New-York tribune., 1902-03-17
ORIGIN OF THE ROSARY.
AN INTERESTING LEGEND ASSOCIATES IT
WITH A GARLAND OF ROSES.

'AAAA n GA1Nl1AAND VI tNCO4@o
''Tracing the origin of the rosary back to times
and places far remote. Father Thurston. who read
a recent paper before the members Of the Applied
Art Section Of the Society of Arts says The
London Daily Telegraph" pointed out that IL
would be great mistake to suppose that the use
OF beads for counting prayers was peculiar TO the
Catholic Church. or was of comparatively modern
date. To determine what time the name rosary
(rosenkranz) was introduced is extremely difficult.
Garands Of roses, implying a reference to the term
rosary, were conspicuous feature OF pictures and
tablets OF the fifteenth century, but before this
clear examples forthcoming. AT that epoch It
common for both men and women in ordinary
life to wear garlands OF flowers. and TO place them
a mark of respect upon the heads of persons
and statues. Father ThurstOn is strongly inclined
TO believe that its application the particular de-
votion under discussion mainly due TO the
popularity OF a certain story of garland which
be traced very much earlier than the word IT.
self in almost every part of the Christian world.
The must have come from the story and
the story not evolved out OF an already pre-
existing
The legend in question is briefly this: A youth
was accustomed to make wreath of roses or other
flowers every day, and to place II upon the head
OF Our Lady's statue. He became a monk, and in
the coister his occupations no longer permitted him
to observe this pious practice. Being much dis
tressed. ne asked counsel of aged priest who ad
vised him to say his Aves every evening which
would be accepted by Our Lady IN lieu OF the gar
land. This the young man faithfully observed, until
one day. while on Journey he had to pass through
a lonely wood where robbers lying in wait.
Quite unsuspicious of their presence he suddenly
remembered that his Aves were not yet said, and
forthwith stopped to say them. Then. to their sur
prise the robbers most glorious lady stand
before him, and take after another from the
| lips Of the kneeling monk fifty beautiful roses,
which she wove into garland and placed upon her
! head. The robbers conscience stricken at the
vision all converted to better life. and them
| selves after entered the monastery.
In the London municipal records of the thir-
teenth century not infrequently find citizens de-
scribed paternOsterers and there be no doubt
that trade primarily in the turning.
66eVoons Ther cng de
! to Paternoster Row its name, for, as Father Thur
sOn pointed out, in the record of an inquest held
! In 1878 three of the witnesses described as
paternOsterers. They resided in Paternoster Lane
! ii even then called which lay just under
the shadow Of the great Cathedral and in the deVo
/ lived there but the lecturer was inclined think
that their wares were largely retaied by the per
| sons called 'statoners styled from the fact that
| they were allowed TO occupy certain stations
! round ST PauIs Cross and the Cheap Rosary
| makers in England do not seem to have been quite
T0ssres We're dyded M M nto four INHERENT guilds and
companies, according TO the material In which they
msceiIaneous association engaged largely in metal
work and the manufacture OF buttons, buckles ana
Speaking specially Of The rosa5y as used in the
with the % fha6 2a the the aHd
! duced into Western Europe by the Crusaders or
Lady NJOuiNa or coventry tNe VIE OF f-dIl
who lived long before the days of the Crusaders, IT
! is recorded that she bequeathed to the monastery
| which she founded a circlet Of gems. which she
! threaded on a string, in order that by hngering
prayers. she might fail short Of her exact mum
| ber' The Of roSaries was practice common
! 10 many Oriental races long before the Christian
! era They employed by the RuddhIStS in
| India China and Japan. and by the Mahometans
Rosares, especially those Of precious stones. Were
| used for personal adjournment as well as for pur-
poses Of devotion. with the result that these OBJ
fects OF pety not overlooked in the sumptuary
| laws which strove check the unbeCOmnE eN-
| travaganCe Of the burgher class, particularly in
! GERMANY"