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The name “rosary” derives from the Latin word “rosarium,” which translates to “rose garden” or “garlands of roses.” In general, a rosary can be understood as a set of prayer beads. They are often accompanied by prayer or meditation as well as the Lord’s Prayer, Hail Mary, and “Glory Be to the Father.” Once this entire sequence is completed, you have performed what is known as a decade.

While the Catholic Rosary is perhaps the best known rosary, the term has actually come to describe prayer beads in many other religions. The use of these rosaries can be as regimented or as loose as the individual would like. Some people are concerned with following the current dogma of the church to the letter, while others are more inclined to follow the spirit of these rules. As such, the way in which one person uses the rosary may be drastically different than another, even if they both hail from the same religious faith.

The rosary is part of the Catholic veneration of Mary, which has been promoted by numerous popes, especially Leo XIII, known as “The Rosary Pope”, who issued eleven encyclicals on the rosary and created the feast, Mary, Queen of the Holy Rosary. Pope Pius V introduced the rosary into the Roman Catholic liturgical calendar as the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, celebrated on October 7. Most recently, on May 3, 2008, Pope Benedict XVI stated that the Rosary is 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 Catholic rosary is a meditation on all important moments of salvation history. Before him, Pope John Paul II’s Apostolic Letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae built on the “total Marian devotion” pioneered by Saint Louis de Montfort. Pope Pius XII and his successors actively promoted the veneration of the Virgin in Lourdes and Fatima, which is credited with a new resurgence of the rosary within the Catholic Church.

I have so many memories from my youth and my Granny plays a large role in those memories. Some of the best times during my childhood were spent swinging on my grandparent’s porch. My Granny and I would talk and pray together. We talked about the world and prayed for the starving children.

Granny would take out her rosary sometimes and feel each of its beads as she recited the Lord’s Prayer. Today that rosary is mine and I use it to pray with my young daughter. I am so glad I got to share those wonderful times with my Granny, she will always hold a dear place in my heart.

Most Catholics say the rosary every day. Because of this special devotion, the rosary is a common gift item for all occasions, to adults and children, male or female.  It is distributed as thank you tokens in weddings.  It is a common coming home present from travel abroad, especially from those coming home from a visit to the Vatican in Rome. Most Catholics will have a box of rosaries stashed away somewhere.

The rosary bracelet is a recent innovation.  It is a one decade rosary worn around the wrist.  Made from crystal, wood, or precious gold, these rosaries are practical because it is available and on hand all the time. Pray with it when you are stuck in traffic or when your date is late.  Or drop by a church and be formal in practicing your devotion.

Most families have some sort of mementos that are passed down from generation to generation. Since my Dad’s side of the family is Catholic rosaries are an important part of our family’s legacy. When my grandmother died a family member gave me one of her old rosaries. The metal chain was tarnished and the beads were worn, but I appreciated it more than any new rosary.
 
Old rosaries are such special gifts because they symbolize the hopes, dreams and prayers of someone close to you. Each time I hold my grandmother’s rosary I imagine all the times her fingers grasped the beads, and I think about how she truly believed that each Hail Mary she said would better her life or the lives of others in some way. My Dad also has a rosary that I will someday receive. It was issued to him when he served in Vietnam and it’s made from simple green hemp rope. Despite its simplicity, it will be more important to me than any of my other jewelry.

We use Swarovski crystal exclusively in all our sterling silver crystal rosaries. Each Swarovski rosary is assembled by hand with each bead joined with a jump ring and not simply bead to bead.

Each Masterpiece created by Creed carries with it “THE CREED LIFETIME GUARANTEE”. At Creed Rosary, they are committed to upholding a tradition of quality that began over 75 years ago. We look forward to providing you with unmatched quality and service for years to come.

- CREEDROSARY.COM - Nov. 11, 2008