My guess would be that the names inside are people the owner wished to pray over. They are probably children, family members or friends of the owner. The names aren't all in the same language format, nor bear titles, so I doubt they are saints. They appear mostly Germanic though, so I assume this belonged to a German Catholic.
I only count 11 on your pictures. You said the cross was part of a Rosary. Rosaries are usually done in cycles, depending what rosary prayers you are praying.but why there ar 12 names? It is significantly, right ?
I only count 11 on your pictures. You said the cross was part of a Rosary. Rosaries are usually done in cycles, depending what rosary prayers you are praying.
Paternosters are said in five decades - 5 cycles of 10 - for instance.
My guess would be that a set of rosary prayers were said for each name - so 11 (or 12 if I am missing a name in the pictures). I don't know Catholic practice well enough to know if there is any set pattern of Rosary prayers that consist of 11 cycles though.
I`m not 100% confident, that this is a part of Rosary, i just googled and found something similar.
There is places for 12 names, one is missing or lost.
It looks like a Rosary cross to me. Quickly looking up Rosary practice, I found that it used to be common practice for families to pray the Rosary together as a form of communal worship. Here is a piece by Pius XII discussing it:
"The custom of the family recitation of the Holy Rosary is a most efficacious means. What a sweet sight - most pleasing to God - when, at eventide, the Christian home resounds with the frequent repetition of praises in honor of the High Queen of Heaven! Then the Rosary, recited in the family, assembled before the image of the Virgin, in an admirable union of hearts, the parents and their children, who come back from their daily work. It unites them piously with those absent and those dead. It links all more tightly in a sweet bond of love, with the most Holy Virgin, who, like a loving mother, in the circle of her children, will be there bestowing upon them an abundance of the gifts of concord and family peace." - Pope Pius XII.
I am pretty sure that is what is going on here, from my limited knowledge and a little research. This was possibly the crucifix from someone's rosary, used for family prayers and containing the names of his loved ones.
Perhaps your local genealogical society could connect the names to a specific family in the area?
There is a Johann, a Konrad, Lucia, and what looks like Columba maybe? They all could just be his preferred saints too, but it is a bit odd that they are written in different languages.I found some information about the one name, that is in the cross.
Liliosa - CatholicSaints.Info » Name Liliosa , Liliosa: Meaning Of Name Liliosa
There is a Johann, a Konrad, Lucia, and what looks like Columba maybe? They all could just be his preferred saints too, but it is a bit odd that they are written in different languages.