The Anglican Rosary

Emmanuel Episcopal Church

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The Anglican Rosary

The Anglican Rosary: “A Rosary for All Christians”

The Anglican Rosary, also known as Anglican Prayer Beads, is relatively a newcomer to the world of Christian rosaries (it’s been in existence for two decades), but the practice is very popular throughout the Episcopal Church of the United States of America and is spreading to Christians of other denominations, especially those of the mainline Protestant tradition, such as Baptists, Lutherans, Methodists, and Presbyterians. It is used in both private and group settings for prayer.

There are many reasons for this resurgent popularity among non-Roman Catholic Christians of the ancient practice of using beads in prayer, and one of the main features that attracts Christians is that utilizing a rosary in one’s life of prayer is very satisfying because it is tangible. Holding a rosary in your hands can bring great peace and comfort simply because the rosary serves as a point-of-contact with God, particularly during times of great sorrow and anxiety. It is a physical reminder of the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ in our lives; even though Christians realize that Jesus is always with us in the midst of our problems, it is still empowering to feel the touch of the sacred. The rosary has filled the needs of Christians for many centuries by providing a means for us to use our senses in prayer and not solely our minds.

Another reason why the rosary is a favorite spiritual method is because it encourages deeper contemplative prayer, which can lead to greater inner peace, tranquility, and a better awareness of the presence of God in one’s life. This can be achieved because of the use of centering prayers, upon which the believer focuses his/her mind and heart. In other words, the use of the rosary is not the kind of mindless, empty repetition that our Lord disparages in the Gospels (see Matthew 6); rather, you are engaging your whole being in the practice.

The genius of the Anglican Rosary is in its flexibility – there are no set, standardized prayers associated with it, unlike the older Dominican/Roman Catholic rosary. One of the aspects of the Roman Catholic rosary that makes some Christians uncomfortable (especially those of the Protestant tradition) is the focus upon praying to the Virgin Mary, which isn’t necessarily involved with the Anglican Rosary. There are, of course, recommended sets of prayers for those who are unfamiliar with using a rosary, but it is fully expected that each Christian will develop a highly customized, personal way to use it. Some Christians do nothing more than carry a rosary with them and/or just hold it in their hands while they’re at prayer, and that is perfectly fine as well. In other words, there’s no wrong way to pray the Anglican Rosary, so there’s no pressure! For your convenience, a few sets of prayers for use with the Anglican Rosary are provided as examples; just click HERE to read through the collection.

But you don’t have to limit yourself to traditional prayers. For example, you could easily use passages from the Holy Bible, such as Psalms and quotations from the Gospels as your rosary prayers, and there’s no reason why you can’t sing your rosary. Why not consider using verses from favorite hymns, Taizé songs, and even the “prayer and praise” choruses that many Evangelical and Charismatic Christians use? The possibilities are endless.

The Symbolism of the Anglican Rosary

The Anglican Rosary was developed by an Episcopalian priest in the 1980s, and was spread throughout the Anglican Communion to the point where it has become an easily obtained religious item in many bookstores and on-line vendors. It was designed to be a combination of the Roman Catholic Marian Rosary and the Eastern Orthodox Chotki (or “Jesus Rope”), and so it is intended to serve as a symbolic bridge between the Eastern and Western spiritual traditions.

Structurally the rosary consists of 33 beads, one bead for each year of the life of Jesus Christ plus a cross or crucifix. When the Anglican Rosary was first developed, it was thought that a San Damiano crucifix (which is in the Eastern Orthodox icon-style, and has been long associated with St. Francis of Assisi and his religious Order) or a Celtic cross should be used in its construction, but again there are no absolute rules for what kind of cross one chooses to use in making a rosary. You should feel free to use a cross or a crucifix, simple or ornate. It’s entirely up to you.

The beads of the Anglican Rosary fall into three different categories:

Invitatory Bead: This bead, which can be larger than the “Cruciform” and “Week” beads, but is usually the same size and style as the “Cruciform” beads. The significance of the Invitatory Bead is that the prayer associated with it sets the tone for the rest of the rosary, and in the Episcopal/Anglican Churches the prayer is usually “O God, come to my assistance; O Lord, make hast to help me.”
Cruciform Beads: There are four Cruciforms in the Anglican Rosary, and they form a cross when the rosary is held up (please see the diagram at the top of this page). The Cruciform beads are typically used for special prayers that serve as a separation or transition from one set of “Week” beads to another, and are sometimes longer than the prayer used during the “Weeks”.
Week Beads: As the name implies, there are seven beads per Week, and there are four Weeks per rosary. On the Week beads one usually prays a shorter centering prayer.

There’s deep symbolic significance to the number of beads:

33: The length of the earthly life of Jesus Christ. There are 33 beads used in the Anglican Rosary.
7: According to Jewish tradition, seven is the number of perfection, which is a theme that permeates the Holy Bible; for example, on the seventh day YHWH rested from creating the universe. There are, of course, seven days in a week, and the Anglican Rosary emphasizes a connection with the natural passing of time on earth. In Christian symbolism, there are seven gifts of the Holy Spirit (Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord); seven heavens; seven Holy Virtues (Valor, Generosity, Liberality, Diligence, Patience, Kindness, and Humility) seven Sacraments/Sacramental Rites (Holy Baptism, Holy Eucharist, Confirmation, Reconciliation/Confession, Matrimony, Holy Orders/Ordination, and Healing/Anointing); and seven hours of the Divine Office (Vespers, Vigils, Prime, Terce, Sext, None, and Compline).
4: The number four is also very significant. From a temporal perspective, there are four seasons (Winter, Spring, Summer, and Autumn), four cardinal directions (North, South, East and West), and there are primal Elements (Earth, Air, Fire and Water). In the Christian context, there are Four Canonical Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John); four Liturgical Seasons in the Western Church (Advent, Lent, Easter, Ordinary Time; Four Cardinal Virtues (Justice, Fortitude, Prudence, and Temperance); Four Archangels (Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel); and four parts to the service of the Holy Eucharist (Offertory, Thanksgiving Prayers, Breaking of Bread, and Holy Communion).
1: There is one Invitatory bead and one Cross/Crucifix. The number one symbolizes for the Christian that there is one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.

How to Obtain an Anglican Rosary

There are numerous places where you may purchase pre-made or custom made Anglican Rosaries; usually all Anglican Rosaries are made by hand, so each one is unique. If you would like to get your very own Anglican Rosary, Emmanuel Episcopal Church keeps a supply of them available for guests and those who wish to have one, and they’re free for the asking. Just show up for the Holy Eucharist on Sundays, the Taizé Service on Tuesdays, and/or the Healing Service on Wednesdays, and we’ll give you a set.

Of course you could make your own Anglican Rosary, and we've provided detailed instructions on how to do so.

Diagram courtesy of www.kingofpeace.org