Since the early days of Christianity people have used a rope with knots to count their prayers.  In fact, many non-Christians have used beads on strings, called “worry beads,” as a way of calming themselves.

According to tradition, in the early Thirteenth Century our Blessed Mother gave St. Dominic a set of prayer beads which has come to be known as the Rosary.  This word comes from the Latin “rosarium” which means a garland of roses.  When we pray the Rosary we offer Mary the beautiful roses of our prayers.  Moreover, St. Bartolo Longo, whom St. John Paul II called “the Apostle of the Rosary,” described the Rosary as a “chain” that connects us to God.

In 1902 and again in 1903 St. Bartolo was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.  Throughout history, the Rosary has been used as a “spiritual weapon” which people have wielded as they prayed for peace.  In his 2002 Apostolic Letter “On the Most Holy Rosary,” Pope St. John Paul wrote the following:

At the start of a millennium which began with the terrifying attacks of September 11, 2001, a millennium which witnesses every day in numerous parts of the world fresh scenes of bloodshed and violence, to rediscover the Rosary means to immerse oneself in contemplation of the mystery of Christ who “is our peace…” (Ephesians 2:14).  Consequently, one cannot recite the Rosary without feeling caught up in a clear commitment to advancing peace, especially in the land of Jesus, still so sorely afflicted and so close to the heart of every Christian. 

He went on to say that the Rosary has a calming effect on us.  Praying the Rosary, with its repetition while fingering beads, promotes interior serenity.  Peace in families and in the world can flow from this inner peace. He wrote:

The Rosary is by its nature a prayer for peace… [for] by virtue of its meditative character, with the tranquil succession of Hail Marys, the Rosary has a peaceful effect on those who pray it.

Recently, during his visit to Lourdes, Pope Leo asked us to pray the Rosary for peace.  He said:

I would like to make an appeal that is particularly close to my heart, here in this place.  It was here that the Immaculate Virgin appeared to Saint Bernadette with the Rosary and, as it were, guided her in prayer.  For this reason, today I invite all the faithful and all Christian communities to pray the Holy Rosary throughout the coming month of October, with the particular intention that wars may cease and that peace may be established among peoples in conflict.  Let us accompany this prayer with concrete acts of penance and mercy, committing ourselves always to fostering dialogue and reconciliation.

Let’s accept Pope Leo’s invitation, not only this month, but every day of every month. The future of our world depends on our using this powerful means to promote peace.