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The Rosary
The word rosary comes from Latin and means a garland of roses, the rose
being one of the flowers used to symbolize the Virgin Mary. If you were
to ask what object is most emblematic of Catholics, people would
probably say, "The rosary, of course." We’re familiar with
the images: the silently moving lips of the old woman fingering her
beads; the oversized rosary hanging from the waist of the wimpled nun;
more recently, the merely decorative rosary hanging from the rearview
mirror.
After Vatican II the rosary fell into relative disuse. The same is true
for Marian devotions as a whole. But in recent years the rosary has made
a comeback, and not just among Catholics. Many Protestants now say the
rosary, recognizing it as a truly biblical form of prayer—after all,
the prayers that comprise it come mainly from the Bible. The rosary is a
devotion in honor of the Virgin Mary. It consists of a set number of
specific prayers. First are the introductory prayers: one Apostles’
Creed (Credo), one Our Father (the Pater Noster or the
Lord’s Prayer), three Hail Mary’s (Ave’s), one Glory Be (Gloria
Patri).
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St. Michael the Archangel
St.
Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle; be our safeguard against the
wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray.
And do you, O prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, cast
into Hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world
seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
Copyright ©
2002 Saint Michael Center for the Blessed Virgin Mary.
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