One of my few talents is the ability to make wire Rosaries. I learnt this skill from my Great Uncle Richard, who was a carpenter and apprentice of Robert 'Mousey' Thompson of North Yorkshire. He, in turn, learnt this skill from a Dominican monk - and it is the supposedly 'traditional' way of making Rosaries (although, of course, I am open to artistic license myself).
Below is an arrangement of some of the works I have to hand, along with the tools and materials which I use:
Below is an arrangement of some of the works I have to hand, along with the tools and materials which I use:
On the display board you can see the large black rosary which I have just made this weekend for a friend at church. This is made simply, and strongly, with black oval wood beads. It includes a Germoglio brass Benedictine crucifix. Very nice, but long (hanging 85cm)! Hopefully my friend will like it.
The small chaplet hanging in the middle is a Rosary 'decade' which is designed to slip around the wrist and is sufficient to say the Rosary whilst on the move. It is very strong and durable, with natural wood 10mm beads and thick wire that I often obtain from paperclips. For the Pater Noster bead I usually use a 15mm round bead with a cross carved on it, but in this case I used an attractive diamond flat wood bead made by my Great Uncle.And for something a little more fancy, here is the Rosary I made for my wife:
This is made from small 8mm oval olive wood beads exported from bethlehem. The wire is much thinner, but the links also smaller and quite strong. The centre piece is the divine mercy. I was taught not to use the 3-way centre pieces, but some prefer having them.
My next project, coming on well (and visible around the edge of the first picture) is a full size, 15 decade Rosary, designed purely to adorn a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary. I am making it to commemorate the 10th anniversary of my older brother's death. I am making it with 10mm round olive wood beads, brass links, with a golden miraculous medal centre-piece and Benedictine crucifix. I hope to also include a medal with his name carved on. I also hope to have it adorn a statue in an Oxford church, where he died whilst at University. Perhaps St. Benet's Hall, where he lived, or the Oratory Church just nearby.
I tend to make the wrist 'decades' quite quickly - maybe in an hour - and who knows, if you want one, we may be able to arrange something! The best thing is to try and cross my path, and I never charge for them either. Pax Christi!
My next project, coming on well (and visible around the edge of the first picture) is a full size, 15 decade Rosary, designed purely to adorn a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary. I am making it to commemorate the 10th anniversary of my older brother's death. I am making it with 10mm round olive wood beads, brass links, with a golden miraculous medal centre-piece and Benedictine crucifix. I hope to also include a medal with his name carved on. I also hope to have it adorn a statue in an Oxford church, where he died whilst at University. Perhaps St. Benet's Hall, where he lived, or the Oratory Church just nearby.
I tend to make the wrist 'decades' quite quickly - maybe in an hour - and who knows, if you want one, we may be able to arrange something! The best thing is to try and cross my path, and I never charge for them either. Pax Christi!
Matt, I really hope that you're not making rosaries with 15cm and 10cm beads =) Perhaps you mean mm?
ReplyDeleteI was just going to post on my rosary collection as I have a number of beautiful rosaries. Planned it as a run up towards my parish Feast Day, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Looks like you've beat me to it =)
I was surprised to see the large black rosary with the St. Benedict's Cross. The way you did the the wire, twisting it around, it identical to the rosaries I have. Before mine was done up by a friend, I had not seen that particular style of making rosaries before. Its very rare to find them off the shelf. But it sure is durable.
Just a question on why you choose to make a traditional 15 decade rosary instead of a 20 decade one with Pope John Paul's Luminous Mysteries? Ain't a big fan eh?
Anyway, I'll let you know when my rosary post is up so you can have a look. God bless.
Well spotted! Yes - I meant mm and have changed it accordingly.
ReplyDeleteJohn Paul II's Luminous chaplet is nice, and I have no objections using it, but don't think it can be faithfully incorporated into the rosary as a whole. 150 hail marys reflects the origin of the rosary as 'Mary's Psalter' with the same spiritual benefit as praying Davids Psalter of the 150 Psalms. Our Lady has told us to pray a third of the rosary every day - 5 mysteries. It is impossible to alter such a beautiful prayer and John Paul II acknowledged that by not making this a compulsory change, rather a suggestion to enrich meditation of Our Lord's life.
Traditional is traditional I'm afraid! I believe Our Lady gave St. Dominic a beautiful Marian prayer of 15 mysteries, not 20.
Making hand-made rosaries??!!! - how Vatican II of you!!!
ReplyDeleteArh yes, because Vatican II encouraged involvement of the laity in the deepening of their faith... I guess the age old attitude would be to "leave it to the cloistered life".
ReplyDeleteWell, Andrew - I've never said that Vatican II was all-bad: It reiterates important traditional teaching on participation of the laity into the life of the Church (albeit a message which has been misunderstood and abused). Nuns and monks do a great job at making rosaries, but I also enjoy it, that's all! But I know you were joking and so I've waffled on too long already!
wow! That is so cool!!
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing gift to be able to do that!
Talk about serendipity.
ReplyDeleteI was at the Capuchin Friary late last night, trying to fix their PC which just crashed. And lo and behold, in one of the friars rooms I spotted some beads, pliers and wire. Hmmm...
It turns out that one of the Brothers there also makes rosaries, the long, big and tough ones which the friars hang from their habits. He was working through the night to an order of 50 rosaries that his confrères in Kuala Lumpur requested.
Cool eh?
Mark
ReplyDeleteIt seems that I ran across your rosary making blog by accident 2 years almost after the last post. I had an old rosary fixed by a Carmelite nun and she used the same links that you used to re-attach the cross (she didn't charge me) and some how I have gotten into my head to make 5 rosaries for my 5 kids, but wanting to use the round wooded carved beads. I can't seem to find them other than on a web site for beads from Bethlehem. The problem is that they sell only in 500 bead quantities, and lesser quantities in oval. God willing may His mother help me locate them eventually. I don't know if you have a high speed link or not, but if you do perhaps you may be interested in going to www.ewtn.com They have a pull down menu to view programing. The picture comes out on a small screen, but there is a button to make the screen bigger, well may God bless you and your family...Frank (in Los Angeles CA)