Tradition

The Seven Joys of Our Blessed Virgin Mary

The Annunciation

The Visitation

The Nativity

The Adoration of the Magi

The Finding of Our Lord in the Temple

The Resurrection

The Assumption of Our Blessed Virgin Mary & Her Coronation as Queen of Heaven

The Seven Sorrows of Our Blessed Virgin Mary

The Prophecy of Simeon

The Flight into Egypt

The Loss of the Child Jesus, later found in His Father's House

Witnessing Jesus Carry His Cross

The Crucifixion

Taking Jesus Down from the Cross

The Burial of Jesus

The Tradition of the Rosary

Our Lord himself commanded us to pray unceasingly (Luke 18:1), so from the beginning, early traditions in the Church began with this command in mind. Early monks tossed pebbles into piles to keep count of Our Fathers. Later, prayers were counted on knotted cords. By the 12th century, knotted cords were replaced by beads, usually of wood or clay, and sometimes precious jewels. Over the centuries, many approved devotions developed from these circles of beads.

Our Rosary of today evolved from monks who were unable to recite the 150 Psalms of the Daily Office because they were unable to read. They recited 150 Our Fathers instead each day. Many Christian faithful began to recite 150 Hail Marys each day in Marian devotion. By the beginning of the 15th century, the 150 Hail Marys were recited in decades (groups of ten) punctuated by 15 Our Fathers. By the end of the 15th century, the additional custom of meditating on the central Gospel "Mysteries" of the life of Christ and Mary had developed while praying the Hail Marys.

Please visit this wonderful website, The National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi, and learn much more: http://www:shrinesf.org/