Its history is a bit coarse, but the use of "prayer beads" & the repeated recitation of prayers to aid meditation can be traced from the earliest days of the Church & is practised by early Christians. Monks daily prayed the 150 Psalms with an aid of a cord with knots as to keep an accurate count. Tradition does hold that the first clear historical reference to the modern rosary is in the life of St Dominic (died in 1221). Tradition also has it that the Blessed Mother herself asked St Dominic, through a vision, for the practice as an antidote for heresy and sin.
The Roman Breviary says, "The Rosary is a certain form of prayer wherein we say 15 decades or 10s of Hail Marys with an "Our Father" between each 10, while at each of these 15 decades we recall successively in pious meditation one of the mysteries of our Redemption."
So, is it biblical?
Yes. The rosary is directly biblical. It helps an individual to meditate on the saving mysteries of our Lord's life & the faithful witness of Mary, our Blessed Mother.
Scriptural References:
- Our Lord's Prayer -
(Matt 6:9-13)
- The Mysteries -
“Joyful Mysteries”(Mon & Sat)
* The Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38)
* The Visitation (Luke 1:39-56)
* The Nativity (Luke 2:1-21)
* The Presentation (Luke 2:22-38)
* The Finding of Our Lord in the Temple (Luke 2:41-52)
“Luminous Mysteries”(Thurs.)
* The Baptism in the Jordan (Matt 3:13-16)
* The Wedding at Cana (John 2:1-11)
* The Proclamation of the Kingdom (Mark 1:14-15)
* The Transfiguration (Matt 17:1-8)
* Institution of the Eucharist "The Last Supper" (Matt 26)
“Sorrowful Mysteries”(Tues & Fri)
* The Agony in the Garden (Matt 26:36-56)
* The Scourging at the Pillar (Matt 27:26)
* The Crowning with Thorns (Matt 27:27-31)
* Carrying of the Cross (Matt 27:32)
* The Crucifixion (Matt 27:33-56)
“Glorious Mysteries”(Wed & Sun)
* The Resurrection (John 20:1-29)
* The Ascension (Luke 24:36-53)
* The Descent of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-41)
* The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (1 Chr 15:3-4, 15-16, 16:1-2; Rev 12:1-17)(Psalms 132:8)
- Our Lord's Prayer -
(Matt 6:9-13)
- The Mysteries -
“Joyful Mysteries”(Mon & Sat)
* The Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38)
* The Visitation (Luke 1:39-56)
* The Nativity (Luke 2:1-21)
* The Presentation (Luke 2:22-38)
* The Finding of Our Lord in the Temple (Luke 2:41-52)
“Luminous Mysteries”(Thurs.)
* The Baptism in the Jordan (Matt 3:13-16)
* The Wedding at Cana (John 2:1-11)
* The Proclamation of the Kingdom (Mark 1:14-15)
* The Transfiguration (Matt 17:1-8)
* Institution of the Eucharist "The Last Supper" (Matt 26)
“Sorrowful Mysteries”(Tues & Fri)
* The Agony in the Garden (Matt 26:36-56)
* The Scourging at the Pillar (Matt 27:26)
* The Crowning with Thorns (Matt 27:27-31)
* Carrying of the Cross (Matt 27:32)
* The Crucifixion (Matt 27:33-56)
“Glorious Mysteries”(Wed & Sun)
* The Resurrection (John 20:1-29)
* The Ascension (Luke 24:36-53)
* The Descent of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-41)
* The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (1 Chr 15:3-4, 15-16, 16:1-2; Rev 12:1-17)(Psalms 132:8)
* The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Gn 3:15) (Jdt 13:18) (Jdt 15:9) (Rv 12:1) (Sir 24:1-9)
- Hail Mary -
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. (Luke 1:28)
Blessed art thou among women (Luke 1:41-42, Luke 1:48),
Blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus (Luke 1:42)
Holy Mary, Mother of God (Luke 1:43)
Pray for us sinners, (1 Tim 2:1-4)
now and at the hour of our death. Amen (Luke 2:35, John 2:3-5)
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. (Luke 1:28)
Blessed art thou among women (Luke 1:41-42, Luke 1:48),
Blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus (Luke 1:42)
Holy Mary, Mother of God (Luke 1:43)
Pray for us sinners, (1 Tim 2:1-4)
now and at the hour of our death. Amen (Luke 2:35, John 2:3-5)
The Rosary. It has been called the preparation for contemplation & the prayer of saints. While the hands & lips are occupied with the prayers (it can & should be prayed silently when necessary so as not to disturb others), the mind meditates on the mysteries of the Incarnation & Redemption represented by the decades.
"Say the Rosary every day to obtain peace for the world" (Our Lady of Fatima).
In 13 May 1917, Our Lady of Fatima was correct when she warned us about the fall of the Soviet Union & Communism and the assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II on 13 May 1981. She must also be correct with regards to praying the rosary.
"The Rosary is a magnificent and universal prayer for the needs of the Church, the nations and the entire world" (Pope John XXIII).
Our Lord tells the apostles "He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me." ~ Luke 10:16. So we have to listen to our Church leaders too.
