A PRESENTATION ON THE HOLY ROSARY BY DR. PHILOMENA IKOWE ON THE MEMORIAL OF OUR LADY OF THE HOLY ROSARY ON OCTOBER 7, 2024
FEAST DAY: OCTOBER 7TH
THE HOLY ROSARY
The history of the Holy Rosary and what we need to know about the Holy rosary.
WHAT IS THE HOLY ROSARY?
The Holy Rosary is traditionally a Catholic prayer that has been in existence for many centuries. The Holy Rosary is an incredibly rich practice of prayer that’s Scripture based. The Holy Rosary is an incredibly rich practice of prayer that’s Scripture based. The Holy Rosary is a combination of prayers and meditations on important events in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ and His Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary.
WHY DO WE PRAY THE HOLY ROSARY?
The Holy Rosary is one of the most powerful prayers and the reason why we pray the Holy Rosary is because it helps to keep in our memory certain principal events in the history of our Catholic faith and salvation. The Holy Rosary consists of 20 mysteries divided into four distinct parts. The Joyful Mysteries, the Luminous Mysteries, the Sorrowful Mysteries and the Glorious Mysteries. Each Mystery is represented by a Decade made up of the Our Father, Ten Hail Mary’s an a Glory be. It begins with the Apostles’ Creed, which summarizes the great mysteries of the Catholic faith.
The Saints and the Popes view on the Holy Rosary:
- Our Lady has 117 titles. She selected the title at Fatima: “I am the Lady of the Rosary.”
- Holy Rosary:
- St. Francis de Sales said the greatest method of praying is – Pray the Rosary.
- St. Thomas Aquinas preached 40 straight days in Rome Italy on just the Hail Mary.
- St. John Vianney, patron of priest, was seldom seen without a rosary in his hand.
- “The rosary is the scourge of the devil” — Pope Adrian VI
- “The rosary is a treasure of graces” — Pope Paul V
- Padre Pio the stigmatic priest said: “The Rosary is THE WEAPON”
- Pope Leo XIII wrote 9 encyclicals on the rosary.
- Pope John XXIII spoke 38 times about our Lady and the Rosary. he prayed 15 decades daily.
- St. Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort wrote: “The rosary is the most powerful weapon to touch the Heart of Jesus, Our Redeemer, who so loves His Mother.”
HISTORY OF THE HOLY ROSARY
The word “Rosary” comes from the Latin word “Rosaria,” which means a crown of roses or a garden of roses. Rosary comes from the root word rose, which was a symbol for Mary during the Middle Ages. The prayer form became known as the rosarium, which means “rose garden.” The Holy Rosary is an ever ancient and ever new prayer tool that has been in existence for many centuries. It developed slowly and has evolved over the centuries. While the first recorded use of the word “rosary” did not appear until 1597, the roots of the Holy rosary were found far earlier before that time. The rosary’s structure evolved between thje 12th and 15th centuries. It grew up in the second millennium of Christianity, particularly in Western Christianity around the 14th century. It’s attributed to Saint Dominic.
Early Origins of the Holy Rosary:
The origins of the Holy Rosary are unclear or unknown, but the practice developed over several centuries ago. The rosary has roots in several early Christian prayer traditions. They share similar format to the rosary with repetitive structures and prayers.
Early prayer practices: Before Christ, people prayed repetitively and used objects like rocks or pebbles to keep count.
Counting Psalms: Third century Christian hermits and monks in Egypt (known as Desert Fathers) used stones and pebbles and later prayer ropes to keep track when reciting or praying the 150 psalms.
Strings of beads to count Our Fathers and Hail Marys: In the Middle Ages, to keep count, strings of beads with knots were used to count , Hail Marys and Our Fathers. The Our Father was prayed 50 or 150 times each week, using a string of beads with five decades became known and referred to as a “Paternoster” (Latin for “Our Father’)
– Various forms of “the Jesus Prayer” (such as “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.”) became popular. The short prayer was Said over and over again in a type of mantra while counting beads.
The Meaning of Rosary Beads
Catholics were not the first to pray with beads. And while the exact origin of prayer beads is unknown, men and women of many faiths and cultures (Hindus, Greeks, Buddhists, Muslims, and more) have (and do) use beads to pray. In fact, the word bead in English is actually derived from an Old English word bede that means prayer.
The use of prayer beads almost universally is to allow the person to keep track of the number of prayers that have been said, while at the same time focusing on the deeper meaning of the prayers themselves.
While praying with beads certainly wasn’t an original idea, it’s a powerful reminder that everything before the coming of Jesus was preparing for that moment and that God yearns to transform everything into something holy, even something as ordinary as a small rope with some beads on it.
How Many Beads Are on a Set of Rosary Beads?
Today, Roman Catholics use a rosary made up of 59 beads. The 6 large beads are used for praying the Our Father prayer, and the 53 smaller beads are used for praying the Hail Mary prayer. Other prayers of the rosary include the Apostles’ Creed, the Glory Be, and the Hail, Holy Queen. There are 5 decades, or groups of 10 small beads, that make up the main portion of the rosary.
The Growth of the Holy Rosary
The earliest form of the rosary developed when Pope Gregory the Great (590-604) popularized an earlier version of the Hail Mary prayer by asking it to be prayed on the fourth Sunday of Advent. Many individuals began praying the Hail Mary in a repetitive fashion using a string of beads to keep track of the prayers. This was the practice from this time up to the medieval era when we had a fully developed form of prayer.
After the full development of the Hail Mary prayer, the term “rosary” was finally given in 1597. During this time, the structure of the five-decade rosary based on the three sets of mysteries prevailed. There was much written and spoken about the rosary. Most notably, Pope Paul VI said when we pray the Holy Rosary, we can experience the key moments of the Gospel. It is a simple, beautiful, and focused meditation, especially when focusing on the mysteries of the Holy Rosary.
The Story of St. Dominic
According to tradition, St. Dominic (d. 1221) devised the rosary as we know it. It is widely believed that in 1214 St. Dominic nad a vision of Mary. She is said to have presented him with the rosary, both the beads and the prayers to be prayed. St. Dominic had a tremendous devotion to Mary and the Holy Rosary, which he promoted wherever he traveled to preach. Moved by a vision of our Blessed Mother, he preached the use of the rosary in his missionary work among the Albigensians, who had denied the mystery of Christ. He encouraged Catholics to gather in small groups to pray together what was an early form of the rosary together. These were quite possibly the first expressions of the prayer groups and small group communities that are still having a powerful impact today. Some scholars take exception to St. Dominic’s role in forming the rosary. The earliest accounts of his life do not mention it. The Dominican constitutions do not link him with it, and contemporaneous portraits do not include it as a symbol to identify the Saint.
The Story of St. Louis de Montfort
St. Louis de Montfort was ordained a priest in 1700. He was known not only as a preacher but especially for his devotion to Mary and his practice praying the rosary. Through this devotion, he wrote often on the idea of being consecrated to Jesus through Mary, recognizing that a powerful way to connect with God is through His mother. His writings make up some of the earliest works on Mariology or the study of the theology of Mary.
The Battle of Lepanto (Our Lady of Victory)
The Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, formerly known as Feast of Our Lady of Victory and Feast of the Holy Rosary is celebrated on October 7th each year in the General Roman Liturgical Calendar. October 7th is the anniversary of the decisive victory of the combined fleet of the Holy League of 1571 over the Ottoman navy at the Battle of Lepanto.
In 1571, Pope Pius V organized a fleet under the command of Don Juan of Austria, the half-brother of King Philip II of Spain. While preparations were underway, the Holy Father asked all of the faithful to say the rosary and implore our Blessed Mother’s prayers, under the title Our Lady of Victory, that our Lord would grant victory to the Christians. Although the Moslem fleet outnumbered that of the Christians in both vessels and sailors, the forces were ready to meet in battle. The Christian flagship flew a blue banner depicting Christ crucified. On October 7, 1571, the Moslems were defeated at the Battle of Lepanto. The following year, Pope St. Pius V established the Feast of the Holy Rosary on October 7, where the faithful would not only remember this victory, but also give thanks to the Lord for all of His benefits and remember the powerful intercession of our Blessed Mother.
The Feast of the Holy Rosary (October 7th) continues to be included in the liturgical calendar, which estifies to the importance and goodness of this form of prayer. Archbishop Fulton Sheen said, “The rosary is the book of the blind, where souls see and there enact the greatest drama of love the world has ever known; it is the book of the simple, which initiates them into mysteries and knowledge more satisfying than the education of other men; it is the book of the aged, whose eyes close upon the shadow of this world, and open on the substance of the next. The power of the rosary is beyond description.’
PRAYERS RECITED IN THE HOLY ROSARY
THE HAIL MARY PRAYER
The Holy Rosary prayer has its foundation in the Bible. The very words of Elizabeth to Mary during the visitation, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb” (Luke 1:42) was the first addition to be made. In 1050 AD, these words formed the basis of the Rosary prayer, and then in 1261, ope Urban IV added the name of Jesus to the end of Elizabeth’s words. This early form of the Hail Mary was recited 150 times on the beads. By the fifteenth century, the 150 Hail Marys had been divided into sets of ten, Known as “decades, with an Our Father at the beginning of each. The Hail Mary prayer came together slowly. It took more than a thousand years. The earliest version simply added Mary’s name to the message delivered by the angel Gabriel to Mary: “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee” (Luke 1:28).
St. Peter Canisius published the Hail Mary in his 1555 Catechism with almost the entire final petition: “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners.” Eleven years later, the Catechism of the Council of Trent (a work that Canisius was instrumental in creating) included, for the first time, the entire final petition, concluding with the words “now and at the hour of our death. Amen.” The version of the Hail Mary we pray today was given official approval in 1568.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women; and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
THE FATIMA PRAYER
On May 13, 1917, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to three shepherd children in the village of Fatima, Portugal. On that fateful day near that tiny village, The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, appeared to three young peasant children: Francisco and Jacinta Marto, and Lucia Santos; ages 10, 9 and 7. As was the custom, these youngsters were tending their family’s sheep when “a Lady all in white, more brilliant than the sun… indescribably beautiful,” standing above a bush, appeared to the youngsters. From May through October 1917, the Lady appeared and spoke to the children on the 13th day of each month. She told them to come back to that exact place on the 13th day of each month for the next six months. The last apparition on October 13, 1917, the Blessed Virgin Mary had promised a sign that would convince the world she had appeared, many pilgrims made plans to attend. Though the region had been subjected to three days of torrential downpour, nearly 70,000 people, including believers and skeptics journeyed through the heavy rain and mud to the place of the previous apparitions to witness the predicted miracle. Suddenly, the “clouds separated…and the sun appeared between them in the clear blue, like a disk of white fire.” After the series of events, it has become what is known as the Miracle of the Sun, or the Miracle of Fatima. During the apparitions, the Blessed Virgin Mary promised she would appear to them each time and entrust a message to them. The Blessed Virgin Mary told the children to pray for world peace by reciting the Holy Rosary every day. During the apparition on July 13, 1917, the Blessed Virgin Mary asked the children to add a short prayer (the Fatima prayer) to the end of each decade of the rosary:
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, Save US from the fires of hell; lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of thy mercy.
Today, this is referred to as the Fatima prayer, and many Catholics incorporate it into the Holy Rosary as the Blessed Virgin Mary requested.
THE MYSTERIES OF THE HOLY ROSARY
The mysteries of the Holy Rosary were introduced by St. Dominic of Prussia sometime between 1410 and 1439. This gave each decade of the Holy Rosary a unique quality. Each mystery leads us to ponder very specific events in the lives of Jesus and Mary and the lessons they hold for our own lives today.
There were originally three sets of mysteries: the Joyful Mysteries, the Sorrowful Mysteries, and the Glorious Mysteries. On October 16, 2002, almost 600 years after the original Mysteries of the Holy Rosary were established, Pope John Paul II proposed adding a new set of mysteries called the Luminous Mysteries (the Mysteries of Light). The Catholic Church has set aside days to aid in praying the Holy Rosary. The mysteries are prayed on specific days of the week; with the addition of the Luminous Mysteries on Thursday, the others are the Glorious on Sunday and Wednesday, the Joyful on Monday and Saturday, and the Sorrowful on Tuesday and Friday.
The Catholic Holy Rosary prayers beautifully accompany the various seasons within the Church year. These special Catholic prayers are adjusted during the seasons of Christmas and Lent. In the Christmas season, the Joyful Mysteries are prayed on Sundays. Likewise, during the season of Lent, the Sorrowful Mysteries are prayed on Sundays. Thereby giving emphasis to the events in the life of Jesus that are being celebrated during those two seasons of the year. His incarnation and birth during Christmas and His assion and death during Lent.
JOYFUL MYSTERIES OF THE HOLY
ROSARY
Recited on Monday & Saturday
– The Annunciation of the Lord to Mary
Mary is chosen to be the mother of Jesus.
– The Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth
Elizabeth recognizes Mary as the mother of our Lord.
– The Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ
Jesus is born and laid in a manger.
– The Presentation of our Lord
Jesus is presented in the Temple of Jerusalem.
– Finding Jesus in the Temple at age 12
Jesus is found discussing God’s laws in the temple.
SORROWFUL MYSTERIES OF THE HOLY
ROSARY
Recited on Tuesday & Friday
– The Agony of Jesus in the Garden
Jesus prays when confronted with the sins of the world.
– The Scourging at the Pillar
Jesus is whipped before His execution.
– Jesus is Crowned with Thorns
Jesus is mocked with a painful crown of thorns.
– Jesus Carried the Cross
Jesus carries the weight of our sins to His crucifixion.
– The Crucifixion of our Lord
Jesus Christ dies to save all mankind
GLORIOUS MYSTERIES OF THE HOLY
ROSARY
Recited on Wednesday & Sunday
– The Resurrection of Jesus Christ
Jesus rises triumphant over death.
– The Ascension of Jesus to Heaven
As Jesus ascends, He gives us a special task.
– The Descent of the Holy Ghost
At Pentecost the Church is born.
– The Assumption of Mary into Heaven
The Virgin Mary is gloriously assumed into heaven.
– Mary is Crowned as Queen of Heaven and Earth
Mary is honored above all creatures
LUMINOUS MYSTERIES OF THE HOLY
ROSARY
Recited on Thursday
– The Baptism in the Jordan
God proclaims Jesus is His Son.
– The Wedding at Cana
Jesus performs a surprising miracle ata wedding.
– The Proclamation of the Kingdom
Jesus calls us to do something important.
– The Transfiguration
Jesus is gloriously transformed.
– The Institution of the Eucharist
Jesus shares His Body and Blood for our salvation
HOW TO PRAY THE HOLY ROSARY
(Please refer to the attached link instructions with pictorials on how to pray he Holy Rosary | https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc: VA6C2:4ad4595e-cf42-4fe7-8e41-bf2898d35347)
The Holy Rosary is one of the most cherished prayers of our Catholic faith. In praying the Holy Rosary, it begins with the introduction of the Creed (“I believe”); the Our Father, three Hail Marys and the Doxology (“Glory Be”), and concluded with the Salve Regina (“Hail Holy Queen’).
The Holy Rosary involves the recitation of ive decades consisting of the Our Father, 10 Hail Marys and the Doxology (“Glory Be”). During this recitation, the individual meditates on the saving mysteries of our Lord’s life and the faithful witness of our Blessed Mother Mary.
Journeying through the mysteries of the Holy Rosary, the Joyful, Luminous, (Mysteries of Light), Sorrowful and Glorious mysteries of the Holy Rosary, the individual brings to mind our Lord’s incarnation; His public ministry; His passion and death, and His resurrection from the dead. In so doing, the rosary assists us in growing in a deeper appreciation of these mysteries, in uniting our life more closely to our Lord and in imploring His graced assistance to live the faith. We also ask for the prayers of our Blessed Mother, who leads all believers to her Son.
How to Pray the Rosary: Step-By-Step Instructions for Praying The Rosary
– Begin by holding the crucifix, saying “In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” (making the sign of the Cross while doing that), then say the Apostles Creed.
– On the single bead just above the cross, pray the “Our Father.’ This and all prayers of the rosary are meditative prayers. – The next cluster has 3 beads. The “Hail Mary” prayer is said on these three beads. You pray the 3 Hail Marys while meditating on the three divine virtues of faith, hope, and love/charity.
¢ On the chain or cord after the three beads, say the ‘Glory be…’
– On the next bead, which is a single bead, you announce the first divine mystery of contemplation. For example, if it were a Monday, you would say the first Joyful Mystery is ‘The Annunciation’, at this point you pray the “Our Father” prayer.
* Now this will bring you to the first decade, or set of 10 beads of the Rosary.
You will then pray 10 Hail Marys while contemplating the first mystery, example: The Annunciation.
– After the 10th Hail Mary you will have completed the first of 5 decades, which makes up a Chaplet of the Rosary. You now come to another single bead. At this point, you pray the… Glory be to the Catha tha n tha a haad)\ ray tharauiel. .. then (on the same Dead), pray LIIS O My Jesus… then (on the same bead), announce the next or second mystery. For example: if it’s Monday and you’re praying the Joyful Mysteries, the second Joyful Mystery is The Visitation. At this point, you pray the Our Father…
– You will now come to the second decade or group of 10 beads, and you will now pray the 10 Hail Marys while contemplating the appropriate mystery.
– You continue to pray the rosary the same way throughout. If your intention is to pray a Chaplet (a single set of mysteries) at the end of the fifth mystery you will come back to the joiner, this is where the decades all join with the lower part of the rosary which contains the cross. When you come to the joiner, you decide whether or not you wish to say another Chaplet or end. If you decide to say another Chaplet, you simply announce the next mystery and continue. lf you wish to end, you simply say the Glory Be To The Father, the O My Jesus, The Our Father, and end the rosary with the Hail Holy Queen and the sign of the Cross……..
Various Rosary Prayers in approximate order as prayed in the Holy Rosary:
THE APOSTLE’S CREED
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried, He descended into hell; the third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty, from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. | believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen
THE OUR FATHER
Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
THE DOXOLOGY
Glory be to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. (This prayer is optional and may be said after all. Glory Be to the Fathers…..) my Jesus, have mercy on us. Forgive us our sins. Save us from the fires of hell. Take all souls into heaven, especially those most in need of thy mercy. Amen.
THE HAIL MARY
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
DECADE PRAYER
(Prayer for Priests): God, our Father, please send us holy priests, all for the sacred and eucharistic heart of Jesus, all for the sorrowful and immaculate heart of Mary, in union with saint Joseph. Amen.
THE SALVE REGINA
(Hail Holy Queen): Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us and after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! V: Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God R: That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
LET US PRAY
O God, whose only begotten Son, by His life, death, and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal salvation. Grant, we beseech Thee, that while meditating on these mysteries of the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, that we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through Christ our Lord. Amen. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us. Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.
FATIMA PRAYER
Most Holy Trinity – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – | adore thee profoundly. | offer Thee the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifference’s whereby He is offended. And through the infinite merits of His Most Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, | beg of Thee the conversion of poor sinners. “Let this prayer be echoed all over the world.’ – Mary Fatima Prayer My God, | believe, | adore, | hope, and | love You. | beg pardon of You for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope, and do not love You. Mary, Queen of the Holy Rosary, pray for us. Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us. Mary, Our Loving Mother, pray for us.
MEMORARE
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary that never was it known that anyone who fled to Your protection, implored Your help, or sought Your intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, we fly to you, O Virgin of virgins, our Mother. To You we come; before You we stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not our petitions, but in Your mercy, hear and answer us. Amen.
The Fifteen Promises of Mary to Christians Who Recite the Holy Rosary
– Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Holy Rosary shall receive signal graces.
– | promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Holy Rosary.
– The Holy Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell. It will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies.
– It will cause virtue and good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the heart of men from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire of eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means.
– The soul that recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Holy Rosary shall not perish.
– Whoever shall recite the Holy Rosary devoutly, applying himself to the consideration of its sacred mysteries shall never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise him in His justice. He shall not by an unprovided death; if he be just he shall remain in the grace of God, and become worthy of eternal life.
¢- Whoever shall have a true devotion for the Holy Rosary shall not die without the sacraments of the Church.
– Those who are faithful to recite the Holy Rosary shall have during their life and at their death the light of God and the plenitude of His graces; at the moment of death they shall participate in the merits of the saints in paradise.
– | shall deliver from purgatory those who have been devoted to the Holy Rosary.
– The faithful children of the Holy Rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in heaven.
– You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the Holy Rosary.
– All those who propagate the Holy Rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities.
– | have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Holy Rosary shall have for intercessors the entire celestial court during their life and at the hour of death.
– All who recite the Holy Rosary are my son and brothers of my only son, Jesus Christ.
– Devotion of my Holy Rosary is a great sign of predestination.
The Holy Rosary and its impact on us
The Holy Rosary is an incredibly beautiful and rewarding spiritual practice for people of all ages. The Holy Rosary is ever new because the situations and mysteries we are pondering have an unlimited number of dimensions to consider. It is like an ancient treasure map that has led countless men and women from all walks of life to the treasures of peace, joy, clarity, and contentment. It has, for many centuries, impacted lives positively and powerfully to this day! According to the words of Pope Paul VI, “when we pray the rosary we can experience the key moments of the Gospel. It is a simple, beautiful, and focused meditation, especially when focusing on the mysteries of the Holy Rosary.”
We thank God for His grace and mercy. May our Blessed Mother Mary continue to intercede for us all. Amen.
Jesus MARY, Queen of the Holy Angel ~ Pray for us.
Jesus, Mary, | Love You, Save Souls
J.M.J. = JESUS, MARY, JOSEPH – the Holy Family ~ Pray for us.
REFERENCES
The History of the Rosary | https://www.dynamiccatholic.com/rosary/history-of-the-rosary.html
History of the Rosary | Fr. William Saunders | EWTN | https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/history-of-the-rosary-1142
The Origins of the Rosary | Franciscan Media | https://www.franciscanmedia.org/st-anthony-messenger/the-origins-of-the-rosary/
A Brief History of the Rosary – Part | | Fr.Thomas Nathe | Holy Redeemer
Catholic Parish, Vancouver, WA | https://holyredeemervan.org/pastor-columns/rosary-history-1
The Holy Rosary | https://www.catholic.org/prayers/rosary.php