Does the Rosary symbolize faith

Answer 1

Answer: Various religious groups use prayer beads as a form of meditation: Hindus use them to recite the name of God or a mantra, Buddhists to recite mantras, Muslims to say the 99 names of Allah and Sikhs to meditate on the name of God. Catholicism Within Catholicism, the rosary normally consists of 5 sets of 10 beads, each set being separated by a single bead; there is also a small strand of 5 beads. However, smaller rosaries have been used and some religious orders have their own format. Traditionally, the rosary has been composed of 15 decades: 5 joyful mysteries: Annunciation, Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth, Nativity, Presentation of Christ in the Temple and Finding of Christ in the Temple 5 sorrowful mysteries: Agony of Christ in Gethsemane, Scouring of Christ, Crowning with thorns, Carrying of the Cross and Crucifixion. 5 glorious mysteries: Resurrection of Christ, Ascension of Christ, Coming of the Holy Spirit, the Assumption of Mary into Heaven and the Crowning of Mary in Heaven. In 2002 Pope John Paul II added another 5 decades: 5 luminous mysteries: The Baptism of Jesus, the Wedding at Cana, the Good News, the Transfiguration and the institution of the Eucharist by Christ. The purpose of the rosary is to use the beads as a calming device so that the person praying may enter more deeply into a state of meditation; in this sense, the meditation is far more important than counting beads or repeating prayers and whether or not one finishes the decades is incidental. The goal is to meditate on Christ. Seeing as each decade (apart from the last 2 glorious mysteries) is a meditation on various aspects of the life of Christ in a very real sense, Catholicism would say that the rosary does symbolise faith; but, like any symbol, it cannot encompass what is represents nor, indeed, faith itself. Symbols exist to touch the person of faith on an emotional level and to enable them to more deeply enter into the mystery of God's presence amongst us. (Please see related links)