The Feast of the Holy Rosary, also known as the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, is a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary given in relation to the Rosary. It is celebrated each year on October 7.

In 1206, Saint Dominic was in Prouille, France, attempting to call the Albigensians back to the Catholic faith. The young priest had little success, until one day he received a vision of the Blessed Virgin, who gave him the Rosary as a weapon against heresy.

The Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary was established to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary for the Christian victory over the Turks at Lepanto on October 7, 1571. Pope Pius V and all Christians had prayed the Rosary for triumph. The Rosary is perhaps the most beloved of all petitions to Mary, the Mother of God.

Pius V instituted "Our Lady of Victory" as an annual feast to commemorate the victory at Lepanto, which he attributed to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Pope Pius X, in 1913, moved the date to October 7 as part of his effort to restore the celebration of the Sunday liturgy. In 1960 under Pope John XXIII the feast was listed as the "Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Rosary," and under the 1969 liturgical reforms of Pope Paul VI, "Our Lady of the Rosary" is observed as an obligatory memorial.

That the Church continues to honor the Feast of the Holy Rosary on the liturgical calendar speaks to the depth and power of this prayer.

Archbishop Fulton Sheen once wrote: "The rosary is the book of the blind, where souls see and there enact the greatest drama of love the world has ever known. It is the book of the simple, which initiates them into mysteries and knowledge more satisfying than the education of other men. It is the book of the aged, whose eyes close upon the shadow of this world, and open on the substance of the next. The power of the rosary is beyond description."

To honor this feast, we encourage you to continue this practice and pray the Rosary throughout October, the month especially dedicated to the Rosary.

Have you ever considered that there is more than one kind of rosary? When most of us hear the word, we picture a long strand of wooden beads with a beautiful cross worn as a necklace. In truth, rosaries come in many shapes, sizes and colors. The prayers counted on the beads and the intentions of each rosary may vary. Not every rosary has a cross pendant , some carry a Virgin Mary medal, and others may have several pendants at once.

In our online store at Bethlehem Handicrafts, we offer many types of rosaries:

Necklace Rosaries

Bracelet Rosaries

Finger Rosaries

What sets finger rosaries apart is that they can be used for prayer almost anywhere, easily spun around the finger. Also called one decade rosaries, finger rosaries are a meaningful gift for First Communion and Confirmation.

To learn the history of the rosary, its origin, the proper way to pray with it and much more, read our blog post: Everything You Need to Know About Rosaries.

Rosaries can also be grouped by material. Olive wood rosaries have been crafted in Bethlehem for hundreds of years, their beads first made from olive pits. Today, our rosary beads are made entirely of olive wood, of crystal in luminous colors, or of beautiful gemstones.

Olive Wood Rosaries

Crystal Rosaries

Our crystal rosaries are available in many colors. Browse the full collection.

Gemstone Rosaries

Our gemstone collection includes Turquoise, Pink Coral, Red Coral, Hematite, Jade and Malachite.

We also offer silver plated and gold plated rosaries, along with rosaries crafted from Mother of Pearl and Copper Antique. Note that the great majority of our rosaries include a centerpiece in addition to the pendant.

We at Bethlehem Handicrafts are proud to put the Holy Land in your hand by giving you the finest original Bethlehem olive wood carvings, crafted with care in the Holy Land.

Made by Christian Hands. Loved by Christian Hearts.

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