Prayer Rope Question

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alwayslooking

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An easy question from a Latin Rite Catholic for my Eastern Catholic brethren.

It is my understanding that Orthodox Christians originated prayer ropes. Do Eastern Catholics also use prayer ropes? If so what rites?

I’m just curious as I find it to be a beautiful devotion.

Thanks!
 
alwayslooking said:
It is my understanding that Orthodox Christians originated prayer ropes.
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Yes, though the use of prayer ropes originates from a time long before the great schism.
alwayslooking said:
Do Eastern Catholics also use prayer ropes? If so what rites?
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Absolutely, especially monastics and clergy, but many laymen use them too. What rites? Certainly Churches of the Byzantine Rite, but I would suspect the Oriental Churches also use some form of prayer rope.
 
I was under the impression that the ancient Jews were the first to use prayer ropes, that is if we are thinking of the same things (a rope with knots on it used for prayer, similar to how there are beads on a rosary). I’d have to double check my history on this, but I remember hearing that (possibly on CAL)
 
bzkoss236 said:
I was under the impression that the ancient Jews were the first to use prayer ropes, that is if we are thinking of the same things (a rope with knots on it used for prayer, similar to how there are beads on a rosary). I’d have to double check my history on this, but I remember hearing that (possibly on CAL)
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I mean the practice of reciting the Jesus Prayer on a prayer rope or beads.
 
From my research Christians of the Byzantine tradition will use a prayer rope consisting of anywhere from 33 to 300 knots. It may be divided up with beads, but the divisions will vary according to what customs one follows (Russian, Romanian, Greek, etc.). The Russians also use a leather “chaplet” known as a Lestovka. This is something one commonly sees among Old Believers, but is not completely unknown by the rest of Byzantine Christianity.

Coptic Christians also often use prayer ropes, but one may find them using a “mequtaria” as well. The mequtaria is a prayer rope, but the prayers said on it are different and the way the knots/ beads are divided is also different.

Ethiopian Christians will use a mequtaria and/or some form of walking stick with notches carved into it.

Maronites will will typically pray the Latin/Dominican rosary, but one may see a Maronite praying the Jesus Prayer on a prayer rope from time to time. (Incidentally there is a wonderful little pamphlet that promotes a “Maronite rendition” of the rosary. The prayers are all the same, but there are meditations before each decade that are taken from the Maronite liturgical tradition).

As to the rest of Eastern and Oriental Christianity, I’m still searching to learn more.
 
The prayer rope came from the Desert Fathers. Here is the story of it:

Previously, monks would count their prayers by casting pebbles into a bowl, but this was cumbersome, and could not be easily carried about when outside the cell. The use of the rope made it possible to pray the Jesus Prayer unceasingly, whether inside the cell or out.

It is said that the method of tying the prayer rope had its origins from the Father of Orthodox Monasticism, Saint Anthony the Great. He started by tying a leather rope with a simple knot for every time he prayed Kyrie Eleison (“Lord have Mercy”), but the Devil would come and untie the knots to throw off his count. He then devised a way–inspired by a vision he had of the Theotokos–of tying the knots so that the knots themselves would constantly make the sign of the cross. This is why prayer ropes today are still tied using knots that each contain seven little crosses being tied over and over. The Devil could not untie it because the Devil is vanquished by the Sign of the Cross.
Source: orthodoxwiki.org/Prayer_rope
 
alwayslooking said:
An easy question from a Latin Rite Catholic for my Eastern Catholic brethren.

It is my understanding that Orthodox Christians originated prayer ropes. Do Eastern Catholics also use prayer ropes? If so what rites?

I’m just curious as I find it to be a beautiful devotion.

Thanks!
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Actually, it is from the period of the undivided Church. Itgoes back to the origins of Christian monasticism itself. When monks began going into the deserts, it was their custom to pray the entire 150 Psalms every day. However, because some of the monks were unable to read, they would either have to memorize the psalms or perform other prayers and prostrations in their stead. Thus the tradition of saying 150 (or more) Jesus Prayers every day began.
Tthe method of tying the prayer rope is attributed to St. Anthony the Great. He started by tying a leather rope with a simple knot for every time he prayed Kyrie Eleison (“Lord have Mercy”), but the Devil would come and untie the knots to throw off his count. He then devised a way—inspired by a vision he had of the Theotokos—of tying the knots so that the knots themselves would constantly make the sign of the cross. This is why prayer ropes today are still tied using knots that each contain seven little crosses being tied over and over. The Devil could not untie it because the Devil is vanquished by the Sign of the Cross.
 
Phillip_Rolfes said:
From my research Christians of the Byzantine tradition will use a prayer rope consisting of anywhere from 33 to 300 knots. It may be divided up with beads, but the divisions will vary according to what customs one follows (Russian, Romanian, Greek, etc.). The Russians also use a leather “chaplet” known as a Lestovka. This is something one commonly sees among Old Believers, but is not completely unknown by the rest of Byzantine Christianity.

Coptic Christians also often use prayer ropes, but one may find them using a “mequtaria” as well. The mequtaria is a prayer rope, but the prayers said on it are different and the way the knots/ beads are divided is also different.

Ethiopian Christians will use a mequtaria and/or some form of walking stick with notches carved into it.

Maronites will will typically pray the Latin/Dominican rosary, but one may see a Maronite praying the Jesus Prayer on a prayer rope from time to time. (Incidentally there is a wonderful little pamphlet that promotes a “Maronite rendition” of the rosary. The prayers are all the same, but there are meditations before each decade that are taken from the Maronite liturgical tradition).

As to the rest of Eastern and Oriental Christianity, I’m still searching to learn more.
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Can you scan and/or print this? I’d love to see the Maronite meditations.
 
Phillip,
I would also very much enjoy seeing these Maronite meditations on the Rosary.
ICXC+NIKA
FKC
 
I would love to see the Maronite meditations as well.
St. Charbel, pray for us.***
 
Unfortunately I’m not able to copy the little booklet. The next time I’m over at my local Maronite parish I try to pick up a few extra copies. 🙂
 
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