed.

Some families may choose to add flowers to the coffin in a more ceremonial manner. For example, each grandchild or great-grandchild can walk past the coffin and throw in a specific type or color of flowers.

3. Cremated remains

Some people don’t know what to do with the cremated remains of their loved ones. They can stow the remains in a closet while they contemplate the best time and place to scatter. Some families choose not to scatter the cremains but may be trying to find the most appropriate place of eternal rest for their loved ones.

For this reason, you may consider placing the bodies of a loved one in the coffin of another family member. Talk to your funeral director about this process if you wish.

4. Jewelry

Some families choose to bury their family members with their wedding rings, while others have the jewelry removed to keep as a family heirloom.

They may also request that the rings or other jewelry remain on the body in the open coffin during the visit, but be removed before the coffin is buried.

Remember that jewelry must be removed from the body prior to cremation.

5. Religious books

Believers can ask that their Bible, Koran or other religious texts be placed in the coffin prior to burial. Some families ask that their loved ones “hold” the book in the coffin during the viewing.

6. Rosary beads and other religious signs

Catholics can choose to be buried with their rosary beads. These can be placed in the hands of the deceased for a visit to the open coffin. The rosary beads would have to be removed from the coffin when the body is eventually cremated.

You can also see a body in an open coffin holding a crucifix.

7. Hobby Items

Was your loved one a golfer or a painter? Intercede with golf clubs or brushes. Did grandma love to knit? Perhaps her hands would look empty in the coffin without her knitting needles.

Every hobby or profession has its tools, and you can store most of those tools in a coffin for burial.

8. Medals of Honor

Sometimes it’s difficult to know what to do with a person’s possessions after they die. If the testator left no specific instructions in a will, some family members could argue over who should be the new legal owner.

To alleviate this problem, you can choose to have your loved one buried with the item in question. For example, if you can’t figure out who should own the Medal of Honor your grandfather earned in Vietnam, perhaps you could bury him with the award.

» MORE: Honor a loved one with an online memorial. Create one with Cake for free. Honor a loved one with an online memorial.

9. Stuffed animals or blankets

Some parents choose to bury their children with comforting items, such as B. a favorite stuffed animal or a blanket.

10. Letters

Do you have the love letters your parents wrote to each other when they were forced to be apart? You may consider putting these letters in the coffin. Some possessions may be too personal to be passed on to the next generation, but they may be too emotionally difficult for the family to destroy.

Sometimes family members choose to write letters to their deceased loved ones as an act of grief writing therapy. These letters can be placed in the coffin or in the dead man’s bag.

11. Alcohol, cigarettes or cigars

If you can’t imagine Grandpa without a pack of Marlboros in his shirt pocket, you might want to ask the funeral home staff to put a pack in before the funeral. Comedian George Burns is said to have been buried with three of his iconic cigars in his jacket pocket.

Some families may also place a bottle of liquor in a coffin intended for burial. Of course, it is not recommended to place a bottle or glass object in a coffin that is to be cremated.

12. Electronic Devices

Amazingly, some people ask to be buried with their cell phones or laptops. Since these items are addictive, it’s almost understandable how a person in the afterlife could crave them.

13. Flags

If a person was particularly patriotic, they may have asked for a flag to be placed in their coffin before the funeral.

14. Special clothing

While some are buried in their “Sunday dress”, others may opt for an outfit that has a special meaning. Your loved one may have chosen to be buried in a sports jersey, martial arts gi, or hunting attire. Perhaps the deceased was a super fan of a particular rock band and wanted a concert t-shirt in their coffin.

While losing these items of clothing can be difficult for family members, you still want to follow the wishes of the deceased.

15. Musical instruments

Both famous and amateur musicians can choose to be buried with a beloved musical instrument, baton or musical score.

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16. Hats

While some hats may be difficult to place on your loved one’s head in a coffin, you may find room to tuck a beloved cowboy or bucket hat into the side of the coffin.

You can configure some hats to put on the deceased’s head during the visit in the open coffin. To learn more, read How a Body is Placed in a Coffin.

17. Money

Some people want to be buried with cash. Beneficiaries may make faces, but they can still do it.

18. Weapons

Some people require swords or firearms in their coffin with them.

19. Pets or Photographs

Does your loved one want the cremains of a beloved pet kept in his or her coffin?

If the pet is still alive, you may want to place a photo of the animal in the coffin with your loved one.

20. Glasses

During an open coffin funeral, mourners often notice how “natural” or lifelike the deceased looks. The funeral home staff may request photos of the deceased and try to mimic his or her hair and makeup style.

If the deceased wore glasses, these could be placed on the deceased’s face and buried with him or her in the coffin.

You might want to think twice about including these items in a coffin

Green cemeteries are becoming increasingly popular. Many of these cemeteries have rules about the type of coffins used and what items you can put in a coffin. If you want your family member to become part of the earth as soon as possible, then you would bury your loved one in natural fibers and only use materials that decompose quickly.

If your loved one is cremated, it is important that you carefully consider what items are cremated with your loved one. All metal objects are removed from the body by the staff. Some items that can be burned can release toxic fumes that are harmful to the environment. Still, some natural objects, like a coconut, can wreak havoc in a crematorium, as reported in this BBC article.

Also, avoid placing cell phones, TV remote controls, e-cigarettes, and alcohol bottles in the coffin if you plan to cremate the item.

What would you like to have in your coffin? To learn more about the burial process, read Why We Bury the Dead.

Halloween has just ended and hopefully you were able to visit the grave of your loved one who passed away. In the spirit of the Halloween season, here are 10 superstitious beliefs about Filipino funerals that you’re sure to be familiar with:

Don’t wear red.

Wearing red (or other bright colors) in a wake is like celebrating the death of someone who has died. In some places, the immediate family of the deceased even wore black for an entire year.

chick on the coffin

If you see a chick on the coffin, it means that the deceased is a victim of a crime. Usually the relatives also put some grains on it for the chick to peck on. The sound the pecking makes is believed to be like a rap on the offender’s conscience.

“Show yourself off, pretty, please?”

No tears on the coffin

If someone who has died is close to you, make sure you have a tissue with you when you go to their wake to wipe away tears during an emotional breakdown. Tears must not fall on the coffin, so that the soul of the deceased has no difficulty in traveling to the afterlife.

However, feel free to cry

At Chinese funerals, the family even pays professional mourners to wail loudly and encourage others to do the same. A silent funeral without tears shows that the deceased was not loved and embarrasses the family.

Relatives cannot say goodbye to the guests

As hospitable Filipinos that we are, we usually say goodbye to guests. We would even take our friends to the tricycle terminal just to make sure they are safe. However, relatives are not allowed to say goodbye to their guests afterwards because it is malas (bad luck). But maybe it’s just a reason our ancestors came up with so that relatives could take care of their other guests. After all, a Filipino wake is always packed with people.

Don’t bring home the food from the funeral

Again because it’s malas. But maybe it’s just another way of saying, “We’re expecting other guests. Thank you for your consideration.”

side

Pagpag literally means “shake off the dust or dirt”; It’s also a superstition that says you shouldn’t go straight home after a wake. Instead, spend some time elsewhere to confuse the ghosts so they don’t follow you home. Usually pagpag is done in a supermarket or a 24-hour fast food restaurant, because really, where else can you go in the wee hours of the night?

Children should step or be carried over the coffin

This will ensure that the deceased will not haunt them and give them nightmares. This is rarely practiced, perhaps because it is inconvenient to carry them over the coffin, especially if there are many children in the family.

rosary

At a Catholic funeral, you may see the deceased holding a rosary. The rosary is cut by a loved one before the funeral to stop death in the family.

money

Rosary on the one hand, some cash on the other. I saw this as a kid and wondered what the money is for. They said it was the blessing of the deceased to have an easier journey to the afterlife. We just care.

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Committed to helping you dispose of all types of waste properly, Can You Throw It Away also offers ideas for reusing your old items. The company’s mission is to make it easier for people to recycle and reuse in the modern world so they can reduce their environmental impact. Can You Throw It Away has a team that is passionate about sustainability and reducing our carbon footprint on the planet.

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What is a rosary at a funeral? If you are a non-Catholic attending a wake or a Catholic funeral service, you may have many questions about what to expect.

Jump to these sections:

This article describes what to expect when praying the rosary at a Catholic wake. We also give you a very general purpose of the rosary, discussing when it is prayed and what is said.

Tip: Planning or attending a funeral, with or without a rosary service, is one of the many challenges you might face after the death of a loved one. Our post-loss checklist can help you with this process.

What is the purpose of a rosary service?

You may have heard the word “rosary” but you have no idea what it means. According to Merriam-Webster, rosary means “a Roman Catholic devotion consisting of meditation on usually five sacred mysteries during the recitation of five decades of Hail Marys, each beginning with an ‘Our Father’ and ending with a ‘Gloria Patri’ . Praying these words is often referred to as “praying the rosary.”

The rosary can also refer to an object that people use when praying the rosary to keep track of the recitation. Rosary beads are “a string of beads used for counting prayers, particularly the Roman Catholic rosary.”

The rosary is dedicated to Mary, the virgin mother of Jesus. Catholic theology says that Mary made many promises regarding praying the rosary that has to do with “sanctifying or protecting the souls of the dead.” Although the rosary has many purposes, it is often prayed before, during, and after death. It is considered an intercession prayer asking for Mary’s intercession for the deceased.

The rosary is divided into sections. The first is the introduction, which includes the following prayers:

“In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

The Apostles’ Creed

The Lord’s Prayer

Three “Ave Mary” prayers; “Glory to” prayer; and “O my Jesus”.

This introduction is followed by a number of decades. At the beginning of each decade, a “secret” is announced. This is followed by the Lord’s Prayer, 10 Hail Marys, Glory to the Lord and O my Jesus.

The conclusion of the Rosary includes three prayers:

“Hail Holy Queen”

“O God, whose only begotten Son”

“In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

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When is the rosary prayed at a funeral?

Although intercessions, the Lord’s Prayer, and other funeral prayers may be said during a Catholic funeral service, the rosary for the dead is usually said during the vigil or vigil. The body of the deceased is often present during this service, and sometimes the coffin is opened to allow those present to see the body one last time before burial or cremation. The vigil or wake often takes place in the afternoon or the night before the funeral.

Often the rosary is announced in the obituary of the deceased. For example, the obituary may read, “The rosary is prayed at 3:30 p.m., followed by a visitation from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.” For those who do not wish to participate in the rosary, it is convenient to do so during visiting hours to arrive If you arrive while praying the rosary, you will not be able to speak to family or others present. You are expected to participate or remain silent during this service.

You do not have to be Catholic to attend or attend a Rosary service. You may not partake of Communion during the funeral Mass, but you may pray or recite the Rosary without being a member of a Catholic Church.

You can choose to participate and sit or kneel silently as those gathered say the words of prayer together. You can also join the prayer if you feel comfortable doing so.

Others around you are likely to use rosary beads while praying the rosary. These are used to keep track of the repetitive prayers in order not to lose track of how many Ave Marys are said each decade. You do not need to have rosary beads to participate in the rosary. You can follow the lead of others present if you don’t have your own beads.

Even if the prayers are repeated, the rosary is considered a meditative prayer. During the recitation, the faithful meditate on the mysteries announced at the beginning of each decade. If you are not a Catholic, you may need further explanation of these mysteries. Consult the Vatican website or make an appointment with a member of the Catholic clergy for more information.

The rosary may or may not be presided over by a Catholic priest. The prayers are said together by all believers.

Virtual Funeral Tip: If you’re hosting a virtual or hybrid Catholic funeral, you can choose to include the rosary. If you do this, you will likely need to ask your online participants to pray silently while you or your priest recite the prayer aloud. If you’re working with a service like GatheringUs to plan and conduct your virtual funeral, your moderator can help you work out these details.

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What is said during rosary prayers at a funeral?

Again, the rosary is typically recited during a Catholic vigil or wake. It is not usually prayed during a funeral service or a Christian funeral service.

The rosary for the deceased may differ slightly from the rosary described above. Here’s what to expect when attending a Rosary service for the dead. This Rosary replaces the Fatima prayer with an Eternal Serenity Prayer and meditates on the Five Glorious Mysteries:

Christ’s resurrection

Ascension of Christ

The Pentecost

The Assumption of the Virgin Mary

The Coronation of Mary

There are many websites dedicated to praying the rosary, but here is the order.

During the vigil, pray the rosary as you meditate on the glorious mysteries.

Recite the Eternal Rest prayer after each decade which is a group of ten Hail Marys. This prayer reads: “Give him/her eternal rest, O Lord; and let him/her shine eternal light. May he/she rest in peace. Amen.” This prayer replaces the Fatima prayer, which says, “O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell; lead all souls to heaven, especially those who are most in need of your mercy.”

Recite Psalm 130 in place of the prayer “Hail, Holy Queen.” The prayer “Hail Holy Queen” is recited at the end of the five decades. Psalm 130 says:

“An ascension song.

From the depths I call you, Lord;

Lord, hear my cry!

May your ears pay attention

to my cry of mercy.

If you, Lord, mark our sins,

Lord who can stand?

But with you there is forgiveness

and so you are worshiped.

I wait with longing for the Lord,

My soul awaits his word.

My soul seeks the Lord

more than daybreak watchmen.

More than daybreak watchmen,

Let Israel seek the Lord.

for with the Lord is goodness,

with him is full salvation,

And God will redeem Israel

from all their sins.”

Pray the Rosary for the Dead, which is a rosary spanning four decades. It begins with the De Profundis and consists of the prayer “Eternal Rest” and the phrase “Sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation”.

The rosary service usually lasts 20 minutes. If you are interested in the rosary service, you may also be interested in learning about praying a novena, a nine-day, nine-week, or nine-hour prayer for the deceased.

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Other things to know before attending a wake or vigil

While we may have answered some of your questions about the rosary, you may have other questions about attending a wake or vigil.

In most communities, people wear their best attire for wakes and funerals. They tend to wear dark, muted colors. You can also donate to a charity of your choice on behalf of the deceased, or send a plant or flowers to the funeral home or church before the vigil or service. If you don’t know what to say to the loved ones of the deceased, a simple “I’m sorry for your loss” is always appropriate.

Participation in the wake or memorial service is a kind gesture. Even if the deceased was Catholic and you are not, you are welcome to attend the service. If you have questions about the Catholic faith after attending a service, it makes sense to make an appointment with the pastor after the service to ask questions.

Sources

He emphasizes: “In praying the Rosary, we remain faithful to the Scriptures and to this tradition.”

That the Holy Rosary is a “Christ-centered prayer, centered on the life of Christ and the culmination of God’s great salvation stories for the redemption of the world,” is another reason that makes the prayer special and powerful, Archbishop Brislin says.

“This prayer, more than any other, helps us to remember and focus on the life of Christ, His teaching, and His gift of self. It reaffirms our faith in the incarnation, passion, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus, and our faith in the great gift of the Holy Spirit,” the 64-year-old prelate explained in his October 7 reflection.

The Marian mysteries help us to reflect on the saving power of God, because “Mary, after all, like all people, was saved by Jesus Christ and represents us all,” adds the South African archbishop.

Another reason praying the Holy Rosary is special and powerful is that it is a prayer of contemplation, says Archbishop Brislin, referring to the 2001 Directory of Popular Piety and Liturgy of the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, which described the recitation of the saint’s rosary as “contemplative prayer, requiring stillness in rhythm or even spiritual dwelling, which encourages the faithful to meditate on the mysteries of the life of the Lord”.

“The point of contemplative prayer is that it’s not just about ‘thinking’ about the mysteries or bringing them to mind,” says the South African prelate, explaining that “in contemplation we take the mysteries into our lives, so this prayer is no longer just words that we use, but becomes a living prayer – a prayer that changes and transforms us so that we can live what we pray.”

The archbishop, who has been serving the people of God in Cape Town since December 2009, finds praying the rosary special and powerful because “it is a prayer that asks the intercession of Our Lady”.

“One theologian described praying the Rosary as sharing in the life of Mary, with the focus on Christ,” he says, referring to Romano Guardini, adding: “Like Mary, through the Rosary we try to orient our lives more and more towards Jesus.”

The Holy Rosary “is also an acknowledgment that Jesus Himself gave Mary to be the Mother of the Church and indeed the Mother of us all,” he continues, referring to the Gospel of John, which says: “His mother and the disciple Seeing whom He loved to stand beside her, Jesus said to his mother, “Woman, this is your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “This is your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took them to his house.”

Biblical Basis for the Rosary

– Answered by Father Johann Roten, H.M.

Q: Is there a biblical basis for the rosary?

A: As you know, the Bible “doesn’t” tell us to pray the rosary because this form of prayer didn’t originate until the Middle Ages. However, important elements of the rosary are biblical and/or part of the common Christian faith. judge yourself.

1) The “Confession of Faith” or creed at the beginning of the Rosary is nothing other than the earliest baptismal creed still common to all Christian records.

2) The “Our Father” – also part of the Rosary – is literally biblical.

3) Among the “Twenty Mysteries” there are very few that are not directly biblical, namely the Assumption of Mary and her coronation. The ascension relates to Gen 3:15; the coronation can be aligned with Apoc 12.1.

4) The first part of the “Hail Mary” corresponds to the angel’s greeting at the Annunciation and Elizabeth’s greeting at the Visitation (Lk 1:28 and 2:42).

5) The second part, “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death”, could be understood as follows:

“Holy Mary” again corresponds to the Bible passage of the Annunciation (Lk 1:28: “full of grace”)

“Mother of God” is the proper meaning of the biblical proclamation, although the term was confirmed as such in Ephesus (431).

“Pray for us”: Although not specifically mentioned in Scripture, intercession can be linked to the wedding feast at Cana, where Mary and her son enter into trouble for the young couple. See also Luke 18:13. The earliest intercessory prayer for Mary (Sub Tuum) dates from the fourth century. It was common to all Christian traditions for more than a thousand years, until the Reformation. It is important to remember that Mary only intercedes for us in and through Jesus Christ.

“Now and at the hour of our death”: These final words were not added until the 19th century. They are not in the Bible but can be linked to Mary’s station at the foot of the cross as a haven of hope.

6) Finally, the “Glory be to the Father” refers directly to the Trinity. It is not mentioned as such in the Bible, but no one would question the Father, Son and Spirit and their due praise.

Along with the cross and holy stoups, the small beads that make up rosary beads are one of the most well-known and recognized symbols of Catholicism. According to Catholic tradition, the rosary was donated by the Blessed Virgin Mary herself. In the 13th century it is said to have been dedicated to St. Dominic (founder of the Dominicans) appeared, presented him with a rosary and asked the Christians to pray the prayers Hail Mary, Our Father and Glory be instead of the Psalms. The original rosary of St. Dominic had 15 decades.

rosary meaning

The main function of the rosary beads is to count prayers, the prayers counted on rosary beads are collectively called the rosary. The purpose of the rosary is to commemorate certain major events or mysteries of history. There are twenty mysteries reflected in the rosary and these are divided into five major mysteries corresponding to the five decades of the rosary.

Five joyful mysteries are prayed on Mondays and Saturdays. These events all have to do with the birth of Christ.

is prayed on Mondays and Saturdays. These events all have to do with the birth of Christ. Five Luminous Mysteries are commemorated on Thursdays and were instituted by Pope John Paul II in 2002.

are commemorated on Thursdays and were installed by Pope John Paul II in 2002. Five Sorrowful Mysteries relate to the Passion and Death of Jesus and are commemorated on Tuesdays and Fridays.

relate to the suffering and death of Jesus and are remembered on Tuesdays and Fridays. Five Glorious Mysteries remind believers of Jesus’ resurrection and the glory of heaven and are prayed on Wednesdays and Sundays.

Although a variety of prayers can be used in praying the Rosary, a selection of standard prayers are most commonly used. They are Apostles’ Creed, Lord’s Prayer, Hail Mary and Glory be. A decade consists of one Lord’s Prayer, ten Hail Marys and one Glory be.

Apostle Creed:

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ his only begotten Son our Lord, conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, crucified; died and was buried. He descended into Hell; on the third day he rose from the dead; He ascended into heaven, seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. Amen.

Our father:

Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; Your kingdom is coming; Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive those who transgress against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Ave Maria:

Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Glory to:

Glory be to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, as it was, is, and always will be, world without end. Amen.

How many beads in a rosary?

There are 59 beads in a rosary.

Below are the steps to pray the rosary with rosary beads:

Say the Apostles’ Creed on the crucifix. Pray the Lord’s Prayer on the next large bead. On the next three small beads, pray three Hail Marys. Pray the Glory Be on the chain. On the large bead, proclaim the first mystery (Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful, or Glorious) and then say the Lord’s Prayer. On the next ten beads, pray ten Hail Marys as you meditate on the Mystery / Pray the Glory Be on the chain. Repeat steps 5 through 8 for the next four decades.

If you were to ask which object is the symbol of Catholics, many people would say the rosary. We know the images: the silently moving lips of women and men in church and the rosary hanging from their wrists. They are truly a symbolic treasure of Catholicism and something that will accompany you throughout your life, since they are already given to you at your First Communion.

Take a look at our extensive range of Irish rosaries and Celtic cross necklaces. Included in our collection are Connemara marble rosary beads, made from the very rare stone found only in Ireland. With rosaries of different sizes and ages, you’re sure to find the perfect set for yourself or your loved one this Easter, giving them a truly sacred gift from the Emerald Isle.

Rome: Finding the Perfect Souvenir

If you are not Catholic, you probably have a Catholic friend or colleague. In any case, you can bring them a rosary blessed by the Pope; There are specialty stores near the Vatican that offer “certified” items blessed by the Pope. But why not do it yourself? In addition to rosaries, you can also bless crosses, bibles or other objects of religious devotion. Simply bring your gift to the Pope’s appearances on Sunday or Wednesday (06-6988-4857) at the Vatican and hold up your goods as the Pope blesses the crowd. Technically, you can only receive blessings for items that would assist you in your faith (no t-shirts or designer scarves or bottles of olive oil), but according to a Jesuit friend of mine, the only exception to the rule is for Jesuits, who often have bottles of single malt Hold up Scotch or premium vodka. They claim that such libations greatly assist their prayer and mission. To those unfamiliar with the liturgy, this passes for Jesuit humor.

June 21, 2012

Can lay people bestow blessings, and if so, which ones? Can a layperson make the sign of the cross over someone? Can children bless their parents?

Answers:

There are different types of blessings:

Constitutive. These bring about the permanent dedication of a person or thing in the service of the Church. For example the blessing of an altar. conjuring. These ask God for help for those who are in need or who will use certain items.

Who is the right person to bless depends on the type of blessing. Items for general use in a parish or diocese are usually blessed by the bishop. For example, the dedication of an altar, the blessing of the oils on Maundy Thursday.

More limited blessings such as religious objects, dwellings, etc. are usually performed by a priest or deacon. Blessings for the life of a family are done by the parents. For example, the blessing before meals, the blessing of children.

The chanting of the cross over a person would normally only be performed by a deacon, priest, or bishop. But a layperson can use the formula of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit if you wish. Ordinarily, given their authority over their children, parents would bless a child, not a child their parents.

This question was posted in the Xt3 group Ask a Priest. You can join the discussion by visiting the original thread – you must be logged in to Xt3. Or click here for more Ask a Priest Questions.

Further reading:

String of beads used in various religious traditions

For the plant sometimes commonly known as prayer beads, see Abrus precatorius

Prayer beads are a form of beadwork used to mark the repetitions of prayers, chants or mantras by members of various religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Shintoism, Umbanda, Islam, Sikhism, the Bahá’í Faith and some Christian denominations such as Roman Catholic Church, the Lutheran Church, the Oriental Orthodox Churches and the Eastern Orthodox Churches. Common forms of pearl worship include the mequteria in Eastern Orthodox Christianity, the chotki in Eastern Orthodox Christianity, the Crown of Christ in Lutheran Christianity, the Dominican Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Roman Catholic Christianity, the dhikr (remembrance of God) in Islam, the Japamala in Buddhism and Hinduism and the Jaap Sahib in Sikhism.

Origins and etymology[edit]

Beads are among the earliest human ornaments and ostrich beads in Africa date back to 10,000 BC. Throughout the ages, different cultures have made beads from a variety of materials, from stones and shells to clay.[1]

The English word bead is derived from the Old English noun bede, meaning a prayer.[2][3][4][5] The oldest image of a string of beads in a religious context, resembling a string of prayer beads, is found on the ‘Worshippers’ (or ‘Worshippers’) fresco in the Xeste 3 building of the prehistoric settlement of Akrotiri, Santorini (Thera,) Greece (Murals of Thera .)[6] from the 17th century (c. 1613 BC) It was used in Hindu prayers and meditation prayers in India. [citation needed] Buddhism later adopted this custom. [citation needed] When the ancient Hindus migrated to western Asia, this practice was carried to many parts of the world and became part of various religions.[1][3][7] The statue of a holy Hindu man with beads dates from the third century BC.[3][7]

Structure[edit]

misbaha, a device for counting tasbih

The number of beads varies by religion or usage. Islamic prayer beads, called misbaha or tasbih, usually have 100 beads (99 +1 = 100 beads in total or 33 beads read 3 times +1). Buddhists and Hindus use the japa mala, which usually has 108 beads, or 27 counted four times. Baháʼí prayer beads consist of either 95 beads or 19 beads strung with the addition of five beads. The Sikh Mala also has 108 beads.

The oldest set of prayer beads in Western Christianity, the pater noster cord, traditionally contains 150 beads for the 150 psalms in the Bible, although pater noster cords have been made from 50 beads, which are prayed three times. Catholics used the rosary (Latin “rosarium”, meaning “rose garden”) with 59 beads. The Oriental Orthodox Mequteria, used primarily by Coptic Orthodox Christians and Ethiopian Orthodox Christians, contains 41 beads for praying the Kyrie Eleison, said during the 41 metanoias (prostrations) at each of the seven fixed times of Christian prayer (cf .Agpeya Breviary). Eastern Orthodox Christians use a knotted prayer rope, called either a komboskini or chotki, at 100 knots, although prayer ropes at 50 or 33 knots can also be used. The Lutheran wreath of Christ contains 18 beads. In the 1980s, Rev. Lynn Bauman of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States introduced Anglican prayer beads with 33 beads.[8]

The Greek “komboloi” (which are worry beads and have no religious purpose) have an odd number of beads – usually more than a multiple of four, e.g. (4×4)+1, (5×4)+1.

Use [edit]

Because the beads are automatically fingered, they allow the user to keep track of how many prayers have been said with minimal conscious effort, which in turn allows for greater attention to the prayer itself.

Judaism [edit]

Although the use of prayer beads increased within these religions, it did not enter Judaism, perhaps because of its association with other religions, and to this day Judaism does not use prayer beads. Although not used as a counting device, many Jews touch the knots on the tzitzites attached to their tallit (prayer shawl) at certain points in their prayers.[3]

Christianity [edit]

The Desert Fathers of the 3rd to 5th centuries used pebbles or knotted rope to count prayers, typically the Jesus Prayer (“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on my sinners”). The invention is attributed to Antony the Great or his companion Pachomius the Great in the 4th century. In the Vita of St. Paul of Thebes (AD 227 to AD 342), written by St. Jerome (AD 347 to AD 420), it is said that Saint Paul of Thebes cast pebbles ​​and used knotted cords to count prayers.[9]

Around the 8th century paternoster cords were used to count the 150 psalms of the Bible, but for those who could not read they were used to count 150 recitations of the Lord’s Prayer. Thus the Catholic Encyclopedia mentions strings of beads, presumably for prayer, found in the tombs of Saint Gertrude of Nivelles (7th century) and Saint Norbert and Saint Rosalia (12th century).[13] A more explicit reference is that in 1125 William of Malmesbury mentioned a set of precious stones used by Lady Godiva to count prayers. The oldest prayer beads found in Britain were discovered by archaeologists on Lindisfarne in 2022: they are made of salmon vertebrae and date to the 8th or 9th century.[15]

Catholics came to pray the Dominican Rosary with chains of 59 beads. The term rosary comes from the Latin rosarium “rose garden” and is an important and traditional devotional of the Catholic Church that combines prayer and meditation in sequences (called “decades”) of the Lord’s Prayer, 10 Hail Marys and a Gloria Patri, as well as a number of other prayers ( like the Apostles’ Creed and the Salve Regina) at the beginning and at the end. The prayers are accompanied by meditations on the mysteries, events in the life and ministry of Jesus. This traditional Catholic form of the rosary is attributed to Saint Dominic,[16] although some Catholic writers have disputed this claim.[12] Catholic rosary beads are made of crucifix and center, which can be made of sterling silver and/or gold, and beads, which are usually made of glass, amethyst, rose quartz stone, crystal, black onyx, lavender glass or pearl[17]. all parts can be made of any material. Catholics also use prayer beads to pray rosaries.

In Oriental Orthodox Christianity, particularly among Ethiopian Christians and Coptic Christians, prayer beads known as mequetaria/mequteria use numbers such as 41, 64, and 100 for length; The Mequetaria is used primarily for reciting the Kyrie Eleison (Lord have mercy) during Christianity’s seven fixed times of prayer. Regarding the first two numbers, the former represent the number of wounds inflicted on Jesus by the lashes, the nails, and the spear, while the latter represent Mary’s age at her ascension.

The Eastern Orthodox Church uses prayer ropes, which usually come in 33, 50, or 100 knots. The loops of knotted wool (or occasionally beads) called chotki or komboskini to pray the Jesus prayer. A leather prayer rope called a lestovka is more common among Russian Old Believers, although this type is not widely used by the Russian Orthodox Church today. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, “The rosary is presented to the Greek Orthodox monk as part of his attire in the mandyas, or full monastic habit, as the second step in monastic life, and is called his ‘spiritual sword’.”[12]

The Lutheran wreath of Christ,[18] invented by Martin Lönnebo, bishop emeritus of the Diocese of Linköping of the Swedish Lutheran Church, consists of 18 beads, some round and others oblong, arranged in an irregular pattern. Each has its own importance as a stimulus and reminder for meditation, although they can also be used for repeated prayer.[19]

In the mid-1980s, Anglican prayer chains were developed in the United States’ Protestant Episcopal Church, originating in the Diocese of Texas.[8] The set consists of 33 beads (representing the 33 years of Christ’s life) arranged in four groupings of symbolic meaning.

While there are liturgical churches that use prayer beads in prayer, non-liturgical Christian churches do not use them.

Anglican prayer beads

Oriental Orthodox mequteria of 41 beads

Greek Orthodox komboskini with 100 knots

Lutheran wreath of Christ

Hand Carved Roman Catholic Rosary Beads

A leather Old Believer Russian Orthodox Lestovka

Islam [edit]

In Islam, prayer beads are referred to as misbaha (Arabic: مسبحة mas’baha), tasbih or sibha, and contain 99 regular sized beads (corresponding to the names of God in Islam) and two smaller or mini beads separating every 33 beads. Sometimes only 33 beads are used, in which case one would go through them three times. The beads are traditionally used to keep count while saying the prayer. Prayer is viewed in Islam as a form of dhikr, which involves the repeated utterance of short phrases in praise and glorification of Allah. The prayer is recited as follows: 33 times “Subhan Allah” (Glory be to God), 33 times “Al-hamdu lilah” (Praise be to God) and 33 times “Allahu Akbar” (God is the Greatest), which equals 99 , the number of beads in the Misbaha.

To keep track of counting, either the right-hand phalanges or a misbaha are used. Using the misbaha to count prayers and recitations is considered an acceptable practice in mainstream Islam.[20] While they are widespread in Sunni and Shia Islam today, followers of the Salafi sects shun them as intolerable innovation.

In Ahmadiyya, misbaha and other forms of prayer beads are considered “innovation”. According to Mirza Tahir Ahmad of the Ahmadiyya community, the use of prayer beads is a form of innovation not practiced by the early Muslim community.[21]

a silver misbaha

a misbaha

Sikhism[ edit ]

Sikh worshipers may use mala (beads) while reciting verses from the Guru Granth Sahib.[22] These prayer beads can be used as part of Sikh clothing and worn around turbans or wrists. This is also referred to as Simranee.

Hinduism [edit]

An early use of prayer beads can be traced back to Hinduism[23][24][25] where they are called japamala. Japa is the repetition of the name of a deity or mantra. Mala (Sanskrit: माला mālā) means “garland” or “wreath”.[26]

Japamala are used for repeating a mantra, for other forms of sadhanā or “spiritual practice”, and as an aid to meditation. The most common mala has 108 beads.[27] The most common materials used to make the beads are Rudraksha seeds (used by Shaivites) and stalks of Ocimum tenuiflorum (Tulsi) (used by Vaishnavites).

According to the Vedic scriptures, 103 beads were used during the Treta Yuga, 108 beads during the Dvapara Yuga, and 111 beads in the Kali Yuga.

According to Hindu sashtras, there must be 108 beads.[28] Generally, rudraksha beads and lotus seeds are used for meditation.

Hindu Japa Mala prayer beads made from Tulasi wood, with the head bead in the foreground.

Buddhism[ edit ]

Prayer beads (Chinese: 佛珠; 念珠; pinyin: fózhū, niànzhū, Japanese: 数珠, romanized: juzu, zuzu, Korean: 염주 (yeomju), Tibetan standard: ཕྲེང་བ།) are also used in many forms of Mahayana Buddhism, often with a lower number of beads (usually a divisor of 108). In Pure Land Buddhism, for example, malas with 27 beads are common. These shorter malas are sometimes referred to as “prostration rosaries” because they are easier to hold when counting repeated prostrations. In Tibetan Buddhism, malas are also 108 beads: one mala counts as 100 mantras, and the eight extra are said to be dedicated to all sentient beings (the practice as a whole is also dedicated at its end). Larger malas are often used in Tibetan Buddhism; for example malas made of 111 beads. When counting, they calculate one mala as 100 mantras and the 11 extra beads are taken as an extra to make up for mistakes. [Confirmation needed]

Various types of materials are used to make mala beads, such as Rudraksha seeds, beads made from the wood of the Tulsi plant, animal bones, wood or seeds of the Bodhi tree (a particularly sacred tree of the species Ficus religiosa) or Nelumbo nucifera (the lotus plant). Semi-precious stones such as carnelian and amethyst are also used. Another commonly used material is sandalwood.[29]

Japanese Zen Buddhist prayer beads (Juzu)

Ancient Chinese Buddhist Qinan prayer beads (Niànzhū), Qing dynasty, 19th century, China; Adilnor Collection, Sweden

Bahá’í Faith [ edit ]

The Bahá’í Faith prescribes that the verse Alláh-u-Abhá “God the Most Glorious” be recited 95 times daily after the completion of the ablutions.[30] To facilitate this recitation, Bahá’ís often use prayer beads, although this is not required. Most commonly, Bahá’í prayer beads consist of 95 individual beads on a strand or a strand of 19 beads with 5 counts set. In the latter case, the person reciting the verses typically follows the 19 individual verses in a sentence with one hand and the sets of verses with the other (19 verses by 5 sentences for a total of 95 verses). Bahá’í prayer beads are made from any number of natural and man-made materials, including glass, precious and semi-precious stones, various metals, and wood. There is no record of the structure of the prayer bead string or the materials used.

Baháʼí prayer beads in a 19-bead, 5-set counter configuration

Materials for making prayer beads[ edit ]

Seeds and fruit stones[ edit ]

Gems and Gems[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

Bibliography[edit]

Dubin, L.S. (2009). prayer beads. In C. Kenney (ed.), The History of Pearls: From 100,000 B.C. to the Present (Revised and Expanded Edition) (pp. 79–92). New York: Abrams Publishing.

(pp. 79-92). New York: Abrams Publishing. Henry, G., & Marriott, S. (2008). Beads of Faith: Pathways to Meditation and Spirituality with Rosaries, Prayer Beads and Sacred Words. Fons Vitae Publishers.

Fons Vitae Publishers. Untracht, O. (2008). Rosaries from India. In H. Whelchel (ed.), Traditional Jewelry of India (pp. 69-73). New York: Thames & Hudson, Inc.

(pp. 69-73). New York: Thames & Hudson, Inc. Wiley, E., & Shannon, M.O. (2002). A String and a Prayer: How to Make and Use Prayer Beads. Red Wheel/Sage, LLC.

Red Wheel/Sage, LLC. Winston, K (2008). Bead One, Pray Too: A Guide to Making and Using Prayer Beads. Morehouse Publishing.

Morehouse Publishing. prayer beads.

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