Why a rosary for the deceased?

[cmarti12]

Currently we are praying a “novenaria” for a deceased relative that passed away just before Christmas.

We are almost finished, but was wondering what the purpose is of praying the rosary for nine days.

I would like to be able to explain this to his wife and 4 children - all in their teens.

Thanks!

 

[Gordon_N]

cmarti12:

Currently we are praying a “novenaria” for a deceased relative that passed away just before Christmas.

We are almost finished, but was wondering what the purpose is of praying the rosary for nine days.

I would like to be able to explain this to his wife and 4 children - all in their teens.

Thanks!

cmarti12-

Hi. “Novena” is Latin, feminine of novenus nine each, from novem:** a Roman Catholic period of prayer lasting nine consecutive days. That is how the number “9” comes into play.

You pray a rosary simply to ask the Blessed Virgin Mary for her intercession and prayers for your intention (in this case, the repose of the soul of your departed family member.) Who better to ask to pray with you the the mother of our Lord, Jesus Christ? Jesus, being a Good Son, knows to listen to his mom!

God Bless,

Gordon

 

[Todd_Easton]

Praying for the dead, that they may be delivered from their sins, is mentioned in 2 Maccabees 12:42-45 and called holy and pious.

In the 1st and 2nd chapters of Acts, it says that after the Ascension of our Lord, the Apostles and Mary, et al., spent nine days in prayer in the Upper Room in Jerusalem before the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost; this was the first novena.

 

[enanneman]

cmarti12:

Currently we are praying a “novenaria” for a deceased relative that passed away just before Christmas.

We are almost finished, but was wondering what the purpose is of praying the rosary for nine days.

I would like to be able to explain this to his wife and 4 children - all in their teens.

Thanks!

In the Middle Ages, when a relgious passed away, members of his or her community would recite the 150 Psalms for the repose of the soul–essentially praying for the deceased so that the soul would spend very little, if any, time in Purgatory.

The laity, not being able to read the Psalms, would recite 150 (either Hail Mary’s or Our Father’s, I forget) for the repose of the souls of their deceased family and friends. This tradition eventually morphed into the present-day Rosary with 150 Hail Mary’s (separated into five decades for each of the three original mysteries). Of course, recently our blessed father, Pope John Paul II gave us the Luminious Mysteries, so now the present Rosary has a total of 20 decades.

Peace and God bless!

Eric