Sacred Silver Sunday...

Welcome to August Silver Sunday. My theme for this month is Sacred Silver Sunday, and I'm sharing most of my collection of rosaries. You'll notice that I've placed them on top of a few of my favorite books related to worship...an antique English version of the Polyglott Bible, Handsome's personal Bible, and my copy of The Methodist Hymnal.

One might think that a Methodist hymnal is out of place in this vignette, but in the theme of sacred objects, it is a perfect fit. When our family church was torn down to make way for a new building, many of the articles inside were auctioned off or given to long-time members of the congregation. I was able to choose one of our hymnals, and this one had been donated to the church in the 1960s, around the time I joined the church as a child. To say that it holds personal significance would be an understatement.

The little book on the top of the stack is a Polyglott Bible. It was a gift from my mum last year. The definition of a Polyglott Bible is "any of several editions of the Bible in which the text consists of translations in various languages arranged in parallel columns. This arrangement allows scholars to compare ancient and modern versions, as well as to examine closely the translation from one language to another." (per Encyclopedia Britannica) I'll share more information and photos of it next Sunday, but I want to show you my rosaries now.

From left to right:

1. The first is a 10 decade bracelet rosary, featuring a claddagh charm, a Celtic knot bead and a Celtic cross. The beads are jade. It reminds me of a set of worry beads that were a gift from one of my brother's friends when they were stationed on the U.S.S. Nimitz aircraft carrier in the 1970s. His friend sent it to me from Israel. This rosary is about the same size.
   
2. You may have seen the second rosary last week when I first received it. It's a beautiful rosary, featuring my (favorite) acorn beads in silver, with gold-tone pater beads. The crucifix on this one is larger than the others and especially pretty.
   
3. The third rosary belonged to Handsome's Aunt Eula. She had it with her til the day she died. Although most of the metals are gold-tone, there are three silver medals affixed to it. I know the largest one next to the crucifix is a St. Christopher medal.
   
4. Next is a special rosary given to me by my friend, Ellen. She gave it to me when she learned that I loved and collected them. This one belonged to someone special to her, so it means a great deal that she shared it with me.
   
5. The last two rosaries were eBay purchases. They are both vintage, and well-loved. You can tell they were used by the patina on the beads.They are only two "new" rosaries in my collection. Although they're both beautiful, they haven't been used by anyone.
   

I think that all of us have daily rituals of one form or another. Rosaries held an important place in the spiritual lives of the individuals who owned and used them. The older, used rosaries reflect those rituals. To know that they were part of the daily devotions in someone's life elevates them in my eyes. They represent the mysteries of faith, adherence to a formality of devotion, and a point of slowing down in one's day to observe and support their faith. Although I am Methodist, I respect the rosaries of the Catholic faith, and the people who use them.
Thanks again, to Beth at Gypsy Fish Journal for hosting such a wonderful, ongoing event in Blogland. Please click on her Silver Sunday button to visit more participants. Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoy the rest of your day doing something you love with someone you love.

Blessings,