Can Roman Catholics use Orthodox Prayer Ropes?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Thataltarserverguy
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
T

Thataltarserverguy

Guest
Now can we actually use some?
 
Last edited:
Chotki? Yes, we may. In fact, they’re used in Eastern Catholic Churches.
 
Last edited:
I use one.

Lord Jesus Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.

and then with each additional big knot, I pray:

Lord Jesus Son of God, have mercy on all the souls in purgatory.
Lord Jesus Son of God, have mercy on the unborn.
Lord Jesus Son of God, have mercy on XXXXX.
 
Not only do I use them, I make them!

The prayer rope/Jesus Prayer belongs just as much to the Catholic tradition as it does to the Orthodox tradition. It originated with the Desert Fathers, who are equally venerated by Catholics as they are by the Orthodox. Plus, Eastern Catholic spirituality has its roots in the Orthodox tradition and is, ideally, identical to Orthodox spirituality.

Long story short. Yes. Roman Catholics can use the prayer rope and pray the Jesus Prayer.
 
Just for clarity, “chotki” is simply one word for “prayer rope” used in the Slavic traditions (another word is “vervitsa”). The Greeks call it a “komboskini.” Personally I always just refer to them as “prayer ropes.” It’s the English equivalent to “chotki” or “komboskini”.
 
We sure can. I keep mine around to remind me of my mistakes and spiritual pilgrimage back home to Rome.
 
Short of the “War Prayer” mocked by Twain, I’m not sure that there is a “wrong” or “impermissible” way to pray . . .

Maybe this is a lack of sufficient imagination . . .

Hmm, any “Christian” prayer involving fresh human sacrifice would be a wrong way, as would torture of animals . . .
 
At the risk of being redundant, as I haven’t read the thread before responding: Yes, you can. A prayer rope is a way to keep track of your prayers, just like a rosary. In fact, I’ve prayed the Jesus Prayer and the Rosary on a prayer rope and I’ve prayed the Rosary and the Jesus Prayer on a rosary. I like the feel of beads better- but if I need something that easily fits in my pocket and can wrap around my wrist when out and about- a prayer rope does the trick. Don’t overthink this.
 
A prayer rope is simply a knotted cord that has 33, 50, or 100 knots (more rarely 150 or even 300). The knots are used to count the number of repetitions of the Jesus Prayer.
 
Why not? The EO and OO are officially in schism. They have valid apostolic succession, we unfortunately are not in communion though. However there are churches from those areas in communion, though a minority, who retain the traditions of these separated Churches.
This isn’t the same as Protestants who fell into heresy. The Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Communions have valid sacraments and priests and if it weren’t for unfortunate events in history which we are also at fault, we would still be one Church.
 
A rosary, a chotki more than anything is a means of keeping track of the number of prayers and also involving our body and mind as well as our spirit in worship. One does not need a prayer rope to say the same prayers, but there is a certain amount of comfort felt while using it. Certainly nothing wrong with using it.
 
Listen to an audio interview with Fr. Andriy Chiriovsky explaining the difference between the Eastern Rite and Roman Rite:

sheptytskyinstitute.ca/difference-between-ukrainian-catholic-and-roman-catholic/
 
Byzantine prayer ropes, the Orthodox don’t have a monopoly on Eastern Christian devotions.
 
sheptytskyinstitute.ca/difference-between-ukrainian-catholic-and-roman-catholic/
While I respect what the Sheptytsky Institute does, how is this related to the topic at hand?
 
Last edited:
It’s not just an Orthodox devotion. Eastern Catholics - particularly of the Byzantine tradition - have been praying the Jesus Prayer just as long as the Orthodox. In fact, the Jesus Prayer has its roots in the spirituality of the Desert Fathers, so one could say that it is a fully “catholic” (i.e. universal) devotion.

The Jesus Prayer is traditionally said using a Prayer Rope/Chotki/Komboskini to count the number of repetitions, much like the Roman use of a Rosary.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top