Buying a rosary?
 

My husband and I have been asked to buy a rosary for a Christmas present while we are in Italy? We will be spending some time in the Chianti region, Florence, and Rome. My natural inclination is thinking that Rome is probably the best place to find a nice rosary. Any input??

most large towns have a "religious" store not too far from the main cathedral, or sometimes they sell things IN the museum shops in the churches.

rose petal rosaries are quite popular.

If you plan ahead you can buy a rosary at the Vatican and have the pope (or another priest from the Vatican)bless it. You buy it in the store on the left in the piazza,leave it to be blessed and then come back the next day or so to pick it up. It is a wonderful present for the right person.

susanna...

Thanks for that tip. I'll be in Rome during Christmas and planned to purchase rosaries for my nieces who will be making their first communion in the next year.

Check the shops in the catholic churches, you'll find a wide choice.

susanna...

Thanks, do you know the price to have the Pope bless the rosary and are they good quality

There is no cost for either a priest or the Pope to bless a rosary. The Pope only blesses rosaries held up at the designated time during a Papal Audience on Wednesdays.

Sorry clarification... was wondering if anyone had a range of the price it would cost to purchase the actual rosary.

You can purchase a rosary in a wide range of prices depending on the quality and material it's made of. The stores that line the street leading up to the Vatican have an extensive collection in all price ranges.

This link to the Vatican stores will give you an idea. If you go to the virtual store, you'll see that the rose pedal rosaries have a range of 10-18 euros. There are differends styles and prices. http://www.company.savellireligious....lic-items.html

I would definitely get it blessed by the Pope, if you have the opportunity. Anyone who wants a rosary would appreciate it even more.

Just pick out one that you think is pretty, and well-made. If it's used often, it must be put together well so it won't break. I still have my Mom's rosary. Even though I don't use it myself, it's nice to have.
:)>-

My suggestion would either get a rosary at the Vatican and you can dip it in Holy Water there (or get it blessed). Or if your friends are collectors of rosaries, you may want to go to the Porta Portese market on Sunday in the Trastevere district and find a rosary there among one of the sellers. You can get some amazing deals!

I found some beautiful old antique rosaries at the Porta Portese market and later took them to the Vatican and sprinkled them with the Holy Watere there. You may wish to do the same.

Every new rosary should be blessed by a priest before use. When blessing the rosary, the priest says a special prayer over them and may or may not follow it with a sprinkling of holy water. The prayer by the priest makes the rosary a "sacramental" meaning when the rosary is used by the faithful, the person receives the help of the prayers of the entire church and the grace of God to grow in holiness. In addition, a rosary blessed by a priest carries an indulgence on each bead.

Be careful when looking at the rosaries because there are quite a few varieties with different numbers of beads, i.e., the rosary for the seven sorrows.

You might want to take your rosaries into the grottoes below St Peter's Basilica, and then have the attendant place them on the tomb of Pope John Paul II. This is not a blessing, but it makes a thoughtful connection with the late Holy Father. I had a hundred rosaries placed on the tomb earlier this year, and then gave them away on my website: www.stpetersbasilica.org

ROSARY BAY is a high quality rosary maker of wire-wrapped (unbreakable) rosaries and chaplets made of authentic semiprecious gemstones. Visit www.rosarybay.com to purchase a rosary. We ship our rosaries worldwide.

triangled

I know this is a old post - but anyone going to Rome should buy their Rosary AT the Vatican - my mother always loved the idea that her Rosary was an "original" from the real place.