History Of The Rosary
Mary Reveals The Rosary
To Bring You Closer To Her Son
"The Rosary, when it is prayed in an authentic way...
brings, in fact, peace and reconciliation."
-Pope Benedict XVI
The history of the Rosary is as old as the Church, for from the times of the
apostles Christians were meditating upon these mysteries in Jesus' life.
However, it wasn't until the year 1208, that the Rosary as we know it came to be.
Mary herself revealed the Rosary to St. Dominic.
It was her wish that this devotion be spread throughout the world.
History Of The Rosary
More Champions For The Rosary
Blessed Alan De La Roche
Alberto Da Castello
Pope St. Pius V
Within the early history of the Rosary, only 100 years later, devotion to the Rosary
declined substantially.
Not long after the Black Plague swept across Europe in the 1300s,
Mary choose Blessed Alan de la Roche to re-establish devotion to her Rosary.
The people needed the peace and reassurance that this prayer brings more than ever.
Alan belonged to the order St. Dominic founded. He was a Dominican preacher from Brittany.
In 1460 Alan was visited by Jesus.
Jesus gave him a warning...
"How can you crucify Me again so soon?" Jesus questioned Alan. "You crucified
Me once before by your sins and I would willingly be crucified again rather
than have My Father offended by the sins you used to commit. You are crucifying
Me again now because you have all the learning and understanding that you need
to preach My Mother's Rosary, and you are not doing so. If you only did this you
could teach many souls that right path and lead them away from sin - but you are
not doing it and so, you yourself are guilty of the sins that they commit."
These unforgettable words from Jesus set Alan afire and he went out with as much fervor as St. Dominic himself had and preached the Rosary.
Mary also appeared to Alan. She also had a message for him.
"You were a great sinner in your youth but I obtained the grace of your
conversion from my Son. Had such a thing been possible I would have liked to
have gone through all kinds of suffering to save you because converted sinners
are a glory to me. And I would have done this also to make you worthy of preaching
my Rosary far and wide."
Alan was visited not only by Jesus and Mary but also St. Dominic, the father of his
order and the original preacher of the Rosary. St. Dominic mentored Alan.
One of the things he told Alan was...
"See the wonderful results I have had through preaching the Holy Rosary! You and all those who love Our Lady ought to do the same so that, by means of this holy practice of the Rosary, you may draw all people to the real science of the virtues."
The Rosary is the best way to honor the mother of Jesus. It brings peace to
peoples lives by bringing them closer to Jesus.
This prayer is so pleasing to Jesus that He will not allow people to forget its saving powers.
In 1521 Alberto da Castello another Dominican Preacher created a book called The
Rosary of the Glorious Virgin Mary.
This publication is the first time the Rosary appeared in the form that it is prayed today.
Adding to the history of the rosary, another Dominican Preacher made a standard form for the Rosary. Pope St. Pius V did this at the time of the famous Battle of Lepanto in the mid 1500s.
History Of The Rosary
What Do Modern Popes
Have To Say About The Rosary?
Pope Pius IX - Reign 1846-1878
-
"Among all the devotions approved by the Church none has been favored by so many miracles as the devotion of the Most Holy Rosary."
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"We do not wish here to pass over in silence the fact that the Blessed Virgin herself, even in our times has solicitously recommended this manner of prayer, when she appeared and taught it to the innocent girl in the Grotto of Lourdes."
Pope Leo XIII - Reign 1878-1903
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"A powerful means of renewing our courage will undoubtedly be found in the Holy Rosary."
Pope Benedict XV - Reign 1914-1922
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"This prayer is perfect because of the praise it offers, because of the lessons it imparts, because of the graces it obtains and because of the triumphs it achieves."
Pope Pius XI - Reign 1922-1939
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"If you desire peace in your hearts, your homes and your country, assemble every evening to recite the Rosary."
-
"Among the various supplications with which we successfully appeal to the Virgin Mother of God, the Holy Rosary without doubt occupies a special and distinct place."
-
"Tell your faithful people that the Pope is not satisfied with simply blessing the Rosary, but that he prays his Rosary everyday and invites all his children to do the same"
Pope Pius XII - Reign 1939-1958
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"There is no surer means of calling down God's blessings upon the family ... than the daily recitation of the Rosary."
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"We do not hesitate to affirm again publicly that we put great confidence in the Holy Rosary for the healing of evils which afflict our times."
Pope John Paul II - Reign 1978-2005
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"Yet the Rosary clearly belongs to the kind of veneration of the Mother of God described by the Council: a devotion directed to the Christological center of the Christian faith, in such a way that when the Mother is honored, the Son ... is duly known, loved and glorified,"
-
"If properly revitalized, the Rosary is an aid and certainly not a hindrance to ecumenism!"
-
"The Rosary ... represents a most effective means of fostering among the faithful that commitment to the contemplation of the Christian mystery"
Pope Benedict XVI - Reign 2005-present
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"Today, together we confirm that the Holy Rosary is not a pious practice banished to the past, ... Instead, the Rosary is experiencing a new Springtime."
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"In the current world ... this prayer helps to put Christ at the center, as the Virgin did, who meditated within all that was said about her Son, and also what he did and said."
-
"The Rosary, when it is prayed in an authentic way... brings, in fact, peace and reconciliation."
History Of The Rosary Leads You
Through The Life Of Jesus
The History of the Rosary contains spectacular heavenly visits from the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Two of the most popular apparitions were at Lourdes and Fatima. During these visits,
Mary encouraged her children to pray the Roman Catholic Rosary and taught them of the
amazing power of the Rosary.
The addition of the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary is the most recent event in
the history of the Rosary. It is very exciting for those devoted to the Rosary
to see the Rosary revitalized and fulfilled with these new mysteries of light.
They are wonderful gift and a beautiful addition to the history of the Rosary.
We encourage you to investigate more about the fascinating history of the Rosary below...
Mary Appears to Sickly Girl at Lourdes
Mary appeared to Bernadette at Lourdes, France in the late 1850s...read more...
Documented Phenomenal Event In Fatima
On May 13, 1917, Mary chose three shepherd children in rural Portugal to give
her Rosary message to...read more...
Rosary Power Throughout History
Even Military victories can be attributed to the Rosary...read more...
Statue Weeps And Warns Of Worldwide Chastisement In Akita
During the years of 1974 - 1982 a statue of Our Lady of All Nations wept and spoke to Sr. Agnes about the dire need to pray the Rosary...read more...
The Luminous Mysteries of Pope John Paul II
Major event in history, Pope adds new mysteries to the Rosary...read more...
The history of the Rosary is fascinating indeed. It is important to learn this history so that the value of the Rosary can be appreciated and understood.
Mary asks her children to pray the Rosary every day.
She told of the great benefits and graces that would be sent to individuals and to the world as a whole if this request would be fulfilled.
The Holy Father, Pope John Paul II knew of the Rosary's great value. In his paternal care for his flock, he wished to re-establish devotion to the Rosary just as Blessed Alan did.
Adding
to the history of the Rosary may be one of the greatest thing he did for the rosary during his long Pontificate...only time will tell.
Won't you obey Our Lady by fulfilling her request...
...by praying the Rosary every day!
If you have any questions regarding the Rosary's history, please ask it here...
Return to our Luminous Mysteries page
You will find more Scriptural Meditations on the rosary here...
Catholic Mysteries Of The Rosary
Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary
The Joyful Mysteries are taken mostly from St. Luke's Gospel in the New Testament. They involve the joyful events of Jesus' childhood. The most joyful event in all of human history is the Incarnation or when God became man and dwelt among us read more...
Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary
What a gift the the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary are. Meditating on these
Mysteries of Light bring even deeper understanding of the public life of Jesus.
They fill in the blanks between Jesus' childhood and His suffering and death on
the cross. Therefore read more...
Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary
The Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary remind you of how much Jesus
loves you. He suffered and died for you. "Greater love than this no
man hath, that a man lay down his life for his friends."
-John 15:13. You are loved by Jesus read more...
Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary
The Glorious Mysteries are the crown of Jesus' triumphs. How
exhilarating to know that Jesus is God and that He rose from the dead,
making you an heir to Heaven. Reminding yourself of these glorious
events as you pray the Rosary prayer will keep your faith alive and strong read more...
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