Is it acceptable to wear a rosary around your neck?

[mystary]

Over the past few months I’ve had sort of a religious fallout. Due to some personal stuff going on at home, complicated family ordeals, and overall unhappiness I’ve been really slipping away from being a practicing Catholic. However! I’ve decided that, in an effort to improve my complex situation, I would start trying to build my relationship up with Mary again. I found myself happiest, in spite of life’s many hurdles, when I was religious. Thus, I decided last night I’d start praying the rosary again and often. I struggle with anxiety at work so I concluded I would try to soothe it by praying the rosary during my breaks. However, due to my job requiring a lot of movement and a history of things falling out of my pocket, I was wondering if these circumstances would make it acceptable to wear the rosary underneath my shirt and around my neck. I don’t want to lose it because it is very valuable to me, but I also don’t want to commit sacrilege. Would these circumstances make it acceptable or should I keep it in my pocket and pray it doesn’t fall out?

 

[Anrakyr]

In my time as a catholic I found no logical objection.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Not a problem. I do the same. Sometimes over my clothes, sometimes under, sometimes I use a smaller one that I can wrap around my wrist. They tend to get dropped or lost otherwise.

 

[ioannes_pius]

Wearing a rosary around the neck or elsewhere on the body for pious purposes is certainly acceptable. In fact, there used to be an indulgence attached to this practice.

 

[tuffsmurf]

Most people I have seen wearing rosaries around their neck has actually been protestants who thought it was just a beautiful necklace and not something used for prayer. But of course it’s nothing wrong with wearing it as a catholic.

 

[Baho]

Its more than okay to wear a rosary bracelet so there’s no reason a full sized rosary wouldn’t be fine, so long as the intent is to have it with you for prayer and not for fashion.

 

[GEddie]

In Fatima, rosaries can be purchased for the neck. The cord stretches to go over your head.

One can be comfortable that anything that would be “sacrilege” would not be sold at the foot of the sanctuary at Fatima.

Monastic brothers often wrap a large rosary around their bodies. Same thing.

The issue is not how it is placed on you, but that you are in fact praying it, and not using it as “adornment.”

ICXC NIKA

 

[27lw]

Would a bracelet be easier than a necklace? Best wishes to you – sounds like you’re going through tough times!

 

[GEddie]

Not necessarily easier. Stuff hanging off the hands can get in one’s way. Neck moves much less than the hands.

ICXC NIKA