Our Lady’s Psalter
The Scriptural Rosary.
The Scriptural Rosary had it beginnings in the middle ages. Communities of pious women, known as Bequines, (primarily in the Low Countries) seem to be the first to use this form of prayer shortly after the death of St. Dominic. The Bequines of Ghent, most likely under the direction of Dominican friars, followed a Psalterium which corresponded to the Divine Office which is prayed by monastics and clerics.
Their Psalterium consisted of 150 Aves corresponding to the 150 Psalms. “At each Pater and at each Ave let the head of the Bequines read and recall some mystery of the life of Christ or of the Blessed Virgin.” - Our Lady’s Psalter, Catholic Truth Society
Two hundred years later the name Rosary began to be applied to this manner of prayer, otherwise known as Our Lady’s Psalter. Around the late 1460’s Blessed Alan de la Roche restored the devotion which had fallen into disuse. His method revived the addition of 150 scriptural verses for each Hail Mary.
The Scriptural Rosary is excellent for private recitation.
[Photo: A Beguine. Go here for a history.]
October 3rd, 2007 at 12:22 pm
I love it. My family has been praying it for decades. The meditations really help me focus on the person of Christ.
October 3rd, 2007 at 6:28 pm
Very neat. Knew nothing about it, other than having heard about it. Will have to look into it more!
October 4th, 2007 at 9:55 pm
The first place I ever lit a candle in a Catholic church was in the Begijnhof in Amsterdam. I was 10 and I loved that church. I had no idea what the Eucharist was but God put His hand on me that day. Thanks for reminding me of a lovely memory I had forgotten until now!!