Not every churchgoer knows that Christian rosaries exist, how to use them correctly and what they are needed for. A large number of people associate rosaries with something eastern, but they appeared in Christianity at the beginning of the 4th century, this merit is attributed to St. Anthony.
The rosary helps you concentrate on prayer, constantly exercise your mind and will, concentrate and not waste your attention on sinful things. The life of a Christian is a constant work to save one’s soul. The holy apostles said, “Pray without ceasing,” and this is recorded in the Holy Scriptures 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 lay people: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”
What are rosary beads?
It can be assumed that each of us has an idea about this subject, although often very distant. Outwardly, they resemble a necklace with many beads (grains) strung on a thread. They can be round or oval - the shape is not limited to a couple of options.
The thread that connects the beads together forms a circle when fastened together. The place of fastening itself can also be decorated with beads, as well as a tassel made of threads, chains or other materials, depending on the religion of the owner.
The rosary has long become the embodiment of the flow of life.
Kinds
In Orthodoxy there are three types of rosaries:
- ropes;
- stairs;
- ladders
Lestovki are the oldest type of Orthodox rosary and are literally translated as “ladder.” The lestovka has little in common with the current rosary and is a belt lined with bobbin loops. They are arranged in a certain way, and in the end the belt really resembles a ladder.
The edges of the belt are sewn up with triangles called paws. The hollow loops are filled with small paper rolls on which various prayers are written. Lestovki in our time are used only by Old Believers, but you can see them with your own eyes in many museums.
The ladders are similar to the previous type of rosary, but they are closed in a ring. Their elements are wooden blocks covered with fabric. Also, the ladders can be in the form of a leather strip with flagella attached to it. This type of rosary is also used extremely rarely.
The rope was discussed above: beads alternate with knots, and at the end of the chain, more precisely, at the junction of the two ends, there is a large knot, a cross and a brush.
Application area
It is not difficult to guess from the name that this item was originally a religious attribute. It is used when counting prayers read. If prayer is continuous, then the rosary, photos of which you can see in the article, help to avoid drowsiness, enter a certain rhythm of reading and not lose concentration.
There is an interpretation of the rosary as the embodiment of the flow of life. A separate bead represents a lived moment or day, and, going through them one after another, we accept the idea that life flows, and the allotted moments must be let go calmly until the very end of the thread.
Islam is not the only religion that uses this attribute. It may be Buddhism or Christianity, but each of them has a certain form. There are several names for Muslim rosaries: subha, misbaha, tasbih.
How to use?
Currently, rosaries are not used only by clergy: they can be purchased by any believer, and the blessing of the church is not mandatory. They are used to remind people to pray so that if a person needs it, the church will not interfere.
You can carry the rosary with you in your pocket, wallet, bag, turning to them when necessary. You can purchase very miniature ropes, which consist of only 10 beads.
They can be worn on the hand, but should not be taken as decoration. While fingering the smooth beads with the finger of your left hand, you need to turn your thoughts to the Lord. When reading a prayer, you need to move one bead after each of them.
As a rule, rosaries are used to read short prayers to God, one’s Saint, the Queen of Heaven and others. If, when reading prayers, a person reaches a special bead, a larger one, he needs to read a special appeal to the Lord, for example, the Our Father or the Creed.
It is important to speak with an open soul, to turn directly to the highest powers.
Number of beads
What do Muslim rosaries look like and how many beads should be strung on their thread? Traditionally, rosary beads in Islam contain 99 beads, according to the number of names of Allah. They can also have 33 and 11 beads (grains), fastened with a special brush or lock bead.
Mostly the rosary consists of 11 grains, which are separated by a flat circle, a separator bead, after which the quantity is repeated until required.
How to learn to weave Orthodox rosaries according to the pattern
In fact, there is nothing difficult about making rosary beads yourself, with your own hands, having first asked for the blessing of the priest.
To begin with, you should practice 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 there should be a large bead.
The pattern of weaving Orthodox rosaries begins from left to right, stepping back some distance from the edge of the cord or rope. That is, the leftmost node will be the first, and the countdown begins from there.
When the required number of knots are tied, we close the circle with one large knot or large bead, as a result, both ends of the cords should be directed downwards. Three more knots are tied on them, at the end of which a cross is suspended, which must be consecrated, bought in a church shop.
Making rosaries
As in any other business, there are professionals here who are known for their skill in skillfully carving beads. They know how to make proper rosary beads (Muslim). At the same time, one of the most important and responsible processes is drilling that same hole in the bead. For particularly small holes, the master needs all his experience. By the way, craftsmen often make a machine for work on their own.
Making rosary beads is long and painstaking work. To begin, drill holes in the selected pieces of material. After this, they are made oval, faceted, flattened, pear-shaped or spherical. They always make more beads: for a product with 99 grains, the master prepares 110–120 beads. This is explained by the fact that before threading, the most suitable ones will be selected for each other. Unused beads will be used to make a 33-grain rosary.
But the work doesn't end there yet. Beads are only the basis for a future product. Now you need to make the remaining elements of the rosary:
- Nissan – a flat separator bead, which is placed every 33 grains;
- pool - a small bead indicating the seventh position;
- imam - a long component indicating the beginning of the thread.
After the imam, the Tepelik is made - the part that is located at its end. A recess is made in the imam to mask the knot of thread.
It is equally important that all the above elements are in harmony with each other in the same way as the selected beads. Traditionally, all beads should be the same size, but it happens that beads differ in size, and they are strung on a thread in descending order, starting with the largest.
Previously, the thread for rosaries was certainly silk, but now nylon threads of different colors are also used.
After all the components are ready, they are strung on a thread in the required order, decorated and engraved with inscriptions. Then they pull it together and add a decorative brush.
How many grains are in a rosary
The components of a rosary are called grains, not beads. The number of these grains may vary. There are rosaries with 33 grains - 30 small and 3 large, and there are 110 grains - 100 large and 10 small.
In the Buddhist tradition, rosaries with 108 grains are used, and among Muslims - with 99 grains. Catholic rosary has 150 grains. There are also so-called cell rosaries, in which there are 1100 grains (1000 large and 100 small).
In Rus', a rosary made of 150 grains was called “Virgin Mary”.
The rosary is not a decoration or an accessory. They correspond with cyclicity and infinity, connection and continuity, a crown, a stairway to heaven.
For centuries, rosary beads have served one purpose - to help concentrate on one’s inner world, to distract oneself from vain and sinful things, to let one’s soul fly freely during prayers and meditations, and also to resonate with God.
In fact, the rosary is a kind of tool that allows a person to tune in to the divine wave. Their shuffling sets a special transcendental rhythm for words and thoughts.
Material for rosary
There are quite a lot of materials, and their choice is unlimited. Wood, rope, semi-precious and precious stones and minerals are used to make the product. There is also simpler material - seeds of various fruits, peas and beans, shells, corn seeds.
The last one listed is a natural and healing material. In the process of friction, the rosary becomes electrified, and the person receives a small charge of electricity - the effect of electrophysiotherapy.
Muslim rosary beads made of wood help relieve headaches and improve sleep. If the material for the product was fragrant wood, for example, juniper, then they are stored in a closed box in order to preserve the smell.
Once upon a time, the Turkish nobility preferred rosary beads made of natural stones. Products made from rock crystal were the most popular. Their beads were cool, and their faceted grains created small rainbows of sunlight. The craftsmen crowned them with silver tassels, each of which was a work of jewelry.
Today, Muslim rosaries are made from synthetic materials. Their production has long been on an industrial scale, and they are sold at a fairly low price. Rosary beads brought from Turkey are a worthy and memorable gift.
How rosary beads affect the body
Muslim rosary can have a healing effect on the body, depending on which finger receives the greatest impact:
- index finger - headache disappears and difficulty breathing stabilizes;
- middle finger - tempering anger;
- ring finger - blood pressure is normalized and magnetic storms are tolerated favorably;
- the center of the palm affects the nervous system and relieves stress.
Touching smooth beads will give you the opportunity to concentrate or relax. Rosary beads are also used to restore motor functions of the fingers after injuries and operations on them or for arthritis of the phalanges. For people suffering from it, fingering the rosary relieves pain in the hands. Regular use of beads promotes balance and tranquility in a person.
Practical and pleasant rosary function
When a person is noticeably nervous and doesn’t know where to put his hands, then rosary beads are a great help in such a situation. If you hold them in your hands, people will definitely pay attention to you, because this is not an everyday accessory.
This is an additional topic for conversation, since although the product relates primarily to religion, the manufacturing process itself and the scope of application of the rosary can be of interest to any interlocutor. By the way, moving his attention to his hands will distract him from hidden flaws in his appearance.
Silver rosary (Muslim) or from other expensive materials - valuable metals, precious stones - will emphasize the status of their owner. There are collectors of these products, whose treasures number many examples and are in no way inferior to other works of art.
When choosing, remember that the product, first of all, should fit comfortably in your hand. High-quality beads should be elastic and pleasant to move. It is worth paying attention to the distance between the grains, the quality of the material from which the beads are made, and the condition of the thread.
Consider what the rosary is for: large items will not be suitable if you plan to carry them with you all the time. If you like rosary beads and are interested in using them, then it is better to have products of different shapes, colors and sizes on hand.
