Rosary Origin

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Is there a reason that decades in a rosary have ten Hail Mary’s? Was it always 10? When was the rosary that we use today established and are there any symbolic elements?
 
Here is the most detailed and accurate history of the Rosary that I know of that also tries to explain the traditional legends that have also developed around it…

newadvent.org/cathen/13184b.htm

The easiest explaination as to why 10 is simple.

There are 150 psalms that the rosary came from. So you have 5 sets of 10.
 
IF there were other than 10 Hail Mary’s it would not be a “decade”. because that’s what decade means (10). 🙂
 
To quote from the long, complex article Marie5890 graciously provided:
since the recitation of the Psalms divided into fifties was, as innumerable documents attest, the favourite form of devotion for religious and learned persons, so those who were simple or much occupied loved, by the repetition of fifty, a hundred, or a hundred and fifty were salutations of Our Lady, to feel that they were imitating the practice of God’s more exalted servants.
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IOW, the lay people, who could not read or write their own languages let alone the Latin translation of the Psalms which religious recited daily, recited Hail Marys. The Our Fathers were later added to the rosary between the decades. And after that other prayers, such as the Glory be and the Fatima prayer with the Apostles Creed to start and the Hail Holy Queen and other prayers at the end. St. John Paul II added 1 more decade during his pontificate for those who wish to meditate on more aspects of Jesus life and mission.
 
I have heard that the 153 Hail Marys said in a full rosary (three original mysteries) represent the 153 fish caught in John 21:11.
 
Della said:
To quote from the long, complex article Marie5890 graciously provided:

IOW, the lay people, who could not read or write their own languages let alone the Latin translation of the Psalms which religious recited daily, recited Hail Marys. The Our Fathers were later added to the rosary between the decades. And after that other prayers, such as the Glory be and the Fatima prayer with the Apostles Creed to start and the Hail Holy Queen and other prayers at the end. ***St. John Paul II added 1 more decade ***during his pontificate for those who wish to meditate on more aspects of Jesus life and mission.
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One more MYSTERY, not decade> LOL
Gotcha Della! Love you! 😉
 
pianistclare said:
One more MYSTERY, not decade> LOL
Gotcha Della! Love you! 😉
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Actually, the Luminous Mysteries consist of another 5 mysteries/decades–for Thursdays: how-to-pray-the-rosary-everyday.com/luminous-mystery-rosary.html.

For our OP, the rosary is a private devotion, so people can add as many decades/mysteries as they like in private recitation. I complied a rosary of 35 mysteries in “The Beautiful Gate Rosary,” which is no longer in print but which I still have on my computer.
 
The Rosary’s number of five decades of ten Hail Mary’s and fifteen decades totally 150 Hail Mary’s if said in it’s entirety is equivalent of the 150 Psalms of the Bible.

Glenda
 
I’ve often wondered about the origins myself. Thanks for the thread!
 
Della said:
To quote from the long, complex article Marie5890 graciously provided:

IOW, the lay people, who could not read or write their own languages let alone the Latin translation of the Psalms which religious recited daily, recited Hail Marys. The Our Fathers were later added to the rosary between the decades. And after that other prayers, such as the Glory be and the Fatima prayer with the Apostles Creed to start and the Hail Holy Queen and other prayers at the end. St. John Paul II added 1 more decade during his pontificate for those who wish to meditate on more aspects of Jesus life and mission.
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No, St. John Paul DIDN’T add a decade of Hail Marys – He added a set of Mysteries, The Luminous Mysteries, i.e. The Baptism in the Jordan, The Wedding at Cana, Preaching the Kingdom of God, The Transfiguration, and The Institution of the Holy Eucharist.
 
Magdalen2013 said:
No, St. John Paul DIDN’T add a decade of Hail Marys – He added a set of Mysteries, The Luminous Mysteries, i.e. The Baptism in the Jordan, The Wedding at Cana, Preaching the Kingdom of God, The Transfiguration, and The Institution of the Holy Eucharist.
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Yes, I already corrected that. :tiphat:
 
glendab said:
The Rosary’s number of five decades of ten Hail Mary’s and fifteen decades totally 150 Hail Mary’s if said in it’s entirety is equivalent of the 150 Psalms of the Bible.

Glenda
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Prior to the Luminous Mysteries being added there were 153 Hail Mary’s in a complete Rosary and not 150.
 
Hello Thistle.
thistle said:
Prior to the Luminous Mysteries being added there were 153 Hail Mary’s in a complete Rosary and not 150.
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Gee, thanks for pointing that out to me. Guess I should count slower next time.

Glenda
 
I like this explanation:

erosary.com/rosary/about/history.htm

Also, I believe that the 3 Hail Mary’s at the beginning that are prayed prior to beginning the 150, are to increase the faith, hope and charity of the one praying the rosary. We are praying those 3 so that we have the same spirit as Mary as we pray the 150 Hail Mary’s, but those 150 are what represent the 150 psalms in Scripture.
 
glendab said:
Hello Thistle.

Gee, thanks for pointing that out to me. Guess I should count slower next time.

Glenda
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Not sure if you are being sarcastic or not. I simply pointed it out because most people forget about the 3 Hail Mary’s before the start of the first decade. Remember the Rosary does not start at the first Hail Mary of the first decade. In all a complete Rosary prior to the Luminous Mysteries had 153 Hail Mary’s.
 
I heard it started as 150 Our Father’s before changing to 150 Hail Mary’s; if so, why the change?
 
Pope Saint John Paul II added nothing. He suggested a possibility to the faithful that they were free to adopt or not.
thistle said:
Prior to the Luminous Mysteries being added there were 153 Hail Mary’s in a complete Rosary and not 150.
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That depends. The Dominicans didn’t use the prefacing three Hail Marys. They used the traditional versicle and response from the Dominican Divine Office that opens Matins. Those three Hail Marys are came from the Bridgittine Rosary which added three extra Hail Marys to their six decade rosaries to reflect the northern European tradition of Our Lady’s age at her Assumption (63).

In Jesus and Mary,
OS.
 
thistle said:
Not sure if you are being sarcastic or not. I simply pointed it out because most people forget about the 3 Hail Mary’s before the start of the first decade. Remember the Rosary does not start at the first Hail Mary of the first decade. In all a complete Rosary prior to the Luminous Mysteries had 153 Hail Mary’s.
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The first three Hail Mary’s are symbolic of the three virtues, the three persons of the Trinity, etc., Our Lady’s Psalter, the main body of the rosary, is the 150 Ave’s symbolic of the 150 psalms. So, begin technical, you are right there are 153 Ave’s. But, being traditional, the main body of the rosary is symbolic as well as the three at the beginning being symbolic.

God bless!
 
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