Priest's rosary 3: as seen from the back.

     Ordinarily such a large crucifix would provide a lot of space on the back for an engraved message, but that is not the case here because of the slump in the center of the cross. The slump is formed as the molten metal hardens and contracts as it cools in the mold.

     The back of the centerpiece shows a descending dove and a sunburst of seven rays, showing the descent of the Holy Spirit and his seven-fold gifts (Isaiah 11:2-3). The Latin words around the top of the medallion are "Veni Creator Spiritus" (Come Creator Spirit). Together with the image on the front of the Father reconciling His prodigal son to Himself, this image of the Holy Spirit recalls Christ's words to the apostles, "When he had said this, he breathed on them; and he said to them: Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained." (John 20:22-23).

Priest's rosary 2: with Paters and links aligned

All the beads are strung on lengths of heavy (18 gauge) craft wire, and the loops which link each bead to the next are closed with wire wraps. On either side of each howlite bead is a wrapped wire bow which links it to the rest of the rosary and helps define it as an Our-Father bead. The way the howlite Our-Fathers contrast with the black onyx Hail-Marys reminds me of how the white Roman collar contrasting with the black clerical suit identifies priests. On either side of each howlite bead, is a wrapped wire bow which links it, but also provides distance and definition. All the wire is 18 gauge, all links use wrapped wire loops, and wrapped wire bows connect the crucifix and centerpiece and separate the Our-Fathers from the decades of Hail-Marys, providing for a very sturdy and durable rosary.

a rosary for the Year of the Priest

This rosary started with a large crucifix SCX330 from Catholic Prayer Cards showing Christ our High Priest offering Himself on the Cross to His Father for our sakes (Hebrews 3:1). The cross is 2.75 inches tall. The centerpiece, from Our Lady's Rosary Makers (OLRM #595) is seven eighths of an inch (0.875") long and half an inch wide. The centerpiece is based on a detail from "The Return of the Prodigal Son" by Rembrandt showing the Father welcoming back His wayward son (Luke 15:11-42). The crucifix and centerpiece are made of white base metal, probably nickel-silver, and heavy (18 gauge) nickel-silver craft wire is used throughout. The Hail-Mary beads are 8mm rounds of black onyx and the Our Father beads are 10mm howlite rounds. I got the craft wire, onyx and howlite at JSM Bead Coop.

This is a large rosary. The circlet is 42 inches around; the drop is about 9.5 inches from the top of the centerpiece to the bottom of the crucifix. From the middle of the third decade to the bottom of the crucifix, the rosary is 30.5 inches long. It has a heavy and substantial feel.

two Anglican rosaries

I made an Anglican rosary suitable for a man. I used 9x7mm black oval wooden beads for the week beads, and 10mm howlite globes for the invitatory and cruciform beads. The cross is carved from black horn. The rosary is cable-strung and the beads are fixed in place by separating them with matte black seed-beads. I showed it to a friend of a friend who prays the Anglican rosary. She was taken with its large size and soft, flexible drape (apparently the one she uses is small and stiff). She said she liked it, but wondered if I could make something more feminine. The result is the pink Anglican rosary at the top of the picture. For week beads I used frosted pink 10mm drucs with a partial AB finish. It uses the same 10mm howlite globes for the invitatory and cruciform beads. It is cable-strung and the beads are fixed in place with silver-lined crystal seed beads. The ornate base-metal cross has a faux oxidized silver finish.

Saint Benedict Rosary 2

Each bead is strung on silver colored craft wire. The Our-Father and Hail-Mary beads are strung on 20 gauge and 22 gauge wire respectively. The wire bows connecting the centerpiece, crucifix and Our-Father beads are made with 20 gauge wire. All loops are wrapped.

Saint Benedict Rosary

This rosary features a St Benedict medal centerpiece and a St Benedict crucifix. The crucifix (#502A at OLRM) including the bail, is 55 mm long (two and one eighth inches ) and the centerpiece (#597 at OLRM) is 16 mm in diameter (roughly dime-sized). The Hail-Mary beads are black wooden ovals, 9mm by 5mm (#508 at AMC) and the Our-Father beads are 10.5mm by 7mm grooved wooden ovals (#543 at AMC).

remaking a broken habit

This is a remake of a broken habit rosary I got at St Vincent de Paul thrift shop in Sheboygan, WI. It was missing 2 beads and the crucifix. I replaced the Our-Father beads with dramatic black and white swirled glass "tablets" (by which I mean a sort of rectangular prism with rounded corners and edges) 20mm x 11mm x 7mm, from JSM Bead Coop. I added a metal-bound black wooden crucifix, 57mm x 31mm [OLRM 549] from Our Lady's Rosary Makers. The Hail-Mary beads are 14mm x 9mm black wooden ovals. They were originally strung on tough stainless steel eye-pins, which I retained as much as possible, but I used 20-gauge nickel-silver craft wire, and wrapped wire loops and bows for the parts I had to replace.

rosary with caged Our-Father beads

I liked the St Joe rosary so much that I used the same Hail-Mary beads and Our-Father beads from Ave Maria's Circle on my next project. I used OLRM 509, a 49mm* nickel-sliver "dogwood" crucifix from Our Lady's Rosary Makers, and AMC 2226, a 25mm* nickel-silver miraculous medal center from Ave Maria's Circle. I was planing the turquoise Guadalupe rosary so I decided to use this rosary to practice caging the Our-Father beads. Each Our-Father bead is caged in a 6-inch helix of wire. Like the St Joseph rosary, each bead is strung on a wrapped wire link, and wrapped wire bows are used as connectors (instead of jump rings) and to separate the Our-Father beads from the decades of Hail-Mary beads (instead of a few links of chain). I used 20 gauge nickel-silver craft wire for the links, bows and cages. (*measurements include bails)

Saint Joseph Rosary, black wood and copper wire

This rosary came out very well. Everything except the wire is from Ave Maria's Circle. The wire is 20 gauge copper wire from the JSM Bead Coop. The crucifix is 2 1/8 inch wooden crucifix stained black with the corpus and titulus in nickel silver [AMC #351]. The crucifix lacks the metal binding/backing that is common to this kind of crucifix. I wasn't sure how I would like it, but it turns out that the lack of backing emphasizes its simplicity and "woodenness." The Hail-Mary beads are 9x6mm oval, black wooden beads [AMC #508] which I bought in bulk. The Our-Father beads are 10.5x7mm, oval ridged black wooden beads--[AMC #543] This crucifix and these beads go very well together. The center is a 1-inch St. Joseph Center [AMC #242]. Wrapped wire bows are used to attach the crucifix and center, and to separate the Our-Father beads from the Hail-Marys. I didn't plan it this way, but the simplicity and wooden parts evoke a sense of St. Joseph. I like this rosary very much, but a friend of mine asked for it, and I gave it to him. I will have to make myself another one.