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As you have reached this far, it is very likely
that you know all about rosaries, but for those of you who may not
be so well versed, we give here a few words about them. Greater
detail will be found on other pages, such as History of Rosaries, About
Rosaries, More About Rosaries, How to Pray the Rosary etc.
Please feel free to go and have a browse at these
when you have a few moments to spare.
The real origin is hidden behind the veil of a
very long history. Perhaps, at the very beginning, some spiritual
people began with a collection of similar sized little pebbles, and soon
found that stringing them together was a practical idea.
Perhaps the length of hide, with knots tied in it at
intervals, came first. We simply do not know. But from time
immemorial, holy and meditative people of many religions, and none, have
found these items useful for their devotions.
The majority, nowadays, are probably used by Roman
Catholics, but that is not to preclude those of the Islamic, Jewish,
Buddhist, Hindu, Orthodox and Anglican Faiths, to name a few, having
their rosary traditions.
The Holy Rosary is really a counting device and an
aid to the memory, because prayers are recited many times over and
some simple way of keeping count has always been necessary.
We are talking here of an era when there was
precious little in the way of written or even printed words for the mass
of the faithful. The expense of even a Bible, once they were
available and being printed, was way beyond the reach of most.
So they tended to stick to prayers that had been
memorised, and, as long as they had the prayers in mind together with a
reliable counting device, the
praying of the Rosary became a habitual and deep part
of devotional meditation. |
