Rosary

[JustinHesychast]

Is it OK for me, as a future Orthodox, to buy, pray, and meditate on the Rosary? I’d like to buy one - they are very pretty and I very much like the concept behind them. Would it be against anything for a future Orthodox to do this? What about when I actually do become Orthodox?

[Dewi Sant]

I would suggest, NO!

A nice prayer rope, yes.



I'm no fan of the "beautiful rosaries". I have one, it is made of string and wooden beads.....and I use that for the Jesus Prayer.



I'm not an Orthodox communicant, but, this is generally the view I get.

Also, don't expect the conversion to be speedy.
I've been going for 8 months and there still isn't any sign of becomming a Catechuman. (though, this differs between priests)

[kamikat]

ask your priest. I get the impression that some are ok with it and some are not. Mine recommended that I not, which was fine by me. I much prefer the Jesus Prayer anyway. If all you're looking for is pretty beads, you can find Orthodox prayer ropes made from pretty beads.

[Michael the Iconographer]

I would say NO, but the standard answer is: ask your priest. Having been Roman Catholic my entire life, and having studied the Catholic Faith at the level of a seminarian, I fully understand what the Rosary is about, and am opposed to it. I would suggest you point yourself in the direction of a prayer rope and praying the Jesus Prayer.

[Akathist]

Ask your Priest.

I had a rosary when I started to convert and was used to saying it. My Priest's opinion was that the Orthodox prayers and prayer rope is better, but he did not tell me I could not say the rosary. All he said was that I was NOT allowed to do the "mediatations" and visual imaging that my guide to the rosary had in it.

It worked for me to have him not demand that I never use it because I might have felt resentful. Instead, as I started to use the Orthodox Prayers, I found less and less of an interest in the rosary. By the time I was chrismated, I no longer used the rosary at all and hadn't for many months.

[ByzantineDixie]

The rosary is an acceptable devotion of the Western Rite Orthodox. You might find this article (http://www.westernorthodox.com/rosary) of interest.

[Qoheleth]

Is it OK for me, as a future Orthodox, to buy, pray, and meditate on the Rosary?


Absolutely!


I would suggest, NO!

Then you suggest against the Church.

This devotion is approved and is found in the Western rite Orthodox churches of the Antiochian jurisdiction.

The rosary is an acceptable devotion of the Western Rite Orthodox. You might find this article (http://www.westernorthodox.com/rosary) of interest.

And in addition to this...

http://www.spokaneorthodox.com/rosary.htm


Q

[choirfiend]

No, he suggests what the majority of Orthodox priests would tell you to do, regardless of what the Western Rite does. Even where the Rosary is accepted, the method and manner of praying the Rosary is different. This would be an individualized matter for the OP and his priest, dependant upon situation, purpose, and technique applied. Please be careful to keep to questions or fellowship posts here.

[zhilan]

What is the reason that the Orthodox church is against the Rosary in general?

[kamikat]

What is the reason that the Orthodox church is against the Rosary in general?
I believe it's the meditations. There was an in-depth discussion of thi8s a few months ago. I'll try to find it.

[kamikat]

http://www.christianforums.com/showthread.php?postid=27327468#post27327468

http://www.christianforums.com/t2842240-the-rosary.html

[OrthodoxBelle]

My father was an Orthodox priest who found no fault with praying the rosary. There is an Orthodox version of the Hail Mary and of course the "Glory be" can be replaced with a Glory to the Father, and the decade bead can be used for the Jesus prayer. Prayer ropes might be just plain easier. Some of the mysteries of the rosary theologically are not in line with Orthodoxy, like the glorious mysteries. Of course always consult with your priest before starting this or any other religious devotion.