Archive for May, 2009
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.
The classic Spanish translation of the Bible is that of Casiodoro de Reina, revised by Cipriano de Valera. It was for the use of the incipient Protestant movement and is widely regarded as the Spanish equivalent of the Authorized Version.
Bible’s title-page traced to the Bavarian printer Mattias Apiarius, “the bee-keeper”. Note the emblem of a bear tasting honey. The first whole Bible in Spanish was printed in Basel in 1569, authored by Casiodoro de Reina, although some think that this Bible was a collective effort of some monks of the San Isidoro community in Spain, who, led by Casiodoro de Reyna, escaped Inquisition and persecution. This was the first version of the complete Bible in Spanish (including Apocrypha), and is known as “Biblia del Oso” because of the honey-eating bear on its title page. Reina presented the University of Basel with some volumes, one of them with Reina’s dedicatory and signature.
If you are close to a devout Catholic, you never have to be short on gift ideas. At one point in time, these religious gifts were limited to simple rosaries and wooden images of Christ and the cross. But that’s no longer the case. The array of Catholic gifts has expanded greatly, so no matter the style you prefer, there’s sure to be something that you will be proud wearing or displaying in your home. Take, for instance, the greatly expanded line of religious jewelry available.
There are many different kinds of bracelets available depicting the faces and images of various saints. Whether you are interested in an Italian charm bracelet depicting Jesus, Mary, and the Saints or a standard charm bracelet with hanging medallions, there’s something to match your particular aesthetic. Don’t forget that rosaries have also been beautified, and they are even available in pink beads to promote breast cancer awareness.