Hi I want a good quality handmade rosary and I was wondering if anyone ever bought one online? So my questions for you are:
Is buying a rosary online safe?
When do you think I will get it if I do buy online?
Are all rosaries handmade?
Is it safe to put my credit card info online?
Do you know of any good websites to go to?
I have found a few
These are some that look pretty good please I need help it’s my daughters first communion in a month.
I don’t know where you live but most larger parishes run a parish store where rosaries, missals, bibles etc. are available, might be open on Sundays only. In our area we have a couple of Catholic stores and even a couple of generic Christan stores that carry rosaries. Barring that, I have purchased religious articles on-line with no problems, just be sure the site is secure as indicated by a locked lock logo at the bottom of your screen.
We have 3 “Catholic” stores in the Sacramento area that have loads of rosaries, plus catalogs you can order from. I bought my “treasured” rosary at the Vatican Museum Store in Rome( at the entrance area to the Sistine Chapel), and I’m sure that if you go to that website you should be able to find many choices! While there, I purchased a John-Paul ll cross for my dear friend who was not Catholic (raised a Mormon and then left). When she died, she was buried with that cross! I was deeply moved.
Start here:
http//www.rosaryworkshop.com/ROSARIES-index.html
stillstoneandmoss.com/index.php
dakotarosaryworks.com/drw/shop/cart.php?target=category&category_id=29
There was a thread like this a few months back where an etsy site was recommended.
I was looking for a sturdy rosary (also one a little more masculine than what is generally available) and hadn’t actually considered having a custom rosary made. Thanks to the recommendations in that thread and the quality of the rosaries pictured I had a decided to take the plunge and couldn’t have been more satisfied with how it came out. The lady that makes each rosary communicated well throughout the process, from fleshing out how I envisioned the rosary, sending me a picture of a decade to see if I was happy with its appearance and I had the rosary in my hand in 7 or 8 days from the day I initially placed the order.
It’s extremely well made. I carry it in my pocket daily. Each bead is individually wire wrapped, so it’s a bit longer than a standard sized rosary, around 32" if memory serves. Each rosary she makes comes with a lifetime warranty as well.
Just make sure you do NOT buy a Blessed Rosary.
It is against Church law to sell objects that are blessed.
I hope I never need to sell my house.
I believe it’s against church law to buy an object for the blessing. Say as in a ‘rosary blessed by the Pope’ on eBay or the like. I’m pretty sure buying a vintage rosary from an estate sale and having it blessed by your priest is not against Church law.
I’ve made a lot of rosaries (although I’ve never sold any) and I’d think that any chain rosaries (metal between the beads) would have to be made by hand. I have no evidence of it, but I can’t think of how a “rosary machine” would work. 
The rosaries at beadifulrosaries look good, and the ability to design your own is fun, but it doesn’t say what size any of the beads are (or alternatively how long the rosary itself would be), which would be nice to know.
The rosaries at fiftyninebeads are absolutely gorgeous, but they appear to be just beads on string or thread, which I would think is less durable (especially for a child) than ones with metal. However, you could ask them about it, because they could be using a plastic-coated-wire type of string, which is quite durable. The pictures aren’t detailed enough for me to tell for sure.
I have bought things at the following online stores:
catholicfamilycatalog.com
ewtnreligiouscatalogue.com
leafletonline.com
aquinasandmore.com
catholiccompany.com
They all seem to be fine retailers with wide rosary selections, although of course I haven’t actually bought rosaries from them on account of making my own.
If you’re wondering what the bead sizes mean, generally 4mm is used in the smallest rosaries (although sometimes you’ll find 3mm), 6mm is probably the most common, and 8mm is OK, but might be a bit hard for a child to use from being a bit big and (depending on materials) heavy for their hands.
Also, if the rosary doesn’t come with one, you probably want to buy a case for it. My personal preference is for zippers rather than snaps, because when you are fastening the snap, you frequently squish the rosary. Not that any decent rosary can’t stand a fair bit of squishing, but usually they get enough of that in the ordinary course of use, without the case adding to it.
But you may also want to just check in the phone book to see if there are any Catholic stores in your area. Actually, I found a few rosaries in a Protestant bookstore once, but for obvious reasons, the selection isn’t as good. Anyway, the Catholic store in my area is listed under “Religious Supplies-Christian” in the Yellow Pages. (It’s also under “Books” but it’s harder to find there.) Then you can see the rosaries in person and that may be more fun as well as handy knowing that you can take it home with you rather than having it shipped.
BTW, there is a temptation, especially for first communion, to get a rosary that has some pearls in it. I would personally recommend against real pearls in any rosary, but especially one for a child, because they are so fragile (the pearls, not the children!). But that is just my personal opinion–if everyone agreed with me, there wouldn’t be so many pearl rosaries out there. 
Good luck finding the perfect one, and here’s hoping your daughter prays it a lot!
–Jen
P.S. about security–it’s not necessary that the whole website has the lock icon (assuming you’re using Internet Explorer–other browsers indicate security settings in different ways), it is only necessary that the lock icon be present during the checkout process. There’s nothing particularly private about the contents of your cart, only in the personal information you supply during checkout. Basically, if you’re entering information (like name, address, credit card number) in a window, the lock should be there.
Actually, I believe that is not correct. It is against Church law to charge more for an object because it is blessed. You can sell a blessed object as an object (that happens to be blessed), but you cannot sell a blessing.
Anyway, you can’t tell if an object is blessed by looking at it, so how would you make sure?
–Jen
Oops, it appears the reference I made above was intended for relics.
Here is what I found about blessed objects by the Pope for example, don’t know the accuracy of these links, someone to verify?
reviews.ebay.com/The-Sale-of-Religious-Items-Blessed-by-the-Pope_W0QQugidZ10000000003814500 (it essentially says a blessed objects looses it’s blessing when sold.
On relics:
acfnewsource.org/religion/relics_4_sale.html
In the last year or so I’ve notice quite a few of my high school students (both male and female) wearing rosaries as necklaces. Of course, I couldn’t hold my tongue, and asked the kids about the practice. The first girl told me it was part of Latino heritage. The next boy told me that it just shows he is a committed Christian (Baptist). When I questioned each of them, neither knew how to pray the Rosary! Has anyone else had this experience? I’m interested in if this is just a “California” trend or if it happens in other parts of the country (and world).:eek:
I am born and raised in California and I was always taught that you should not wear a rosary around the neck; that it is not a fashion symbol, and is to be used for the sole purpose of prayer.
Typically in culture there is a thing called jewelry, and frequently worn around the neck.
This would seem to implicate that the rosary becomes not just a tool for prayer but also a piece of fashion. That is what I was taught.
I have since been told that in many other countries outside the U.S.(mostly Latin) it is worn around the neck and is acceptable by these cultures.
True, many wear it as a fashion statement and don’t know how to pray it. I corrected a youth recently who decided to start it up; she had no interest in praying the rosary.
To my knowledge there is no real rule on how it can be worn, but it’s purpose must remain for prayer.
Historically, the rosary has been worn on a priest’s left hip. Because if he was a knight, that would be where his sword would hang.
I think that is much cooler symbolism and talking point that worn around the neck IMHO.
I have purchased many Rosaries on Ebay. I just take them to church and ask my priest to Bless them. Antique Rosaries have really shot up in price in the last year, but you can stll find some good bargins on Ebay. Just set a price limit on what you are willing to bid.
Another option is a quality store. There are many good quality rosaries but you had better be ready to pay upwards of $100.00 with some going well over $500.00.
I like Ebay but I’m a “bottom feeder”. I just troll around until I find a bargin.
For reasonably priced hand made quality rosaries, chaplets and much more … please visit BattleBeads
Also, please pray the USA Chaplet … Church approved, received the Nihil Obstat 4/9/10
God bless
rosaryshop.com/rosariesAndKits.php?wwwrosaryshopcom=846e5927a85026fd7f03f167460c1d94
You can custom build a rosary here, very customizeable with almost any bead, cross, medal, findings, etc that you can imagine. I had a seven sorrows chaplet made here and it is lovely.
This is where I get mine from. High quality rosary that will last a long time. I use mine daily and it has not shown any wear.