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The Carmelite Rosary is slightly different from the traditional Dominican Rosary that we all know and love. Before it was adopted into the Carmelite order, its roots came from the Brigittine Order. The Brigittine Rosary is also called the Chaplet of St. Bridget. The Brigittine rosary has six decades instead of the traditional five decades.
The seven Pater beads honor the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the sixty-three Ave Maria beads commemorate the sixty-three years it is believed that Our Lady lived on this earth before her Assumption into Heaven. Because of St. Bridget of Sweden’s great love for Our Lady, and the Holy Wounds and Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, she made a rosary in honor of her.
How Did it Become Part of the Carmelite Habit?
St. Teresa of Avila prayed the rosary daily and it is believed that when she was traveling throughout Spain founding her monasteries of the reform, she would visit the Brigittine Monastery. It was there that she learned about their six-decade Rosary. As time went on, the six-decade Rosary became part of the Carmelite Habit, with a large medal of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in addition to, or even in place of, the crucifix found on the Dominican Rosary.
How to Pray the Carmelite Rosary
When you pray the Carmelite Rosary, you start just as if you were praying the Dominican Rosary, by praying the Apostles Creed, the Our Father and the Hail Mary’s. Instead of praying the Glory Be after each decade the Apostles Creed is prayed.
The Joyful Mysteries
The first decade (meditation) of The Joyful Mysteries is The Immaculate Conception, then the following decades are:
Annunciation
Visitation
Birth of Jesus
The Presentation
Finding Jesus in the Temple
The Luminous Mysteries
The first decade (meditation) is The Obedience of Jesus to Mary and St. Joseph at Nazareth and then continuing with the other mysteries as you would praying the Dominican Rosary.
The Sorrowful Mysteries
Every decade is the same as if you were praying the Dominican Rosary except the sixth decade (meditation) is The Body of Our Lord Placed in the Arms of His Mother.
The Glorious Mysteries
Every decade is the same as if you were praying the Dominican Rosary except the sixth decade (meditation) is The Patronage of Mary, Queen and Beauty of Carmel.
Ending with the Hail Holy Queen as you would in the Dominican Rosary. The concluding prayer would be
Father, may the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother and Queen of Carmel, protect us and bring us to your holy Mountain, Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
Fun Fact:
When the Blessed Mother appeared to St. Bernadette Soubirous on March 25, 1858 – The Feast of the Annunciation, the Blessed Mother was holding and praying the Brigittine Rosary.
Indulgences
The Brigittine Rosary as a matter of fact was enriched by numerous Popes with Plenary Indulgence for the faithful who will be praying this unique Rosary.
Pope Leo X., in his Bull of July 10, 1516, and Pope Clement XI., in his Bull De salute Dominici gregis, of Sept. 22, 1714, granted many Indulgences to all who carry about them, or who say, the Chaplet, called after St. Bridget because she first conceived the idea of it and promulgated the usage of it. These Indulgences were confirmed by Pope Benedict XIV., in his Brief of Jan. 15, 1743, wherein he added others, of all which a summary will now be given.
It is requisite, in order to gain these Indulgences, that the Chaplet, being made, as has been said, of six decades, &c., should be blessed by the superiors of the monastic houses or other priests of the Order of Holy Saviour, sometimes called the order of St Bridget or to any priest.
It will be seen in the following summary that the Indulgences may be gained by saying this special rosary:
- Partial Indulgence for each Pater, 100 days for each Ave, and 100 days for each Credo, to all the faithful who say the Rosary or Chaplet of St. Bridget. Pope Leo X., July 10, 1515.
- Partial Indulgence to everyone who says the said Rosary or Chaplet of fifteen decades. Grant of the same Pope Leo. (Whenever this Rosary is said with others, each person may gain the Indulgences 1. and 2. precisely the same as when the said Rosary is said by one person alone. The same Pope Leo.)
- The Plenary Indulgence to all who shall say at least five decades daily for a year, on any one day in the year when, after Confession and Communion, they shall pray for the Holy Church. Pope Clement XI., Sept. 22, 1714.
- The Plenary Indulgence, on the Feast of St. Bridget (Oct. 8), to all who say the said Rosary of five decades at least once a week, and, after Confession and Communion, visit their own parish church, or any other church, and pray to God there for the Church as above. Benedict XIV., Jan. 15, 1743.
- The Plenary Indulgence to all who have been accustomed to saying this Rosary, as in No. IV., when, in articulo mortis, recommending their soul to God, they say the holy name Jesus with their hearts, if unable to do so with their lips, having at the same time Confessed and Communicated; or, if these conditions are impossible, being contrite of heart. Benedict XIV.
- The Plenary Indulgence, once a month, to all who say this Chaplet daily for a month, on any one day when, after Confession and Communion, they visit a church and pray as above. Benedict XIV.
- Partial Indulgence to all who carry this Rosary with them, if, at the tolling of the bell for a passing soul, they kneel down and pray for that soul. Benedict XIV.
- Partial Indulgence to all who carry this Rosary, whenever they make an examination of conscience, and say three Pater Noster and three Ave Maria. Ben. XIV. ix. The Indulgence of 100 days to all who carry this Rosary whenever they hear Mass (feast-day or ferial), or assist at a sermon, or accompany the Most Holy Viaticum, or bring back any sinner to his way of salvation, or do any other good work in honor of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Blessed Virgin, or St. Bridget, provided they say also three Pater Noster and three Ave Maria. Benedict XIV., as before.
May the Lord bless you abundantly for praying Carmelite Rosary. Until next time much love and peace.
Francine