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in place
of the psalms, with some use of a string
of beads to keep count.
The custom of reciting
prayers upon a string with knots or beads originated from the
early days of Christianity. It seems to have originated among
the early monks and hermits who used a piece of heavy cord
with knots tied at intervals upon which they recited their
shorter prayers.
The rosary consists of the cross, a center medal, 53 minor and
6 major beads. The word "beads" came from the Old Saxon word "bede,"
which means prayers.
In
the middle of the twelfth century the Ave Maria (Hail
Mary) came into use as a prayer for devotion. However,
when the Ave Maria took its prominent place in the
rosary is unclear.
One thing for certain, the rosary, a Christ-centered Psalter
of Jesus and Mary, remains to be a favorite form of devotion
among the faithful. The rosary has also been a prominent
feature in several revelations. |