Phillip Rolfes, Beadsman Extraordinaire

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Dear Friends,

Just a note to say that our Brother Phillip made and sent me a prayer rope (to Ethiopian specifications, as per my request) and an exquisitely done Lestovka made of wooden “steps.”

I can’t begin to say how joyful his work has made me - he is an incredibly talented beadsman-craftsman and as someone who has had and purchased such all my life, I cannot recommend Phillip’s work HIGHLY ENOUGH!!

I’ve even totally put out of my head my disappointment over the Ukrainian Catholic patriarchate thingy . . . 😉

Many Years to the Master Beadsman!!!

Alex
 
Alexander_Roman said:
Dear Friends,

Just a note to say that our Brother Phillip made and sent me a prayer rope (to Ethiopian specifications, as per my request) and an exquisitely done Lestovka made of wooden “steps.”

I can’t begin to say how joyful his work has made me - he is an incredibly talented beadsman-craftsman and as someone who has had and purchased such all my life, I cannot recommend Phillip’s work HIGHLY ENOUGH!!

I’ve even totally put out of my head my disappointment over the Ukrainian Catholic patriarchate thingy . . . 😉

Many Years to the Master Beadsman!!!

Alex
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Alex…any chance of a photo or 2? Would love to see them.
 
Alexander_Roman said:
Dear Friends,

Just a note to say that our Brother Phillip made and sent me a prayer rope (to Ethiopian specifications, as per my request) and an exquisitely done Lestovka made of wooden “steps.”

I can’t begin to say how joyful his work has made me - he is an incredibly talented beadsman-craftsman and as someone who has had and purchased such all my life, I cannot recommend Phillip’s work HIGHLY ENOUGH!!

I’ve even totally put out of my head my disappointment over the Ukrainian Catholic patriarchate thingy . . . 😉

Many Years to the Master Beadsman!!!

Alex
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Here, here:clapping: Many years to you Philip. God Bless!!
Pakesh
 
Pakesh, have you been out to Holy Transfiguration Melkite parish yet? I’d still be interested in meeting you there if you’re ever out. 😃

ICXC + NIKA,
Phillip
 
Phillip_Rolfes said:
Pakesh, have you been out to Holy Transfiguration Melkite parish yet? I’d still be interested in meeting you there if you’re ever out. 😃

ICXC + NIKA,
Phillip
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Hey, include me! I will be moving back to DC to continue my studies for the priesthood this summer. I have visited Holy Transfiguation a couple of times.
 
😛
ByzCath said:
Hey, include me! I will be moving back to DC to continue my studies for the priesthood this summer. I have visited Holy Transfiguation a couple of times.
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Brother David!!!

I’m really so excited to hear that you will be moving to D.C. this summer! Send me a PM so we can discuss when you’re moving back and possible times to meet. Although, I’m sure I’ll be able to pick you out of the crowd at Holy T if you show up in Carmelite habit. 😛

This actually reminds me, I’ve been thinking of making a traditional Carmelite 6-decade rosary (out of my love for the Carmelites). Do you have any information regarding the mysteries and how-to’s of praying the Carmelite rosary?

ICXC + NIKA,
Phillip
 
Phillip_Rolfes said:
😛

Brother David!!!

I’m really so excited to hear that you will be moving to D.C. this summer! Send me a PM so we can discuss when you’re moving back and possible times to meet. Although, I’m sure I’ll be able to pick you out of the crowd at Holy T if you show up in Carmelite habit. 😛

This actually reminds me, I’ve been thinking of making a traditional Carmelite 6-decade rosary (out of my love for the Carmelites). Do you have any information regarding the mysteries and how-to’s of praying the Carmelite rosary?

ICXC + NIKA,
Phillip
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Found the following at this website, Holy Rosary - Carmelite Sisters.
The Brigittine (or “Saint Bridget”) Rosary looks similar to a regular Rosary, but with an extra decade. The resultant seven Pater beads honor the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the sixty-three Ave Maria beads commemorate the sixty-three years it is believed the Blessed Mother lived on this earth before her Assumption. In praying the Brigittine Rosary, there are a total of eighteen decades: In the six Joyful Mysteries, the first is the Immaculate Conception; the sixth of the Sorrowful Mysteries commemorates when the Body of the Lord was placed in the Arms of His Sorrowful Mother; and the sixth of the Glorious Mysteries is recited in honor of the Patronage of Mary, Mediatrix of All Grace (and, for the Carmelite, Mary, Queen and Beauty of Carmel). The other mysteries are the same as in the Dominican Rosary. However, at the end of each decade, the Apostles Creed, not the Glory be, is recited.
Hope that helps.
 
Phillip_Rolfes said:
Pakesh, have you been out to Holy Transfiguration Melkite parish yet? I’d still be interested in meeting you there if you’re ever out. 😃

ICXC + NIKA,
Phillip
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Hey Phillip,
I am touched you remember me; I certainly remember your kindness:D I was thinking of going to Holy Transfiguration on the 14th for Presanctified Liturgy-part of the ICC:thumbsup: I might have to work though.

God Bless
Pakesh
 
ByzCath said:
Found the following at this website, Holy Rosary - Carmelite Sisters.
The Brigittine (or “Saint Bridget”) Rosary looks similar to a regular Rosary, but with an extra decade. The resultant seven Pater beads honor the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the sixty-three Ave Maria beads commemorate the sixty-three years it is believed the Blessed Mother lived on this earth before her Assumption. In praying the Brigittine Rosary, there are a total of eighteen decades: In the six Joyful Mysteries, the first is the Immaculate Conception; the sixth of the Sorrowful Mysteries commemorates when the Body of the Lord was placed in the Arms of His Sorrowful Mother; and the sixth of the Glorious Mysteries is recited in honor of the Patronage of Mary, Mediatrix of All Grace (and, for the Carmelite, Mary, Queen and Beauty of Carmel). The other mysteries are the same as in the Dominican Rosary. However, at the end of each decade, the Apostles Creed, not the Glory be, is recited.
Hope that helps.
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Thank you so much, Br. David. Now I just have to dig out my rosary making tools and find a supplier of rosary making materials. I would like to be able to make at least one of the Brigittine rosaries out of olive wood beads (I don’t really like glass or clay beads). Hmmm. Perhaps I could make a sort of cross-over Brigittine rosary in the fashion of a knotted prayer rope, but with the 6 decades and three extra “Ave” beads. I know of some Byzantine Carmelites who might be interested in that. 😃
 
Just a note to say that just as a good iconographer is judged on how well his icon inspires to prayer, so too the good beadsman!

And I’ve had Brother Phillip’s work in my hands all weekend - if they get out of my hands, it feels like something is missing and I go looking for where I put them for FEAR that I might have misplaced them.

Brother Phillip is now going to make an Old Believer “Theotokos Lestovka” for me in the same style.

Life is good . . . :):)🙂

Alex
 
Phillip_Rolfes said:
Thank you, Br. David!

Is the Carmelite Rosary typically made as a -decade Rosary or an 18-decade Rosary?
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From what I have read it is made as a 6-decade Rosary instead of a full 18-decade Rosary. Another difference from other groups that have the Rosary as part of their habits.
 
ByzCath said:
From what I have read it is made as a 6-decade Rosary instead of a full 18-decade Rosary. Another difference from other groups that have the Rosary as part of their habits.
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Interesting. I was thinking of making an 18-decade one and using different color “Pater” beads for the three sets of Mysteries. Thoughts?
 
Phillip_Rolfes said:
Interesting. I was thinking of making an 18-decade one and using different color “Pater” beads for the three sets of Mysteries. Thoughts?
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Interesting. My main thought is that an 18-decade Rosary (or a even a 15-decade one) is only really useable by those who pray the whole Rosary at a time.

Currently I do not pray the Rosary daily, I am working on changing this, but I only place to pray one set of Mysteries a day.

Now for a habit I can see having the whole Rosary but the Carmelite sisters have pointed out that they only had the 6-decade Rosary (not the whole 18) as part of their habit so traditionally I think a 6-decade would be the way to go.

But then that is only my opinion. You are the one doing the work, do as you wish.
 
Brother David raises an important point for the Master Beadsman!

The 15 decade Rosary is a “habit rosary” for Dominicans and Redemptorists (and probably others).

The six decade Rosary is the habit rosary of the Carmelites.

That is probably a good “habit” to follow . . .

And I believe that the three introductory beads to the Dominican Rosary were originally taken from the introductory beads of the Brigittine/Carmelite rosary (correct?).

The Franciscans have a 72 Hail Mary chaplet for the 72 years they believe the Mother of God lived on earth. There is a 64 bead Ethiopian rosary for the years they believe our Lady lived on earth. St Louis de Montfort left it an open question (“a chaplet of six or seven decades in honour of the years you believe our Lady lived on earth” in True Devotion to Mary).

It is interesting that what the 63, 72 or 153 Hail Mary rosaries have in common is that their numbers all add up to the number “nine” or the number of the Holy Spirit as some have suggested.

Alex
 
Alex (or anyone else),

Would you happen to know of a good one-volume resource on the history and development of Eastern/Oriental and/or Western prayer beads and rules? I’m particularly interested in learning the history of the Byzantine prayer rope, along with the use of the Jesus Prayer, and the various Byzantine prayer rules. Right now I have several sources that contain some information, but nothing in one handy volume and very little on the history. I have a lecture by Kyr Nicholas Samra that contains some history of the development of the Byzantine prayer rope and rules, but he doesn’t mention any sources. Perhaps I should try shooting him an e-mail.

ICXC + NIKA,
Phillip
 
Dear Phillip,

I’ve picked up information on the Eastern beads here and there:

orthodoxwiki.org/Prayer_rope

rosaryworkshop.ca/HISTORY-AlexRoman.html

The standard Russian Orthodox prayer rule is to say the first thirty Prayers of Jesus out loud while making prostrations. Then the remaining 70 are said in silence and the “hundredth” is finished by the psalmic doxology: Glory be . . . Alleluia, Alleleuia, Alleleuia, Glory to Thee, O God (3 x) Lord have Mercy (3x) Glory be . . .

The prayer rope is prayed ten times in this way to make 300 prostrations and 600 Prayers of Jesus. But the tenth hundred is done with “Most Holy Sovereign Theotokos, save me a sinner!”

The Old Believers usually end the last unit of their Lestovka, which has 17 steps, with the prayer of St Ephrem. They begin by saying “More honourable . . .” on the large step with a prostration, then on the first small step, “By the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.” Then the three parts of the prayer of St Ephrem on the next three smaller steps and then the Jesus Prayer 12 times, ending on the 17th step with the prayer of St Ephrem said in its entirety.

Then there is the Rule of the Fathers of Optina which is five prayer ropes - one can easily find this online . . .

Cheers!

Alex
 
Alexander_Roman said:
Dear Phillip,

I’ve picked up information on the Eastern beads here and there over the last two decades and am writing a compendium of everything for you, including the prayer rules that are in Russian . . . Articles on the prayer beads are usually in Russian and other languages but I will look.

orthodoxwiki.org/Prayer_rope

Cheers!

Alex
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Alex would you be able to post a pix of the Leskova Phillip made for you? I would greatly appreciate it!

Ciero
 
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