| You will view this beautiful fifteen-decade St. Dominique rosary made out of cedar wood. It weighs five hundred pounds and floats in this reflecting man made pond surrounded by rainbow trout. |
| Dominican Rosary |
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Getting To Know the Dominican Rosary
Back in the days of the Old Testament 150 Psalms were sung and prayed as part of personal or
communal lamentation, praise, thanksgiving, and to demonstrate fulfillment of the prophecy. Copies of
Scriptures or Breviaries were not always available so those who were not fortunate enough to have copies
of these or who were illiterate would say 150 Our Father’s or 150 Hail Marys in place of the 150 Psalms.
They found it difficult to keep count of all these prayers. Therefore in order to keep count of these
prayers they would transfer pebbles from one bag to another. Eventually they began tying knots to a
rope and counted the knots as they went along with their prayers. This later evolved into using beads or
pieces of wood tied to the rope. By the end of the first millennium the rosary contained five decades of
ten beads.
Dominic de Guzman, later known as St. Dominic, was born in the year 1170 in Spain. At the age of 14 he
had graduated from the University of Palencia with a degree in Liberal Arts and Sacred Science. He was
later ordained at the age of 24 and at the age of 33 he went from village to village preaching against the
Albigensien heresy and teaching the truth about faith. Because of his work he was frequently spit on,
ridiculed and pelted with stones but he had great physical stamina and was able to withstand all of that.
One day in pious prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary he complained of his scant success with the
Albigensiens. At that moment the Virgin Mary replied to him. She said, “Wonder not that you have
obtained so little fruit by your labors, you have spent them on barren soil not yet watered with the dew of
divine grace. Preach my Psalter (rosary) composed of 150 Angelic Salutations and 15 Our Fathers and
you will obtain an abundant harvest.”
St. Dominic went back to the villages and preached the mysteries of Salvation, the Incarnation, the
Redemption and Eternal Life and after each short instruction they recited 10 Hail Marys. St. Dominic then
formed the Confrontation of the Rosary in1218. The members pray fifteen decades of the rosary several
times a day during the week.
The Dominican Rosary is recited using three sets of five mysteries in each set. The Joyful Mysteries is
used on Mondays, Thursdays, Sundays and the time of Advent and just after Epiphany. The Joyful
Mysteries consists of the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Nativity, the Presentation and the Finding of
Jesus in the Temple. The next set of mystery is the Sorrowful Mysteries, which is used on Tuesdays,
Fridays, and all the days of Septaugesima and Lent. The Sorrowful Mysteries consists of the Agony in the
Garden, the Scourging, the Crowning with Thorns, and Carrying of the Cross-and the Crucifixion. The
third set of mystery is the Glorious Mysteries and consists of the Resurrection, the Annunciation,
Pentecost, the Assumption and the Crowning of Mary.
In 2002 Pope John Paul II, in an Apostolic Letter, recommended adding five more mysteries called the
Luminous Mysteries. These mysteries focus on Jesus’ public life. They include the Baptism in the Jordon,
the Marriage Feast in Cana, the Proclamation of the Kingdom, the Transfiguration, and the Institution of
the Eucharist. The rosary is not changed by any means. The Luminous Mysteries are only added as an
option.
Back in the days of the Old Testament 150 Psalms were sung and prayed as part of personal or
communal lamentation, praise, thanksgiving, and to demonstrate fulfillment of the prophecy. Copies of
Scriptures or Breviaries were not always available so those who were not fortunate enough to have copies
of these or who were illiterate would say 150 Our Father’s or 150 Hail Marys in place of the 150 Psalms.
They found it difficult to keep count of all these prayers. Therefore in order to keep count of these
prayers they would transfer pebbles from one bag to another. Eventually they began tying knots to a
rope and counted the knots as they went along with their prayers. This later evolved into using beads or
pieces of wood tied to the rope. By the end of the first millennium the rosary contained five decades of
ten beads.
Dominic de Guzman, later known as St. Dominic, was born in the year 1170 in Spain. At the age of 14 he
had graduated from the University of Palencia with a degree in Liberal Arts and Sacred Science. He was
later ordained at the age of 24 and at the age of 33 he went from village to village preaching against the
Albigensien heresy and teaching the truth about faith. Because of his work he was frequently spit on,
ridiculed and pelted with stones but he had great physical stamina and was able to withstand all of that.
One day in pious prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary he complained of his scant success with the
Albigensiens. At that moment the Virgin Mary replied to him. She said, “Wonder not that you have
obtained so little fruit by your labors, you have spent them on barren soil not yet watered with the dew of
divine grace. Preach my Psalter (rosary) composed of 150 Angelic Salutations and 15 Our Fathers and
you will obtain an abundant harvest.”
St. Dominic went back to the villages and preached the mysteries of Salvation, the Incarnation, the
Redemption and Eternal Life and after each short instruction they recited 10 Hail Marys. St. Dominic then
formed the Confrontation of the Rosary in1218. The members pray fifteen decades of the rosary several
times a day during the week.
The Dominican Rosary is recited using three sets of five mysteries in each set. The Joyful Mysteries is
used on Mondays, Thursdays, Sundays and the time of Advent and just after Epiphany. The Joyful
Mysteries consists of the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Nativity, the Presentation and the Finding of
Jesus in the Temple. The next set of mystery is the Sorrowful Mysteries, which is used on Tuesdays,
Fridays, and all the days of Septaugesima and Lent. The Sorrowful Mysteries consists of the Agony in the
Garden, the Scourging, the Crowning with Thorns, and Carrying of the Cross-and the Crucifixion. The
third set of mystery is the Glorious Mysteries and consists of the Resurrection, the Annunciation,
Pentecost, the Assumption and the Crowning of Mary.
In 2002 Pope John Paul II, in an Apostolic Letter, recommended adding five more mysteries called the
Luminous Mysteries. These mysteries focus on Jesus’ public life. They include the Baptism in the Jordon,
the Marriage Feast in Cana, the Proclamation of the Kingdom, the Transfiguration, and the Institution of
the Eucharist. The rosary is not changed by any means. The Luminous Mysteries are only added as an
option.
Father Val LaFrance, a widely known Dominican preacher came to Mizpah to Blessed the Dominican
Rosary. Dominicans wear this rosary on them at all times.
St. Thomas Aquinas would recite the Dominican Rosary as well as St. Catherine of Siena, St. Rose of
Lima and St. Martin. They are of the Dominican Order.
Rosary. Dominicans wear this rosary on them at all times.
St. Thomas Aquinas would recite the Dominican Rosary as well as St. Catherine of Siena, St. Rose of
Lima and St. Martin. They are of the Dominican Order.