What type of Prayer beads used before Rosary came into existence?

[3335]

I had a conversation with my Orthodox friend on Prayer beads in Christianity. I just knew that the story of prayer beads in Christianity goes back to 2 or 3 century. My friend said that before the rosary came into existence prayer rope was used in East and West . After the Schism of 1054 the West clergy were still prayer rope but in beaded form having a medal of Jesus or Saint rather than tassel.
I know that the 1st non Christian religion to use prayer beads was Hinduism with 108 beads then later adopted by Buddhist, Jain , Sikhs.
Can someone tell me how right he is ? and how can I defend attack on Rosary or Orthodox Prayer rope from Protestant and how can I attract them to this ?
They say that the praying is pagan and it is not Christian.

 

[JerryZ]

Heh many claim we aren’t even Christians, go figure.
Just keep at it, many resources available.

Peace!

 

[CRM_Brother]

The rosary as we know it is, first and foremost, a chaplet. Originally, a chaplet was a series of prayers to be prayed in a group (originally in a chapel, hence the name). There were many versions of these prayer ropes and beads in different configurations before the rosary. These chaplets evolved out of a habit for spiritual directors and confessors to assign those under their care to pray a certain number of repetitive prayers every day. Quickly, counting systems came about. The first counting systems were little pouches with stones or seeds in them. Inevitably, these counters would become lost. It was only then that the counters developed into knots on a rope.

The chaplets and choktis (Orthodox prayer ropes) operate on a very different understanding than Hindu and Buddhist prayer beads. These Hindu and Buddhist beads operate on the idea that if you paint or carve the bead with the prayer, the mind doesn’t even have to understand what is on the bead to pray the prayer. Instead, the prayer is said simply by drawing your attention to the bead and moving it on the rope. The same concept is used for Buddhist prayer wheels.

 

[3335]

Thanks for answering

 

[Tis_Bearself]

and how can I defend attack on Rosary or Orthodox Prayer rope from Protestant and how can I attract them to this ?

You could ignore it because ignorant people are likely to keep their ignorant biases no matter what you say.

Or you could point out that the Rosary originally involved reciting the 150 Psalms, which are Scripture (Protestants can’t argue with Scripture), and was only changed to Hail Marys and Our Fathers later because people who weren’t educated monks couldn’t read and memorize all the Psalms, so repeating prayers was an easier way for people to join in the devotion. The original Rosaries likely would have had one bead per Psalm for a total of 150.

Then you could tell those Protestants if they’d like to pray the original Rosary, just recite all the Psalms every day. Preferably from memory. Easy Peasy.

 

[RolandThompsonGunner]

They say that the praying is pagan and it is not Christian.

How could saying Christian prayers be pagan?

 

[Tis_Bearself]

If it’s a Protestant objecting, he might say the Hail Marys are like pagan goddess worship because he doesn’t see those as prayers to God.

Alternatively, if some Protestant just lumps Catholic and Orthodox prayer ropes in with Hindu and Buddhist beads, he might see them all as “pagan” even though the Our Father or Jesus Prayer is being said.