Welcome to HeavenlyRosaries.com - a website devoted to the most beautiful of Catholic prayers - the Holy Rosary. Rosaries have fallen into disuse in modern times, even though it is a practice that is very well suited to our modern world, when so many are seeking forms of contemplation, spiritual renewal and calm. Rosaries give us a reprieve from the every-day affairs, an escape from purely selfish concerns. The power of rosaries is well documented and we dedicated a good portion of this website to this topic. We encourage you to experience it for yourself. Pick up your rosaries today and immerse yourself in this beautiful devotion. Don't just repeat the Hail Marys, contemplate the mysteries. Remember the 15 promises given by Mary to Alan De La Roche. The 12th promise is the reason why we created this website. May Mary intercede for you with her Son as you use it in aid in praying the Holy Rosary.
"I would like to make many recommandations, but I leave you with one that is essential: continue to love the Holy Rosary and spread it's practice wherever you happen to be. It is a prayer that forms you in the school of living Gospel, educates your soul to piety, makes you persevere in the good, prepares you for life, and above all, makes dear to Most Holy Mary, who will protect you and defend you from evil."
Pope John Paul II
A quick guide to buying high quality rosaries
Before you spend money on a high quality, unique rosaries you have to remember that rosaries are just religious symbols. Some websites would have you believe that spending $100 on a rosary makes you a better Catholic. That's not really the case. Contemplating the mysteries is the essence of the prayer, the beads are secondary.
There are, however, good reasons to buy nice Catholic rosaries. A crystal, pearl or gemstone rosary is a special religious symbol that directs your thoughts towards God. Distinctive rosaries bring joy to the daily prayer and make it more fulfilling and pleasurable. Rosaries are also beautiful gifts for any occasion - First Communion, wedding, confirmation or birthday - especially if you would like to inspire a loved one to embark on the wonderful experience that is the Holy Rosary.
If you shop online, you will find an endless selection of Catholic rosaries from plastic to gold ones. You will obviously choose based on your aesthetic preference, but make sure you know what you're buying. Focus on websites that display large, high definition images of the rosaries, don't make your choice based on 100x100 pixel thumbnails.
One of the most popular beads used in rosary making are Czech glass beads. The beads are made by heating and pressing into molds. Rosaries are usually made out of fire-polished beads, which are perfectly round and have a high shine. Glass beads come in every color imaginable and are available with several different added surface finishes that create extra sparkle. Crystal bead rosaries are more expensive than those made out of glass beads. Crystal is glass infused with a small amount of lead. The chemicals used during the heating process determine the color of the crystal. Different chemicals absorb different wavelengths of visible light, and the human eye sees the opposite of the absorbed color. For example, if the chemical added absorbs red, you see a green crystal. The colors of crystal beads range from topaz to sapphire. While several glass and crystal bead brands exist, Catholic rosaries made out of Swarovski Austrian crystals are considered the finest products of their kind because of beads with wide spectrum of colors, unbeatable quality and precise cut.
Pearls are a very popular element in the high-end rosaries mostly because they are becoming more and more affordable. The pearl is unique because it's the only gem grown inside a living organism. Technically, they are organic gems rather than gemstones, because they come from living organisms. Natural pearls are extremely rare and expensive. Instead most pearls are cultured or helped along by people - those are the pearls used for creating rosaries. The traditional pearl is white but it's not typical for pearls to be white straight from the mollusk. In most cases for the standard white pearl, the gems have been bleached, usually with light. As a rule, the richer the luster and more perfectly round (or less bumpy the shape), the more expensive the pearl. Pearls symbolize purity, faith and innocence, which makes them perfect components for the wedding rosaries.
While there are thousands of stones and gems, we've highlighted some of the most commonly used for making Catholic rosaries. Agate is a semi-opaque stone that is available in many different colors including, blues, greens, yellow, pinks, and black. Agate typically has stripes of color variations or blends that make it an interesting addition to rosaries. Another gemstone popular among rosary-makers is amber. It's a yellow-gold soft stone. It gives off a delicate, sweet smell when rubbed or warmed. Although it really depends on your preference, darker amber is usually a little more expensive then lighter amber. Amber has been used for making Catholic rosaries for hundreds of years. Amethyst is often found in the rosaries because it's considered a stone with exceptional spiritual power. It's color ranges from a light lilac to a deep purple. Aventurine is a hard stone, thus it is popular with stone carvers and, therefore, is often used for beads in the rosaries. The colors range from light to medium green, although some forms of aventurine are also available in reds, blues, grays and oranges. Jet comes from the fossilized wood. It can be found in many parts of the world, but the most famous source is Whitby in Yorkshire. During the Middle Ages, craftsmen made rosaries for the monks of Whitby Abbey using the local jet beads. Lapis lazuli is another example of a semi-precious natural stone that can often be found in rosaries. It is a beautiful blue stone with flecks of pyrite infused throughout. The darker the color, the higher the quality of the lapis lazuli.