Anglican Rosary
What is the Anglican Rosary?
The practice of praying with beads for Christians is believed to originate with the Desert Fathers around the 3rd and early 4th centuries where they carried pebbles in a pouch for counting prayer. These pebbles eventually became beads and were strung on cord. Over the years the beads have transformed and changed to various styles and types depending on the religious group or personal need. In the 1980's a group of Episcopal parishioners were contemplating the use of an ancient practice of praying with beads and they developed the simplified Anglican prayer beads. Prayer beads and rosaries have remained an important part of spiritual practice providing aid in meditation and prayer.
The simple act of using Anglican Prayer Beads can deepen and transform our devotions into a richer spiritual experience. Praying with beads provides a tactile way to slow down our busy lives, becoming more focused in the moment while meditating upon our prayers. A rosary helps us take the time to notice what we are doing, feeling and thinking at the time we are actually doing, feeling and thinking it by slowing down these processes bead by bead, or one prayer at a time. God is part of our everyday lives, paying attention to God and focusing on God’s kingdom is a fundamental practice of Christian mindfulness.
Anglican prayer beads are composed of a cross and 33 beads, 5 large and 28 small beads. Thirty-two of the beads form a circle, with one large bead and the cross outside the circle. The thirty-three beads remind us of the number of years of Jesus' life on earth before his ascension to heaven. Using Anglican prayer beads is fairly simple, and flexible, you may design a prayer routine of your own choosing with this type of rosary. There are no set or assigned prayers, the choice is yours.
Many formulated Anglican rosary prayers are pieced together from the Bible scriptures. You may choose to pray through each and every bead or maybe you prefer to simply hold the beads in your hands while you pray.
Praying with the Rosary
When praying with the beads, begin with the cross. Hold the cross in one hand and acknowledge God's presence while saying your opening prayer.
Next, move to the invitatory bead and say your chosen prayer. Some prayer beads include an additional small bead just above the invitatory, this is often referred to as the Resurrection bead and signifies a reminder that Christ lives on.
Move your fingers up to the cruciform bead above the Invitatory bead and say your chosen prayer. On this bead and the three similar it is common to repeat a verse from Scripture.
Move your fingers up to the first set of beads to the right (you will be praying in a counterclockwise direction). Grasp the first bead and say your chosen prayer. Repeat this prayer on the next six beads if desired.
Move your fingers to the next cruciform bead and say your chosen cruciform prayer.
Continue with your prayers around the circle.