Re: CHAT: Rosaries (was: Ave Maria)

Am 06/28 20:53  Raymond Brown yscrifef:

> Depends whether you mean the full rosary of 150+ beads, or the smaller one
> of 50+ normally used by us lay folks  :)
>
The only real history of the Rosary that I have managed to find is _The
Rose Garden Game_.  I can't remember the author off hand.  It starts
with the history of the Catholic rosary but also includes chapters on
the rosary in other traditions.  I haven't found anything as
authoritative yet.  Among my re-enactment kit I have a loop of 50 beads
separated into groups of ten each.  This is similar to the prayer beads
that the historic lady Godiva bequeathed to a statue of the Virgin Mary,
which is about the earliest reference to the use of the rosary.  With
this I should be able to recite psalms (three times around), the
Paternoster, and the Creed; the Hail Mary not developing until after the
period I'm involved with.  I sometimes carry it with me and use it to
recite the Jesus Prayer through the day.

- andrew.
--
Andrew Smith, Intheologus                       hobbit@earthlight.co.nz