THE BRIGITTINE ROSARY

Our Lady of Lourdes and 6 Decade Rosary

This Rosary truly is a treasure and I'm so grateful to our Blessed Mother for prompting the very kind lady that brought it to my attention by placing a custom order for it! :) I'm very pleased to now be able to offer this along with everything else on BattleBeads. This will be placed on the Unique and Unusual page (likely by tomorrow).
Don't forget, as with everything on BattleBeads, bead sizes, wires, parts are all negotiable and they tell me I'm fairly easy to get along with! ;) Anyway, here's a little background on this beautiful rendition which, I've been informed, was the Rosary our Lady held at Lourdes with St. Bernadette as well!


It is well known that Saint Teresa of Jesus/Avila prayed the Rosary daily. It is believed that while she was traveling throughout Spain, she enjoyed the hospitality of at least one Brigittine Monastery, and from the Brigittines, learned to say their six-decade Rosary. The six-decade Rosary was later adopted as the Rosary of the Discalced Carmelite habit, with a large medal of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in addition to, or even in place of, the crucifix found on the Dominican Rosary. Only six of the eighteen decades are worn, as opposed to the entire fifteen decades of the Dominican Rosary, worn with the religious habits of some other Orders. The Brigittine (or "Saint Bridget") Rosary looks similar to a regular Rosary, but with an extra decade. The resultant seven Pater beads honor the Seven Sorrows, Seven Joys of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the sixty-three Ave Maria beads commemorate the sixty-three years it is believed the Blessed Mother lived on this earth before her Assumption. In praying the Brigittine Rosary, there are a total of eighteen decades: In the six Joyful Mysteries, the first is the Immaculate Conception; the sixth of the Sorrowful Mysteries commemorates when the Body of the Lord was placed in the Arms of His Sorrowful Mother; and the sixth of the Glorious Mysteries is recited in honor of the Patronage of Mary, Mediatrix of All Grace (and, for the Carmelite, Mary, Queen and Beauty of Carmel). The other mysteries are the same as in the Dominican Rosary. However, at the end of each decade, the Apostles Creed, not the Glory be, is recited. 

Special Blessing for the Brigittine Rosary

P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.

All: Who made heaven and earth.

P: The Lord be with you.

All: May He also be with you.

P: Let us pray.

Almighty and merciful God, who, out of exceeding love for us, willed that Your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, come down from heaven to earth for our salvation taking flesh at the angel's message in the sacred womb of the blessed Virgin, in order to snatch us from Satan's tyranny; we humbly beg You in Your boundless goodness to bless + and to hallow + these rosaries, which your faithful Church has consecrated to the honor and praise of the Mother of Your Son. Let them be endowed with such power of the Holy + Spirit, that whoever carries one on his person, or recites it, or reverently keeps it in his home, may always and everywhere be shielded from every foe and adversity, may gain the indulgences granted by the holy Roman Church, and at their death deserve to be presented to You by the blessed Virgin, laden with the merits of good works; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

P: May the blessing of almighty God, Father, Son, + and Holy Spirit,

come upon you and remain with you forever.

All: Amen.

Then the beads are sprinkled with holy water.