Just a quick question:
What is the proper way to dispose of a rosary that fell apart that had been blessed?
I ask because I have heard that when something has been blessed you are supposed to burn them in order to dispose of them (first off, is that right?), but how am I to burn something that is metal – i don’t think i have a fire around that is hot enough.
Is the burning thing correct? If so, how to burn a metal object?
thanks
I think you can break it up so that it is no longer recognizable as a rosary. Then bury the pieces.
What about taking it to your Church? My former parish that I attended back when I was a kid had a box to place broken rosaries in. There is no box at my current parish, but I would probably take a broken rosary to the rectory if I had one, so the priest could take care of it. Just like if you buy a new one, you can drop it off at the rectory to have the priest bless it, then pick it up after the blessing.
Are you sure that it can’t be fixed? Maybe take it to a jewelers?
good thread, my broken one has been sitting in my dresser for 3years now…
Mine broke WHILE I was saying the rosary… that can’t be a good sign
Um…
I make rosaries.
If it’s made with the traditional linked eyepins and chain, it should be pretty easy to repair, as long as you have all the beads. Any bead shop should be able to sell you a small packet of eyepins, and probably a pair of inexpensive jeweler’s pliers as well.
I actually once had a rosary break and lost some of the beads. Since it was basically beyond repair, I took the crucifix and medallion from it and made a new one with tiny seashells as beads. I gave it as a gift to a friend- he loved it.
Even if you have most of the beads left you can still, for example, have it remade but with different new beads for the Our Fathers or what have you. If it’s not of serious sentimental or material value, however, this may not be worthwhile.
I’ve had all my Rosaries either break or fall apart on me, due probably to my habit of falling asleep while holding 'em, but none were beyond fixing. Most I could very easily fix by myself even.
LilyM
Re I’ve had all my Rosaries either break or fall apart on me, due probably to my habit of falling asleep while holding 'em,
I use a string rosary when I am apt to fall asleep. They can take it.
AFAIK, any sacramental must be disposed of through burying or burning.
:blessyou:
Thank Augustine.
Thanks all.
What happened was I had two rosaries that broke and I made the parts of both into a new, “ultra-durable” rosary and have had that blessed so I can’t really repair the old ones. Thanks for all the advice–I think I will bury it.
And yes, the eye wire type ones do break a lot (I keep a rosary in an ex-change purse type thing in my pocket and I guess it is a little rough on them when I sit down so they fall apart a lot but my new one is made from a very old rosary that was made the good old fashioned way with a much more durable gauge of wire and doubled up. The problem with the old one is that the corpse of Jesus fell off the Crucifix (beyond repair) so I took the bead part and combined it with a Crucifix from a cheaply made rosary whose chain kept falling apart – now I have one that is really strong.)
I have been wondering about this issue myself. What to do with the palm leaves from Palm Sunday, since they were blessed?
It would be good if we could simply bury items that have been blessed, which will not burn. I wonder though what your source for this information is?
At my parish, about 2 weeks before Ash Wednesday, they ask people to bring their palms to the rectory. They burn the old palms to make the ashes for Ash Wednesday. If your parish does not do this, you can just burn the palms on your own.
thefloridacatholic.org/articles/2006/061208/061208-venice-holden-rosaries.htm
I hope you can get into this link anyways they are a couple in Florida that fixes rosaries as part of their aposolate. They need broken rosaries and their parts, they also repair them. Hope this helps. 
Good source! Thank you.
Quite true, they can be repaired. I’ve had many of my rosaries repaired, and some more than once. And if a bead is lost, I think it is OK to use another bead (even if it looks a little different).
The rosary I sleep with in my hand is the one where the beads don’t match. And it no longer has the original crucifix (I think it broke off one night in my hand).
I figure it is like Holy Water – as long as half the original blessed rosary is still there then it is still a blessed rosary. And besides that, it has been prayed with a lot. And sometimes I baptize my medals or rosaries by immersing them in holy water. I think that refreshes them somewhat.
I am still much like a young child in my faith and perhaps my beat up rosary is much like a child’s very worn teddy bear – probably it is precious both to me and to Mary.
If anyone has not tried it yet, please consider it – hold a Rosary in your hand as you fall asleep. Say at least a few Hail Mary’s each night as you fall asleep. When I do so, I think it is an invitation to Mary to watch over me while I sleep – and I think it is an invitation she does not refuse, so long as I want to become a better Christian.
In the past few years, I’ve had a few minor operations and procedures with anesthesia. And each time the staff was cooperative and allowed me to hold a Rosary in my hand. Sometimes taping it in place so it would be sure to stay out of the way.
The Rosary is such a comfort at times.
jmm08
Mother Angelica says you can send any broken items such as rosaries or statues to her. She has them put inside the walls of buildings and stuff as they are building them. I’m sure you can send it to the EWTN address.
I believe breaking something up to make it unrecognizable and throwing it away is acceptable as well (such as with palm branches). I’m pretty sure I heard this on EWTN.
Hey, this is slightly off subject, but I found this book on Amazon.com the other day…it’s all about sacaramentals. I’m planning on purchasing this book over the next few months, so if they have any new ideas on how to dispose of old sacramentals, I’ll let you know.
Please before you dispose of your old or broken rosary send them to me. I repair broken rosaries and will use the yours for parts. I fix the rosaries for free to anyone in my area. If you will send me your broken or old rosaries I will refund you the postage amount if you ask me, Thanks
David:) 
My rosary just broke tonight – nothing serious – it just came unhooked between beads. I’ve already hooked it back together and can clamp the hook shut with needle-nose pliers. My question is this: If you repair a rosary as I have described, are you supposed to have it blessed again?