Friday, November 28, 2014

History of The Rosary

Have you ever wondered about the history of rosaries, how it all started? Fascinating article found on Wikipedia.

"There are differing views on the history of the rosary. The exact origin of the Rosary as a prayer is less than clear and subject to debate among scholars.

Prayers with beads like the rosary may have begun as a practice by the laity to imitate the monastic Liturgy of the Hours, during the course of which the monks prayed the 150 Psalms daily. As many of the laity and even lay monastics could not read, they substituted 150 repetitions of the Our Father (Pater noster in Latin) for the Psalms, sometimes using a cord with knots on it to keep an accurate count.

According to tradition, the rosary was given to Saint Dominic in an apparition by the Blessed Virgin Mary in the year 1214 in the church of Prouille. This Marian apparition received the title of Our Lady of the Rosary. In the 15th century Blessed Alanus de Rupe (aka Alain de la Roche or Saint Alan of the Rock), who was a learned Dominican priest and theologian, is said to have received a vision from Jesus about the urgency of reinstating the rosary as a form of prayer. Blessed Alanus de Rupe also received the Blessed Mother's "15 Promises". Before his death on Sept. 8, 1475, he reinstituted the rosary in many countries and established many rosary confraternities. Despite the popularity of Blessed Alanus's story about the origins of the rosary, there has never been found any historical evidence positively linking St. Dominic to the rosary. The story of St. Dominic's devotion to the rosary and supposed apparition of Our Lady of the Rosary does not appear in any documents of the Church or Dominican Order prior to the writings of Blessed Alanus. St. Dominic and Blessed Alanus are separated by 250 years."

I suspect that when Mary gave those first rosary beads to St. Dominic, they were just a simple string of wooden beads. Over the last many years, rosaries have changed into some magnificent creations. Personally, I find that a simple, if you will, traditional rosary is quite beautiful. This is a wooden rosary I created ... in a new home.


I think creating wooden rosaries, sadly, has become a lost art. I haven't seen many of them in my meanderings around the Internet.

You can find more rosaries here:https://www.facebook.com/melissarosarypage

Friday, November 21, 2014

Calling all florists! I have been told by a florist colleague of mine that you are unhappy with the rosaries you have been ordering, as the flowers do not fit on them. I can help!

There is nothing more humbling than making a Memory Rosary for a loved one.

This is one I recently created; I call it "Essence of Grandpa."


The colors requested were red, pink, and purple for Grandma's favorite colors and the light blue was Grandpa's favorite color. The second request was for a deer or a wolf charm. I found these fantastic deer charms for just this purpose. I am hoping Grandma enjoys this rosary for many, many years.

You can find me here - https://www.facebook.com/melissarosarypage

Monday, November 17, 2014

Holiday Gift Shoppe

 
 
Do you have someone on your list who is difficult to shop for?
 
Looking for something unique?
 
Wanting to shop handmade this year?
 
 
Join this event!!
 
 
 
 
Some amazing and very talented artisans have come together to offer you -
 
 
 
 
 
Happy shopping!


Thursday, November 13, 2014

Are you on Facebook? Crafty Likes USA will be hosting a Walking in Winter Wonderland event, beginning on November 21, 2014, at 7PM, and ending on November 23, 2014, at 10PM (I am unsure of the time zone). Melissa A's Rosary Page will be participating!! I am super excited for this event!

Feel free to add yourself to the event!
 

(You can find and follow me here - https://www.facebook.com/melissarosarypage.) These are the 3 rosaries I have chosen for this event.


This is my glass-based coco brown and white pearl rosary completed with gold-toned crucifix and centerpiece. The Ave beads are 8mm white and coco brown beads and the Pater beads are 12mm white and coco brown beads. This picture really does not do this lady justice at all. She will be 45.00 plus shipping at the time of the above-noted event.


I went out and tried to get a good picture of this fellow. He is what is called a "Fireman's Rosary" and is complete with a St. Florian Charm (St. Florian being the Patron Saint of firefighters). He is made with some gorgeous red jasper beads and is completed with a silver-toned crucifix and matching centerpiece. He will be 45.00 plus shipping at the above-noted event.


Last, but certainly not least, is "Utah Jade." This lovely lady is made with some gorgeous green jade that I was lucky enough to find on our last trip to Utah coupled with black glass-based beads; the Pater beads are 12mm beads that are green and black variegated. She is completed with a sterling silver crucifix and Mother Mary centerpiece. She will be 45.00 plus shipping at the above-noted event.

I am located in CA and offer shipping within the US, Canada, and the UK. Shipping is 3.00 within the US and 10.00 within the UK and Canada.

I hope to see you at this event! There will be 50 amazing vendors and I am delighted to have been chosen to be one of them!

Friday, November 7, 2014

Definition of Rosary

Do you know the definition of the word "rosary"? I found this on Wikipedia - it is a bit lengthy.

"The Rosary (from Latin rosarium, meaning "Crown of Roses" or "garland of roses"), in its most commonly known format as the Dominican rosary, is a form of prayer used especially in the Catholic Church or a string of prayer beads used to count the component prayers. When used of the form of prayer, the word is usually capitalized ("the Rosary"), as is customary for other names of prayers, such as "the Lord's Prayer", "the Hail Mary", "the Magnificat". When referring to the beads, it is normally written with a lower-case initial ("a rosary").

The prayers that essentially compose the Rosary are arranged in sets of ten Hail Marys preceded by one Lord's Prayer and followed by one Glory Be to the Father. During recitation of each set, known as a decade, thought is given to one of the Mysteries of the Rosary, which recall events in the lives of Jesus and Mary. Normally, five decades are recited in a session. Other prayers are sometimes added after each decade (in particular, the Fatima Prayer) and before (in particular, the Apostles' Creed), and after (in particular, the Hail, Holy Queen) the five decades taken as a whole.

The rosary as a material object is an aid towards saying these prayers in the proper sequence."

I think a lot of people have become confused over the years as to who prays the rosary. As the last sentence suggests, rosary beads are a material object to aid in saying prayer. Personally, I don't believe a person has to be of any specific religion to own and/or pray using a rosary. Sometimes, a material object itself provides a sense of comfort. I know when making rosaries, I feel an extreme amount of peace doing so. As my dear friend is wont to say, "It's a God thing."

I say that because I firmly believe we all tend to believe in something, whatever title we put on "it." I personally believe there is a Higher Power. How could there not be? Let your mind become quiet and listen.

New Hope Church - Craft Bazaar




Come out and see us if you're in the local area!!

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

"Holiday Shop for a Cause" - Hosted by Mainely Cole's

 
"Holiday Shop for a Cause"
 
November 13, 2014, 9AM EST thru
November 15, 2014, 12PM EST

 
25% of All Sales Goes Directly to Our Friend Marie Walker Riddle
 
Amazing Craft People have come Together Offering some of their Best Work
Sterling Silver & Gemstone jewelry
Christmas Wreaths
Candle's
Skin Care
Handmade Mittens and So Much More!
 
This is in no way affiliated with Face Book.
Hosted by Mainely Cole's
 
 
You can find the event to join on Facebook here:
 
 
 
My sister page has donated 2 bookmarks for such a worthy cause!