St Albans Abbey has just exhibited an original copy of Magna Carta, celebrating its instigation 800 years ago, so limiting the abuse of power over the English people by King John, who was constantly demanding money for war.
Also, in 1214 France, St Dominic despaired of the sinfulness of heretics and the poor example of Catholics. In a vision of the Blessed Mother Mary, he received instructions to design the Holy Rosary.
This string of beads, mainly arranged in five sets of ten (or decades), at which the Hail Mary prayer is recited, interspersed by a single bead for the Our Father prayer, is used to meditate on certain principal events (or Mysteries) in the history of our salvation by Jesus Christ. Although not exclusively directed to the Blessed Mother Mary, she has always been regarded as the most powerful intercessor.
Today many Christians pray the Rosary, although it is sometimes worn as a necklace (as popularised by David Beckham and Britney Spears) or hung for good luck in the home or car.
October was designated the month of the Rosary in the late 1890’s by Pope Leo XIII, in response to governmental hostility to the Christian church. He encouraged the meditation on the Mysteries of salvation, so as to lead to ‘conversion of heart and change of conduct’.
Today with the increasing of secularism and the many world conflicts, notably in Syria, and Pope Francis’ plea for peace, we should again pray the Rosary.

 

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