If you have a desire to buy a rosary, then it would be useful to learn more about the meaning of these beads so that your personal talisman is selected accordingly.
A thread with knots closed in a circle, used for stringing beads, was called a rosary (rosary), and a wide variety of materials could be used for their manufacture: stone, wood, bone. There is evidence that ritual rosaries were first made in India, and the mention of this dates back to the 2nd millennium BC.
The meaning of the rosary: what are they for?
Prayer. The number of knots or beads serves as a guideline for the correct number of performing ritual actions or reading prayers (mantras). If you use a closed rosary, then religious affiliation does not matter at all, because each of the existing religions - Christian, Buddhism, Islam, etc., use a rosary (rosary ring) as a symbol of unity of spirit and body, exaltation and spiritual enlightenment. Even outwardly, these products are practically indistinguishable from each other, although Christian rosaries are rosaries with a cross that is absent on analogues in other religions.
Concentration. Those many who do not know why the rosary is needed are surprised when they hear that turning it over makes it possible to concentrate better, maintain attention, and suppress the sleepy state. Therefore, if you are waiting for a monotonous work or educational process, the rhythmic fingering of the rosary beads is what you need to increase your productivity and attention.
Amulet- another option on how to use the rosary, because one of the most popular associations with them is cyclicity and infinity. Many believe that the rosary provides powerful protection against negative influences, allowing goodness and joy to "penetrate" into the life of its owner.
Health. Various healing practices have shown that the use of various materials for the rosary can endow them with the power to cure certain ailments. For example, it is recommended to buy a wooden rosary to improve fine motor skills of the fingers, which prevents or helps in the treatment of joint diseases. A rosary made of natural stones is no less useful, since each gem has a certain set of qualities that positively affect the human body.
How to wear a rosary - application?
If you want to wear a bracelet, the rosary should be wrapped around the wrist in two turns, although it is not uncommon to wear them instead of beads, around the neck. It is not considered bad manners to wear them and simply in your pocket or as a decorative item in a car or any part of the house. Do not forget about their unwanted contact with other people so that the amulet does not lose its power. The beads are suitable for both men and women
The rosary, as an auxiliary tool for turning to God, exists in any religion in the world. They can be of various colors and textures, vintage and newfangled. But they have one purpose - each bead means a specific prayer.
Initially, to read the required amount of the sacred text, natural materials suitable for finger picking were used - pebbles, seeds or plant bones. The creator of the rosary, the prototype of the current ones, is the founder of scheming, Pachomius the Great.
A monk living in the 4th century noticed that most novices are illiterate and cannot read a prayer without a book, and to make it easier to memorize the text and the number of prostrations, he suggested tying a knot on a piece of simple rope.
Later, with the development of the monastic movement, wooden blocks began to be strung on the thread. Since the rosary is a defense against demonic attack, with a spiritual sword and are given to a novice when he is tonsured a monk.
The meaning of the rosary for Orthodox Christians
The rosary serves modern Orthodox Christians in the same way as their spiritual ancestors:
For a true believer, the correct use of the rosary with the reading of prayers when it is impossible to visit the temple replaces church services.
The number of beads on the Orthodox rosary
Modern rosaries for Orthodox Christians are a closed chain of beads, most often strung on a woolen thread. How many should there be? The number varies from ten to one hundred, or contain 33 peas, according to the number of earthly years of the Savior.
Every ten beads serve as a reminder of the commandments of Christ and are separated by balls of different texture or size. This allows you to completely immerse yourself in prayer without getting lost in counting. The rosary is crowned with an Orthodox cross with the image of Christ, which recalls humility and a call to do spiritual deeds for good. Sometimes under the cross of Christ there is a thread brush, which the priests use to sprinkle with holy water.
Differences in Christian and Muslim rosaries
Muslim rosary. The main sign of the Christian rosary is the presence of a cross. at the ends of the threads. Therefore, it is quite simple to distinguish Orthodox rosaries from Muslim ones.
Besides, there are 11 beads in the link of the Muslim rosary, according to the writings of the Prophet Muhammad. Accordingly, the total number of beads can range from 11 to 99 pieces, according to the number of names of Allah.
If Orthodox rosaries are most often made of wood, then Muslim products are made of glass and semi-precious stones. Stringed, as a rule, on a silk thread. Often the rosary for Muslims looks like a work of art and amaze with luxury. The junction of the thread is decorated with a brush, a crescent or a generic talisman.
How to pray with the rosary
There are no strict rules and special prayers using the rosary. Each layman himself determines the order of prayer, the main thing is that prayer comes from the heart and soul with all sincerity. If the mind of a layman is occupied with spiritual anxiety for a loved one, prayers for the health, peace or health of the sick person will help.
However, there is a generally accepted church practice that directs to the correct combination of prayer and rosary.
Each bead on a religious attribute symbolizes a prayer for Jesus Christ. Holding the first bead with his thumb and forefinger, the parishioner reads the Jesus Prayer “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner” or the prayer to the Mother of God: “Most Holy Mother of God, save us.”
Having reached the dividing ball, the layman says “Virgin Mary, rejoice” or “It is worthy to eat”, the Creed or the Fiftieth Psalm. You can add a prayer to the Guardian Angel, your saint and do not forget to overshadow yourself with the sign of the cross.
At the end of the entire thread of the rosary, the main prayer of all Christianity, "Our Father", is read.
Repeated prayer helps to delve deeper into the meaning and makes it possible to come into contact with the Lord.
In order not to be distracted from reading the prayer, the believer needs to take a comfortable body position and focus his attention. Only with complete devotion to prayer can one receive joy and peace from intimacy with the Lord.
Is it necessary to take a blessing
The Church does not have a strict ban on the use of a rosary by a layman, therefore, application without individual blessing is permissible. However, a sincere and deeply religious person should ask the priest for permission and guidance to use the rosary.
A clergyman, observing the life of a layman and listening to a confession, determines for himself how important a solitary prayer with a rosary is for an Orthodox. The one who wants to save his soul will soon find blessing, and the person who is looking for fun will be rejected.
How to make an Orthodox rosary with your own hands
Making a rosary for yourself is quite simple. First you need to determine what material they will be made of, because such an individual object of religion accumulates the power of faith and has a strong energy field that can calm a person and bring him into peace of mind.
The simplest option for making a rosary would be a regular cord with knots tied on it.
The number of nodes will mean:
Also, it is not a difficult way to make a rosary from ready-made beads of various sizes and a woolen thread bought in a needlework store. After each strung ball, a knot is tied on the thread. The finished chain is drawn with a brush.
Beads for the rosary are glass, stone or amber. But most often they use natural wood. The warm texture of wood is able to give vital energy, protect from impure forces and negativity, teaches patience and meekness and gives enlightenment to the mind.
For the manufacture of the product you will need:
- Thread for beading, or thin fishing line.
- A block of selected wood.
- Drill with a thin drill for wood.
- Sandpaper, a file with a fine notch.
- Lacquer or stain to cover the finished product.
- Cross.
- Jigsaw.
At the beginning of preparation, you should consider how many beads will be in the rosary. Procedure:
For the convenience of sorting the rosary, it is desirable to leave a small gap between the beads.
Whatever the rosary is made of, it is important to remember that they are a personal amulet and give peace of mind, combined with a prayer that comes from the heart.
Not every churched person knows that there are Orthodox rosaries, how to use them correctly and what they are for. A large number of people associate the rosary with something oriental, but they appeared in Christianity at the beginning of the 4th century, this merit is attributed to St. Anthony.
The rosary helps to focus on prayer, constantly exercise your mind and will, concentrate and not waste your attention on the sinful. The life of a Christian is an unceasing labor for the salvation of one's soul. The holy apostles said, "Pray without ceasing," and this is recorded in Holy Scripture in the Epistle to the Thessalonians.
The most famous of the prayers is the Jesus Prayer, which is said by all church ministers, monks, as well as the laity: "Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner (s)".
Types of Orthodox rosaries
Rosaries in Orthodoxy are divided into three types:
How many beads should be in an Orthodox rosary
Traditionally, in Orthodoxy, the number of "grains" is a multiple of ten. Most often it is 10, 20, 50. Monastic ones contain up to 1000.
Sometimes you can find a rosary with 33 beads, each for the year of the life of Jesus Christ on earth.
How to use the Orthodox rosary
First of all, the laity needs to receive the blessing of their confessor, since wearing a rosary is a monastic destiny. After all, not every person is led by true humility and repentance, and not pride. In addition, you need to know how to wear a rosary and how to pray with it.
It is necessary to hide them from prying eyes, in no case twist, play with them or use them as an accessory.
It should be remembered that the rosary is an object of reverence, and it must be treated accordingly. For the laity, an inconspicuous ten-beaded rosary would be a good choice.
The main task of the rosary is to keep the rhythm, because the very word "rosary" means "to count". The prayer goes through the beads with his fingers, and on each of them he reads the Jesus Prayer, and when he reaches the largest one - the Most Holy Theotokos or the Creed.
If necessary, in this way you can turn to the Saints or the Guardian Angel, say any prayers. If the worshiper is in solitude, then every decade a bow is made, earthly or waist.
Superstitions associated with the rosary
Hanging a rosary in a car, wrapping it around and wearing it like a bracelet, constantly twisting it and putting it on display, wearing it around your neck - all this is not a pious attitude towards a sacred object, but the rosary belongs to them.
The rosary, before you start using them, is necessarily consecrated in the temple, they, like any consecrated object, must be treated with reverence.
How to learn to weave an Orthodox rosary according to the scheme
In fact, there is nothing difficult in making a rosary on your own, with your own hands, after asking for blessings from the priest.
To begin with, it is worth practicing on the simplest knot pattern, and then you can move on to more elegant and complex ones. The main task is to tie the required number of knots. At the end of each ten should be a large bead.
The pattern of weaving the Orthodox rosary begins from left to right, stepping back from the edge of the cord or rope for some distance. That is, the leftmost node will be the first, the countdown starts from it.
When the required number of knots is tied, we close the circle with one large knot or a large bead, as a result, both ends of the cords should be directed down. Three more knots are tied on them, at the end of which a cross is hung, necessarily consecrated, bought in a church shop.
What are the rosary
Each of the major world religions has its own varieties of rosaries, which perform not only prayer, but also meditative, ritual functions.
The Catholic rosary, similar to a necklace with a cross, is worn around the wrist, like a bracelet, or around a belt.
Muslims call the rosary subha or "lash for the devil", usually have 99 beads, where each is associated with the names of Allah. The rosary for 11 beads is also common - according to the number of continuous steps in prayer.
The Buddhist rosary is small, "garland" in Sanskrit, has 108 grains. In Buddhism, the purpose of the rosary depends on the material from which they are made. It can be crystal, copper, and even human or animal bones. Some are used to chant mantras and enter a trance, while others are used to ward off evil beings.
What are church rosaries made of?
Most often, wood and leather have been used for these purposes since ancient times, however, for simple, ascetic rosaries, even a simple rope and any dried berries or wooden beads were used.
Materials for making rosaries vary from the simplest to the most expensive and exquisite - indeed, there is plenty to choose from.
Particularly valuable are rosaries made of semi-precious stones, pearls, ivory and silk cords. Nowadays there are even plastic rosaries.
It is not for nothing that the rosary is called the “spiritual sword” in monasticism, because with their help it is much easier to feel the connection with God, without being distracted by worldly thoughts and temptations. The monotonous sorting of beads helps to concentrate one's internal attention on prayer, which means to cleanse and spiritually improve, strengthen the soul, along with the spirit.
To distinguish Orthodox rosaries from non-Orthodox ones, pay attention to the number of links. For Orthodox rosaries, it is a multiple of ten: 20, 30, 50, 100, 150. The material is either leather (lestovka) or wool (knots instead of stones). Wooden or stone rosaries are also found in Orthodoxy, but they came to us from other cultures.
Before buying a rosary for prayer, it is customary to take the priest's blessings.
Types of Orthodox rosaries
Broyanitsa
Brojanica is a Serbian version of the Orthodox rosary. This is a simplified and compact version of the rope, and therefore resembles home sewing. The broyanitsa should be worn on the arm like a bracelet. Brojanica is made from wool, synthetic fabric or leather. These rosaries consist of 33 knots, which symbolize the number of years of Jesus Christ's stay on earth. The main detail of the rosary is a small equilateral cross made of wood or metal, often precious, on which a small icon can be engraved or drawn.
According to popular tradition, you can only get a brojanitsa as a gift.
Vervitsa
Vervitsa - a rosary made of rope with tied knots. This is the main version of the Orthodox rosary. They are sold in church shops and parish shops. Weaved in a special way from a single piece of woolen ribbon. Sometimes in the form of a cross.
In contrast to the brojan, the rope has 100 knots, which are separated from each other every 10 or sometimes 25 beads by a knot of a different size. There are more knots (up to a thousand) and fewer (33 and 10), which can be worn as a bracelet or ring.
Lestovka
Lestovka - Old Believer rosary. They look like a ribbon connected into a ring with special loops-bobbins into which folded paper rollers are inserted. Brief prayers (for example, “Lord, have mercy”) are entered into paper rollers to facilitate the prayer work of believers.
The Monk Seraphim of Sarov is often depicted on icons with a rosary-lestovka. In addition to Seraphim, the ladders were used by Sergius of Radonezh, Mother Alexandra, the original Diveevskaya, Ilia Muromets, Erasmus of Kiev-Pechersk, Mark the Silent of Sarov, and the righteous Juliania Lazarevskaya. In the photographs of Seraphim Zvezdinsky and Seraphim Vyritsky, we also see a ladder - a symbol of spiritual ascent from earth to heaven
Original Russian rosary
In Russia, the Orthodox used mainly rosary lestovka. Lestovka is a woven leather ribbon sewn in the form of a loop. The ancient ladder has 100 simple steps and 9 "great" ones. They are located in 3 steps at the beginning, middle and end of the ladder. These steps represent the nine ranks of the angels. The beginning and end of the ladder are marked with gaps without steps, symbolizing heaven and earth. The “great” steps divide the ladder into 4 unequal sections.
In the first section there are 12 steps. These steps symbolize the 12 apostles.
On the second section there are 38 steps. They denote 38 weeks that the Most Holy Theotokos carried in the womb of the Infant Jesus Christ.
Up to the third great step, 33 steps are strung (the years of the Savior's earthly life).
In the last fourth step there are 17 steps, symbolizing 17 Old Testament prophecies about Christ.
The tradition of using the rosary in Orthodoxy was founded by Pachomius the Great, an Egyptian monk who lived in the 3rd century BC. There is also evidence that the rosary was used by Basil the Great and Anthony the Great.
Previously, every pious Christian had to go through the ladder 7 times (that is, read 700 Jesus prayers). For this calculation, shifts were made under the lapostki - seven rectangles strung on a ribbon, according to the number of 7 sacraments of the church. This practical significance of shifting is absent in modern ladders; they are made either symbolically, or the lapostki are simply sewn tightly to each other.
In addition to the usual ladder, there are "Virgin ladders" with 150 steps. They are of late origin and were made to fulfill the "Mother of God rule".
How to pray with the rosary
The rosary is an obligatory item for monastics. Lay people can pray without a rosary. There are no strict rules on how to pray with the rosary.
Archpriest Igor Fomin:
“Praying the rosary is very easy. Each bead is one prayer. Clamp a bead between two fingers and read a prayer with your mind and heart. Let's take the Jesus Prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner." Or prayers to the Theotokos: “Most Holy Theotokos, save us”, “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice ...” to the Guardian Angel; Your saint has many options. If ten small beads are strung on a thread between large beads, then ten prayers must be read. And on a large bead - a special prayer. For example, the Lord's Prayer, the Creed or the Fiftieth Psalm..."
Often the rosary is used for prayer according to the Theotokos rule. In this case, you need to pinch one bead with your finger and read: “Our Lady, Virgin, rejoice!”. And so ten times. After that, download a special prayer on a large bead. We pray in the same way in other cases. For example, the Jesus Prayer.
The Monk Paisios of the Holy Mountain told an interesting story about the origin of the tradition of praying with the rosary. At a time when there were no clocks yet, an ancient monk fervently prayed with a rosary. But the evil one constantly hindered him in prayer. Every now and then, the demon untied the knots on the ascetic's rosary, and he could not count how many prayers and prostrations should be made. Therefore, the monk bowed to the point of exhaustion until he collapsed from fatigue. Then the Angel of the Lord took pity on the monk and showed that it was necessary to tie the rosary so that each knot had nine crosses. The demon was afraid of the cross and could no longer stop the monk from praying. And the nine crosses in the rosary symbolize the nine angelic ranks
Before buying a rosary, it is customary to take blessings. At the same time, the priest can give instructions on exactly how many links to acquire a rosary and what prayers to read.
During prayer, the rosary is held with the left hand, turning over the links with the thumb after each prayer.
It is undesirable to use the rosary for other purposes. Some wear a rosary around their neck, hang it in their car, or even twist it on their finger. Of course, one should not do this with Orthodox rosaries.
Christians have on their wrists a golden thread with a priceless pearl, for which the Evangelical merchant sold his estate and acquired wealth greater than the royal treasure. This golden circle is the rosary. The circle symbolically means eternity. Through the rosary, the soul of a person comes into contact with the spiritual world, where time is replaced by eternity.The circle is a symbol of infinity. The rosary is the beginning of a spiritual path that never ends; there is no boundary or limit for the soul's approach to God. The rosary is the silent voice of the guardian angel, awakening the soul to prayer, immersed in the images of the passing world, as in heavy dreams. The rosary is a mute bell that calls our thoughts from the outside world to our own heart, just like a church bell calls people to prayer in the temple. The rosary awakens the mind from the sticky slumber of everyday affairs. The rosary is a guide on the road from earth to heaven, a key that opens the doors of the heart to the name of Jesus Christ, a chain that connects the soul with the spiritual world, a ladder leading to Heavenly Jerusalem, where each knot is a step up.
The rosary is an inseparable friend and beloved girlfriend with whom the soul talks. It is the necklace of the spirit, the bridge from law to grace—from prayer rule to unceasing prayer. Each knot of the rosary becomes a gem in the spiritual piggy bank, which will open in eternity, this is the gold with which the soul will pay off during ordeals.
The knots of the rosary are the tears of prayer, which are counted by the guardian angel. The rosary is a person's hope that God is with him, even if fate throws him like a snowflake storm to the ends of the world. It is joy that the name of God is close to the soul, closer than the breath of the mouth, the light of the eyes and the beating of the heart. The movement of the fingers, sorting through the knots on the rosary, is like touching the bow along the innermost strings of the soul.
The Jesus Prayer is the basis of all prayers, therefore the rosary is a book of books, it is a song on the earthly path that renews the strength of a person. This is a staff on a distant journey, the fires of the father's house, which the soul sees from afar; it is the return of the purity of childhood and the wisdom of old age. The rosary is a rope lowered into hell, which sinners grab onto so that prayer can take them out of eternal darkness. The rosary is the joy of the ancestors that a prayer book was born in their family who can help them. The rosary is a ray of hope that flashed in the underworld. The rosary is the removal of a family curse and the multiplication of parental blessings. In the hands of the saints, the rosary was a noose with which they strangled the demon, and a scourge with which they drove away demons.
The knots of the rosary are stones on which sinful thoughts are broken - Babylonian babies. The knots of the rosary are the stars in the human hand. A rosary is a life belt thrown to a drowning man in a pool of sin. The circle of the rosary is the fortress walls, inside which a person is safe. The rosary is a trapper's net in which a demon gets entangled like a wild beast, trying to destroy prayer; it is a fiery barrier that a pack of wolves that surrounds a person cannot cross. The rosary is a snare with which the mind catches thoughts, like a bird-catcher - songbirds.
The rosary is a spiritual path that does not end, and a song that does not stop. The rosary is the closed gate of Eden, which is now reopened in the name of Jesus Christ. The rosary is the string of the bow, and the name of Christ is the burning arrows that strike Satan. The rosary is the mouth of a friend that sucks out snake venom from the wounds of the soul. The rosary is a marvelous plant with fragrant flowers that grew in paradise. It is a helmet for the mind and a shield for the heart, protecting the Christian in spiritual battle.
The knots of the rosary are the eyes through which a person sees the sky, and angelic eyes that look into the depths of his heart. This is a branch from the paradise tree of life, which grants immortality. The rosary is like a Cherub with a fiery sword, guarding the doors of the heart from evil spirits. The rosary is a treasure that is acquired at a high price: for it you must give all the perishable things that you have acquired in the world in order to receive the incorruptible and eternal. The rosary is a hammer that breaks the hard stone of the human heart; it is a lightning-like light that enlightens the dark night of the soul, a miraculous clay that heals the eyes of the blind.
The rosary is the hope for the One God, in which the hope for man disappears. The rosary is a deep well, at the bottom of which the living waters of grace flow; it is an invisible stream that extinguishes the fire of our passions. The rosary is the strings of the psalter and the echo of angelic chants. The rosary is a new spiritual heart opening in the chest. The rosary is a hundred-star thread that rotates like a firmament burning with countless stars; this is a chandelier, ignited by the touch of fingers to the knots of thread, a hundred candlelight, ignited in the name of Jesus Christ, like a wick from a flame. A rosary is a book with ancient writings, in which something new is always revealed.
The rosary is like the rod of Moses, which turned into a snake to devour the poisonous snakes created by the Egyptian Magi - pride and carnal passions that nest in the human heart. The rosary is the staff of Moses, which turned the bitter source of Measure - worldly sorrows - into a spring that exudes pure streams of water - spiritual comfort. The rosary is a myrrh that heals every wound of the soul.
The knots of the rosary are wheat seeds that become ears of corn in the Hereafter. The rosary is the hilt of a sword in the hand of a warrior, always ready for a spiritual battle. The rosary is a boundary line between two kingdoms - heavenly and earthly. The rosary is the wings that lift the mind up and keep it above the ground: prayer stops - the rosary stops and freezes in the hand, and the mind, like a shot bird, falls to the ground.
The rosary is an artist's brush, painting the face of God in the soul with colors from the light. The rosary is a chisel that engraves the name of Jesus Christ on the tablets of the heart; it is a golden pen that writes the commandments of God in the depths of the soul. The rosary is a knife that cleanses the scrolls of memory from the dirt of sins.
Rosary - Sinai, where God appears to man, a burning bush, in which God reveals His name. The rosary is a window to heaven and a door to the secret abode of the heart. This is the silence of the soul - Eve - before the seductive speech of the serpent; it is the firmness of the mind - Adam - before the passionate words of Eve - the feelings of the fallen soul. The rosary is the renunciation of the soul from leather robes sewn from animal skins, and dressing in the former clothes of light. The rosary is a cry for Eden lost on earth and the joy of finding a heavenly paradise. The rosary is a casket where the treasure of all treasures is kept - the name of Jesus Christ.
If you have enemies who do not want to reconcile with you, then prayer on the rosary, like the spring sun, will melt the ice of their hearts and make enemies friends. If your soul is barren as a desert, then the rosary will become streams of rain, from which sand and stones will be covered with flowers.
The rosary is a bolt on the door of the inner cell, so that seductive images of the world do not penetrate there like night thieves. The rosary is a curtain for the eyes and a lock for the tongue. This is the oblivion of the dark past and the renunciation of the vague future; it is a release from passionate memories and anxious worries about tomorrow. The rosary is the dedication of oneself and loved ones to the Providence of God. The rosary is a spiritual path from Jericho to Jerusalem - from the cursed city to the city of God. The rosary is a bridge thrown over the banks of the Jordan, over which one in a thousand can pass. The rosary is a ray of light that flashed on Tabor; it is the language in which the soul speaks with the celestials, it is the vision of the invisible and the hearing of the silent.
The rosary is a sacred feat performed in the heart, where the spirit lives. These are the scales on which the mind weighs every word like a jeweler of grains of gold before pronouncing it. The rosary is compassion for the sinner and a hand extended to the fallen. A rosary is a belt that tightens the womb - carnal passions. The rosary is a treasure that a person takes with him to the grave: grave diggers and thieves will not covet this spiritual wealth. During the time of God-forsaking and despondency, prayer on the rosary is like a path through the desert, where the sky seems to be studded with copper, and the earth is red-hot like an oven, when the mind hardly pronounces the words of prayer, when thoughts and feelings are like dead ashes, and only the will says: go, do not leave prayers.
The rosary is a vision of the world in its future transformation. The rosary is the rod of Moses, which divided the Red Sea: with a rosary in his hand and a prayer in his heart, a person passes along the bottom of the sea of \u200b\u200blife, as if along a stone road. A rosary is a seal with the name of Jesus attached to the heart. The rosary is the Gospel that is always in hand: whoever prays on the rosary reads the word of God at any time in any place.
The rosary is a spiritual relationship with the saints. This is the wind that blows the fire of love for God, the underground waters that nourish the roots of spiritual plants. The rosary is the gift of the three wise men: incense - unceasing prayer, myrrh - the mortification of passions, gold - the name of Jesus Christ. The rosary is the flight of the soul from the tyranny and passions of the world, similar to the flight of Lot from the doomed Sodom. The rosary is the return of the prodigal son to his Heavenly Father.
