Rosaries are sets of prayer beads that serve as symbols of the 15 Mysteries of the Catholic Church, as set up by Pope St. Pius V. As grouped by the church, the mysteries are arranged in three separate sets: the sorrowful mysteries, the joyful mysteries, and the glorious mysteries. The Rosary is a way of physically tracking the number of Hail Mary prayers recited, by moving the fingers along as each prayer is spoken. The idea is that the mind is free to meditate more openly if not encumbered by keeping track mentally of the count.

The literal word for Rosary comes from the Latin word rosarium, which means “garland of rose” or “rose garden” but today denotes either prayer beads or the devotional prayer itself. Praying the Rosary combines both audible and silent meditation and prayer, with ten repeated sequences of the Hail Mary for each of the beads in one decade on the prayer chain, and one single praying of the Lord’s Prayer between each of the sets of ten, on the large bead between the decades. Praying each decade and meditating on the events in the lives of Jesus and his mother, The Blessed Virgin Mary is a longtime Catholic tradition. Most Rosaries are made with five decades, but those used by religious orders contain the full 15 decades to correspond to the original 15 Mysteries. Both 5 and 15 decade Rosaries has a shorter strand attached containing three small and one large beads as well as a crucifix, before connecting to the remainder of the Rosary. The term Rosary has also been used to refer to sets of similar prayer beads used in other religions.

Today Rosaries are made from many different materials, from plastic and wooden beads for children to elegant jeweled designs.  First communion Rosaries are ideal remembrances of the special day, and come in a wide array of styles and colors. There are first communion Rosary gift sets, with black, gray, pink, or pearl rosary beads in a beautiful assortment of Rosary cases. First communion Rosaries typically have a gold or silver chain as well as an attached crucifix and elegant gift boxes, and most likely engraved name and date on the back fro personalization.

The most elegant types of Rosaries are made of pearls, gold, sterling silver, and Swarovski crystals, and are generally standard lengths of 23 to 24 inches in inner length, with a total length of 17 or 18 inches. Papal Rosaries are those which have an additional image of Pope John Paul II, and are often combined with an Alpha Omega symbol. There are also Rosaries available made of clear crystal beads with silver links, imported from Italy, which have the Alpha Omega Center and a rather large crucifix attached.

Medieval style Rosaries have clear carved glass “Medieval” beads and often gold plated links as traditional Rosaries did. These are sometimes paired with a center featuring Our Lady of Grace and a crucifix that measures an inch and a half. Special Rosaries are also designed with clear Aurora crystal beads and a center featuring water from Lourdes, or with a set of wedding rings attached as a gift for blessed unions.