Buying blessed rosaries

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Xandria

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I know that blessed items are not supposed to be sold. But let me ask you this question. There is a rosary on eBay that I would so love to own, it is so beautiful and I have searched for this exact rosary for months without success. It used to be available from a website but they don’t sell it anymore. The problem is that the seller is selling this rosary as having been blessed by Pope Benedict during a general audience. He is adding the ticket as proof. I would really like to have this rosary but don’t know if it is allowed to buy it. I don’t want it because it is blessed by the pope (I already have one) but for the rosary itself. I don’t have much hope but thought I’d ask. 😉
 
And you had better hurry, before I buy it. Blessed by the Pope. Sounds great to me! 👍😉 Brenda LOL!
 
the onus is on the seller as far as i know…
in fact, you could argue that as a devout Catholic you are keeping a blessed item safe by not allowing it to fall into other hands…

the DOWN side is that it encourages people to sell blessed items. so its your call
 
It’s been my understanding that you can’t buy or sell blessed items because it would mean buying or selling the priestly blessing along with it, as one big package so to speak. Buying a blessing like that would be simony.

However, if it’s true that the blessing ends when the object is bought, and you buy it knowing this and therefore not attempting to purchase the blessing, then maybe it would be ok. Not sure. 🤷
 
Xandria said:
I know that blessed items are not supposed to be sold. But let me ask you this question. There is a rosary on eBay that I would so love to own, it is so beautiful and I have searched for this exact rosary for months without success. It used to be available from a website but they don’t sell it anymore. The problem is that the seller is selling this rosary as having been blessed by Pope Benedict during a general audience. He is adding the ticket as proof. I would really like to have this rosary but don’t know if it is allowed to buy it. I don’t want it because it is blessed by the pope (I already have one) but for the rosary itself. I don’t have much hope but thought I’d ask. 😉
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Frankly I would not buy it. In this case you know in advance that the Rosary is blessed and that is the selling point.
In my view you would serve God better by not buying it and offering this up as a sacrifice.
 
Blessed items should never be sold. I have to believe that the seller has no idea that selling any blessed item can leave very negative repercussions on the seller (possibly on the buyer as well, depending on their intentions).

I had a cousin that was not Catholic. In fact, he didn’t really have much faith in God, at all. He owned a ‘second hand’ shop and often found blessed or holy items that were among things that came with large lots of stuff that he acquired from various places (storage auctions, basement/attic clean-outs, etc.). Even he would never sell any holy pictures, crucifixes, Bibles, etc., because he was still afraid of the negative ‘curses’ that might happen to him if he sold them. I like to think that his reverence of those things, in some small way, earned him ‘brownie points’ in Heaven. 😉

If you buy it, as a ‘rescue mission’, I think you’ll be OK. But, it will definitely have to be blessed by a Priest, again. And, the blessing of the Pope will no longer be valid, which is a real shame. 😦
 
Hm, there seem to be different opinions about this. I still don’t know if buying it would be okay or not. Of course, I would take it to a priest to have it blessed. The blessing of the pope is not why I want it. By the way, the seller is saying that he is not selling the blessing but giving it as an extra. But at the same time, he is selling the blessed rosaries at a higher price than his unblessed rosaries. :rolleyes: I really wish he would have it unblessed or that I could find another seller with this rosary. I guess, the best thing would be to pass it by, but argh… 😛
 
The rosary can be sold. The blessing cannot be sold. Once the rosary is sold, it is no longer blessed.

I had my house blessed. Of course, I could still sell it.
 
A rosary is one of the Sacramentals that in addition to the ordinary indulgences attached when blessed…a Plenary indulgence is attached when blessed by a Pope or Bishop (obtainable on Sol. of St. Peter and Paul). However all indulgences cease if it is sold… (see handbook of indulgences (Enchiridon of Indulgences) put out by the Holy See via the USCCB in the USA).

(I have also found it said in various places that the blessing too is lost upon the sale of a blessed item…)
 
Xandria said:
Hm, there seem to be different opinions about this. I still don’t know if buying it would be okay or not. Of course, I would take it to a priest to have it blessed. The blessing of the pope is not why I want it. By the way, the seller is saying that he is not selling the blessing but giving it as an extra. But at the same time, he is selling the blessed rosaries at a higher price than his unblessed rosaries. :rolleyes: I really wish he would have it unblessed or that I could find another seller with this rosary. I guess, the best thing would be to pass it by, but argh… 😛
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Of course the seller is saying that because he wants you to buy it.
DO NOT BUY IT.
 
Just to reaffirm what others here have said, when a blessed item is sold, the blessing is lost. You can buy the item, but can not buy the blessing. You can buy the item and have it blessed after you get it.

If you are given, at no charge, a blessed item, the blessing remains. If you make a donation to a charity or group such as a religious order and they give you a blessed item as a thank you gift, the blessing remains because you did not purchase the item.

So if it is an item you really like and want to purchase it. You can do that, it is however no longer blessed.
 
If you love it that much, go ahead and buy it if you are going to use it for Christian, Catholic prayer. Before using it, I suggest that you ask your priest to bless it because you don’t know where it has been or who has had it between its creation and your ownership. I bought my first vintage rosaries on ebay a few months ago. I did not use them until they were blessed by my priest.
 
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