Rosaries

The root word for bead is bede, meaning “to pray”. So when you think about it, a rosary circlet of beads comes together in perfect harmony. Prayer counters date back at least nine centuries before the Christian era and have been made in a variety of forms. There was a time when all 7mm to 8mm beads were made only for rosaries. Laws that forbade common folk from wearing fine silks and gold passementerie or trims spilled over into how beads were used. By the 12th century, Murano, a tiny island in the lagoon of Venice, was the primary exporter of glass beads and cane. Eventually the Czechs discovered they didn’t have to send caravans there to buy their rosary beads – they could make their own for the growing European market. Then came the period (1700s) of the intricate filigree bead; 250 families of Schwabish Gmund (Upper Bavaria) alone produced filigree rosaries. These elegant rosaries, also made in Austria, threw the religious into concerns over vanity so new laws were posted against wearing them. Gold enamel pomander beads of the 1500s were often set with jewels and shaped in natural openwork forms (flowers, hearts and balls). They were filled with musk, cloves and myrrh and believed to protect the wearer from the plague with the aroma like the sweet incense of prayer rising to heaven. By 1569, the traditional rosary used by Catholics had settled into a design with five-decade Ave beads punctuated by six Pater beads.

Which beads should you use to make rosaries or chaplets? Just about anything that can be strung will work, from faceted pearls to bright red plastic roses – even real rosebuds dipped in a special pliable plastic are now available. Deer horn, semiprecious stones, glass, crystal, carved figures, trade beads, and metal work well. Vintage necklaces with personal meaning can be taken apart and the beads used to make rosaries. Consider using natural elements such as eucalyptus seeds, cork, live pits, chestnuts, acorns, peach pits, paw-paw, or date seeds. Try trapa seeds or spina Christi beads, Job’s tears, pods, or anything available in your area that can be drilled. Rudraksha and bodhi seeds have been used for centuries. Sandalwood is wonderful for it leaves its aroma on your hands. Rosaries traditionally carry a cross or crucifix as a pendant, but Reliquary boxes holding relics, medals of various saints, tassels used to wipe away ones tears, or even bells can be used in place of a crucifix. Making rosaries can become addicting – it’s hard to make just one. Keep in mind that you will want to invest in good tools and supplies as they make all the difference in your finished rosary. When crafting things of God, each should be of the highest aesthetic and artistic beauty our hearts and hands can make with the materials available to us. He deserves the very best fruits of our labor. I believe this ideal should carry into everything we do.