The Rosary is one of the most beloved and powerful Catholic prayers. Countless miracles have been attributed to people devoutly reciting this prayer.
But where did the Rosary come from? Our modern form developed over a long period of time. Here are some key moments.
Monks develop rhythmic prayer.
Since the emergence of monastic life in the late third century, monks developed a habit of rhythmic prayer. For example, a monk told St. John Cassian that he often repeated these words: “God, come to my assistance. Lord, make haste to help me.” Other monks repeated the Jesus Prayer several times in succession.
Early on, monks started chanting all 150 Psalms each week. Note: The number of Hail Marys in the Rosary — minus the three initial Hail Marys — is 150. Some monks used free beads in their pockets to keep track of the prayers. They then started adding passages from the New Testament to meditate on — a precursor to our Mysteries.