Brigittine/Carmelite rosary

[Laudate_Dominum]

For some time now I have been looking for information regarding the traditional six-decade rosary of the Brigittines/Carmelites. After contacting communities from both Orders I haven’t had much luck. Besides a couple (literally only two, one from a Father Boyd, OCDS and from the Raccolta, with Father giving the most detail) of blurbs that have been reproduced ad nauseum on literally hundreds of websites, I’ve had no luck. Searching for PDFs of traditional Carmelite and Brigittine prayer books and manuals have showed no results.

So any help would be greatly appreciated.

I’m aware that the Brigittine rosary is composed of six decades (with the extra mysteries being The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin, The Descent of Jesus from the Cross and The Patronage of the Blessed Virgin/The Blessed Virgin, Vision and Beauty of Carmel?), 7 Pater and 63 Ave and that the decades end in the Credo and not the Gloria Patri. But I’ve come across conflicting accounts of the 7th Pater and the 3 Ave. Are these said at the beginning of the rosary as in the Dominican method (and if so is the Credo said before these and the Gloria Patri said after them before commencing the decades?) or are they finished after completing the 6 decades? I’ve also came across odd comments that the Brigittine rosary involves no meditation, that it is strictly a vocal prayer. I’m not sure how much credence to give to these comments though… I can’t really imagine the Carmelites adopting something without meditation involved! And lastly I would like to know how the Brigittine rosary has traditionally been concluded. Salve Regina, Litanies, etc.

Besides all this any further information would be welcomed. More on the history of this form of the rosary and the like.

 

[Nowhere_Man]

All I know of the Brigittine Rosary is what I’ve heard from Br. Prior Bernard, O.Ss.S., who is the prior of the only Brigittine monastic community in the world, and has worked with the sisters in America and the Philippines extensively; though, needless to say, I trust his word, and he explained it to me like this:

You start with the Sign of the Cross, announce the mysteries, then pray the Our Father of the FIRST DECADE, then the ten Hail Mary’s, then the Apostle’s Creed; rinse and repeat for the next five decades. Then the Rosary ends with the Our Father, three Hail Mary’s, the Glory Be, and the Hail, Holy Queen.

As for meditating on the mysteries, Br. Prior told me that they do, and that makes sense as the Brigittines are a very contemplative and cloistered Order, for the most part (some of the branches of sisters are not cloistered and do apostolic work).

Another Brigittine devotion that you might be interested in is the Ave Maris Stella. It is believed that later in her life Saint Bridget of Sweden, their founder, was attacked by a mob that wished to burn her at the stake. Immediately she prayed to Our Lord for protection, and He spoke to her and said: “It doesn’t matter if they plot your death. My power will break the malice of your enemies. I was crucified only because I permitted it.”, to which Our Lady added: “Sing as a group the “Ave Maris Stella” (Hail, Star of the Sea) and I’ll guard you from every danger.” As they were singing, they repeated the line “Solve vincla reis” (Break the captives’ fetters) as a petition to Our Lady, and she answered by lifting Saint Bridget from the pyre and scattering the mob.

 

[Laudate_Dominum]

All I know of the Brigittine Rosary is what I’ve heard from Br. Prior Bernard, O.Ss.S., who is the prior of the only Brigittine monastic community in the world, and has worked with the sisters in America and the Philippines extensively; though, needless to say, I trust his word, and he explained it to me like this:

You start with the Sign of the Cross, announce the mysteries, then pray the Our Father of the FIRST DECADE, then the ten Hail Mary’s, then the Apostle’s Creed; rinse and repeat for the next five decades. Then the Rosary ends with the Our Father, three Hail Mary’s, the Glory Be, and the Hail, Holy Queen.

I think I can likewise take his word on it ! But thank you very much, that’s a great help. So the minor Gloria is said at the conclusion before the Salve? Interesting.

Another Brigittine devotion that you might be interested in is the Ave Maris Stella. It is believed that later in her life Saint Bridget of Sweden, their founder, was attacked by a mob that wished to burn her at the stake. Immediately she prayed to Our Lord for protection, and He spoke to her and said: “It doesn’t matter if they plot your death. My power will break the malice of your enemies. I was crucified only because I permitted it.”, to which Our Lady added: “Sing as a group the “Ave Maris Stella” (Hail, Star of the Sea) and I’ll guard you from every danger.” As they were singing, they repeated the line “Solve vincla reis” (Break the captives’ fetters) as a petition to Our Lady, and she answered by lifting Saint Bridget from the pyre and scattering the mob.

Ave Maris Stella is the hymn at Vespers in the Little Office .

 

[Nowhere_Man]

Ave Maris Stella is the hymn at Vespers in the Little Office .

That it is. And the Brigittines use it every day as the hymn for their Vespers, as what is, I assume, a devotional carry-over from the medieval “Office of Our Lady” that the sisters used to pray.