Starting today, the Shalom blog will periodically host dialogue-based catechesis materials prepared by His Excellency Bishop Raffaello Martinelli, Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Frascati.
Having already coordinated the preparation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, he was later involved, as editor and coordinator of the secretariat, in preparing the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
The author of numerous catechetical works, his mission has always been to make the content of Catholic doctrine accessible to everyone through simple words and style.
It is in this context that his collaboration with our blog takes place, reaching thousands of people every day; we are proud to be able to offer our loyal readers contributions of such value and thank His Excellency Bishop Martinelli for his availability.

When did the prayer of the Rosary originate?

It has very ancient origins. It seems, in fact, to date back to the 12th century, when it had already been recited for some time by the Carthusian monks.
It soon spread throughout the Catholic world, taking on different characteristics while always preserving the invocation of the Most Blessed Mary. The popularity of the Rosary is also confirmed by the large number of confraternities and associations that, both in the past and today, bear its title.
The liturgical feast in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary is celebrated on October 7.
It was Pope Gregory XIII who transferred it to that day, replacing the feast of Saint Mary of Victory, which his predecessor, Saint Pius V, had established to commemorate the Christian fleet's victory at Lepanto over the Turkish fleet that threatened the Venetian coast.

What have some Popes said about the Rosary?

Having quickly spread throughout the Church, the Rosary was soon regulated, officially recognized, and recommended to the faithful by the Supreme Pontiffs.

The Pope who first officially established its essential character, endowed it with ecclesial charisma, recognized its merits, and therefore recommended it to the people of God was the Dominican Saint Pius V. His 1569 Bull Consueverunt , the true magna charta of the Rosary, and the Salvatoris Domini of 1572, written after
the victory of Christendom at Lepanto.

Another great pontiff of the Rosary was Pope Leo XIII. Himself deeply devoted to this prayer, he dedicated no fewer than 22 documents to it. He presented it as «an easy way to make the principal dogmas of the Christian Faith penetrate and take root in people’s souls».
In 1883, he established that «the entire month of October of the current year and henceforth be consecrated and dedicated to the heavenly Virgin of the Rosary».

In 1891, we recall the significant definition he gave of the Rosary: «As the token of our Faith, it is the Compendium of the worship due to Mary». In 1892, he justified his recommendations to pray the Rosary by saying that in it «an excellent form of prayer, an effective means of preserving the Faith, and an outstanding ideal of perfect virtue are so well and usefully united: it is only right that true Christians should often have it in their hands and piously meditate on it». In 1898, he went so far as to affirm that the «Rosary is the most excellent form of private prayer and the most effective means of attaining eternal life» and that «at the supreme hour, devotees of the Rosary will be comforted by the maternal tenderness of the Virgin Mary and will fall gently asleep in her arms».

Pope Saint Pius X esteemed and loved the Rosary, reciting it faithfully before and during his pontificate. He stated: «The Rosary is the prayer par excellence, joining meditation on the mysteries of our religion and the holiest prayers with the mediation of the Most Blessed Virgin.

We must cherish the greatest hope that through this practice the Lord will grant us the best graces.» In his will, he recommended the Rosary as «the prayer that, always after the liturgy, is the most beautiful of all, the richest in graces, and the one most pleasing to the Blessed Virgin Mary».

Through important encyclicals and speeches, Benedict XV and Pius XI extolled and recommended the Rosary. The latter is credited with the provocative phrase, often quoted: «I could convert the world if I had an army that recited the Rosary».

The famous definition is instead by Pius XII: “The Rosary is a compendium of the entire Gospel, meditation on the mysteries of the Lord, evening sacrifice, crown of roses, hymn of praise, prayer of the family, Compendium of Christian life, sure sign of heavenly favor, safeguard for the awaited salvation.”

Saint John Paul II, on October 16, 2002, published the Apostolic Letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae on the occasion of the 120th anniversary of the Encyclical Supremi apostolatus officio, with which Leo XIII, on September 1, 1883, began publishing a series of documents devoted specifically to the Rosary.

Although “characterized by its Marian character,” Saint John Paul II wrote in the introduction to the letter, the Rosary “is a prayer centered on Christ” which, with its “simplicity and depth, remains, even in this third millennium, a prayer of great significance, destined to bear fruits of holiness.”

Benedict XVI, on 10-10-2010, highlighted the importance of the Rosary, a prayer especially dear to Our Lady: “Because it leads us directly to Jesus, contemplated in his mysteries of salvation: joyful, luminous, sorrowful, and glorious […]. The Rosary is a biblical prayer, entirely woven from Sacred Scripture.

It is a prayer of the heart, in which the repetition of the Hail Mary directs thought and affection toward Christ, and thus becomes a trusting supplication to his and our Mother […]. It is a prayer that helps us meditate on the Word of God and assimilate the Eucharistic Communion, following the example of Mary, who kept in her heart everything Jesus did and said, as well as his very presence.”

Pope Francis has repeatedly shared his reflections on the importance of praying the Rosary, both in his public appearances and on social media. Thus, to foster devotion to this prayer, ACI Prensa shared the following 7 reflections by Pope Francis.

The Rosary strengthens the family. At the beginning of May 2013, Pope Francis wrote on his Twitter account: “It would be beautiful, in this month of May, to pray the Holy Rosary together as a family. Prayer strengthens family life.”

• The Rosary is the prayer of the simple. On October 7, 2016, Pope Francis stated on his Twitter account that “the Rosary is the prayer that always accompanies my life; It is also the prayer of the simple and the saints… It is the prayer of my heart.”
• It brings Heaven closer to humanity. On May 15, 2019, at the general audience, he stated that the month of Mary “traditionally calls the Christian people to multiply their daily acts of veneration and imitation of the Mother of God,” and encouraged them to pray the Rosary every day because “in this way we will bring humanity closer to Heaven.”
• It is a weapon that protects against temptations. In 2020, on the occasion of the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, the Holy Father encouraged us to always carry a rosary in our pocket and pray it, because “it is the most beautiful prayer we can offer to the Virgin Mary” and “a weapon that protects us from evils and temptations.”
• Praying the Rosary helps us overcome trials. In the context of the coronavirus pandemic, Pope Francis wrote a letter on April 25, 2020, in which he stated that “contemplating the face of Christ together with the heart of Mary, our Mother, will unite us even more as a spiritual family and help us overcome this trial.”
• It summarizes the history of salvation. At the general audience on May 19, 2021, the Pontiff referred to the mysteries of the Marian prayer, stating that “in the month of May, the month dedicated to Our Lady, we pray the Holy Rosary, a compendium of the entire history of our salvation.”
• It helps to obtain peace in the heart. That same day, Pope Francis reiterated that “the Holy Rosary is a powerful weapon against evil and an effective means of obtaining true peace in our hearts.”

Tomorrow we will publish more interesting content on the Holy Rosary by H.E. Mons. Raffaello Martinelli on the blog. Keep following us!