Palestinian Christian Prayer Beads: "Rosary"

This rosary was purchased in Bethlehem. It is made from olive wood which is a wood used frequently in Palestine and Israel.

The term rosary refers to both the prayer beads used to count the series of prayers in the traditional Catholic devotion composed of both vocal and mental prayer and the devotion itself. The prayers consist of repeated sequences of the Lord's Prayer followed by ten prayings of the Hail Mary and a single praying of "Glory Be to the Father" and is sometimes accompanied by the Fatima Prayer; each of these sequences is known as a decade. The praying of each decade is accompanied by meditation on one of the Mysteries of the Rosary, which recall the life of Jesus Christ.

The Christian faith is based on the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus or Christ. Jesus, (7–2 BC/BCE – 30–36 AD/CE), is the central figure of Christianity. Most Christian denominations venerate him as God the Son.

The principal sources of information regarding Jesus are the four canonical gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The gospels declare that Jesus was a Jew born in Bethlehem, in the Roman province of Judea. At the age of 30, he began to preach throughout Palestine, which was then under Roman rule. The gospels describe miracles that Jesus performed such as raising the dead.

Most critical historians agree that Jesus was a Jew who was regarded as a teacher and healer. He was crucified in Jerusalem, on the orders of the Roman Prefect of Judaea, on the charge of sedition against the Roman Empire. Christians believe that Jesus then rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, from which he will return.

The term rosary usually refers to the so-called Dominican Rosary, as a traditional Catholic devotion composed of both vocal and mental prayer. The prayers consist of repeated sequences of the Lord's Prayer followed by ten Hail Mary prayers and a single "Glory Be to the Father" prayer. An entire sequences is known as a decade. Each decade is accompanied by meditation on one of the 15 Mysteries of the Rosary, which recall the life of Jesus Christ.

Source:
Source Citation (MLA 7th Edition) "Rosary." New Catholic Encyclopedia. 2nd ed. Vol. 12. Detroit: Gale, 2003. 373-376. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 20 May 2013. Document URL http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE|CX3407709682&v=2.1&u=lapl&it=r&p=GVRL&sw=w http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosary "Jesus Christ." Children's Illustrated Encyclopedia. New York: Dorling Kindersley, 2010. 297. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 1 July 2013. Document URL http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.lapl.org/ps/i.do?id=GALE|CX1796500200&v=2.1&u=lapl&it=r&p=GVRL&sw=w http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus