Blogs

What Is a Rosary? A Complete Guide to the Beads, Prayers, and Mysteries
A rosary is a string of prayer beads used to count prayers while meditating on the life of Christ. Learn the parts, the prayers, the mysteries, and why olive wood rosaries from Bethlehem are so meaningful. Leer más...
What Is the Crown of Thorns? Meaning, History, and Faith
The crown of thorns was placed on Jesus before his crucifixion as mockery and became a powerful symbol of his suffering and love. Learn its meaning, its place in the Bible, and the olive wood carvings that honor it. Leer más...
The Difference Between a Cross and a Crucifix
A cross is the bare shape of two beams, one upright and one across, with nothing on it. A crucifix is a cross that bears the figure of the body of Christ, called the corpus. So every crucifix is a cross, but not every cross is a crucifix. The plain cross points to the Resurrection and the empty tomb, while the crucifix keeps our eyes on the sacrifice of Christ on Calvary. That single difference, the presence or absence of the corpus, is the whole answer. That is the short... Leer más...
What Does INRI Mean on a Crucifix?
INRI is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum, which means "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews." The letters come from the sign that Pontius Pilate ordered placed above Jesus on the cross, recorded in the Gospel of John 19:19. On a crucifix you see INRI carved or printed on a small panel at the top, above the figure of Christ, to mark the charge written over him at his crucifixion. That sign was written in three languages, Hebrew, Latin, and Greek, so that everyone who... Leer más...
What Wood Was the Cross Made Of?
The Bible does not name the specific wood of the cross. Scripture calls it a cross and also a tree, but it never tells us the species. Longstanding Christian tradition holds that the cross was made from one or more of the trees of the Holy Land, most often named as cypress, cedar, pine, or olive. Of these, olive was the wood most common in the hills around Jerusalem and Bethlehem, which is why olive wood became the wood most associated with the land of the Gospel. That is the... Leer más...
How Many Beads Are on a Rosary?
A standard five decade rosary has fifty nine beads. Fifty of them are Hail Mary beads, arranged in five decades of ten. The remaining nine are the Our Father beads that begin each decade and the opening prayers, the set of three beads near the crucifix, and the single bead just above the crucifix. Above the loop sits a centerpiece medal, and below the tail hangs the crucifix itself. Together these fifty nine beads carry one full rosary of fifty three Hail Marys and six Our Fathers. That is the... Leer más...
Rosary Beads Meaning: What Each Bead Represents
Rosary beads mean prayer made visible. Each bead stands for a single prayer you say as it passes through your fingers, so the string keeps count while your mind rests on the life of Christ. A standard rosary has fifty nine beads. The ten small beads of each decade carry a Hail Mary, the single beads carry an Our Father, the crucifix begins the prayer, and the centerpiece joins the loop to the tail. Together the beads turn meditation into a rhythm you can hold in your hand. The rosary... Leer más...
How to Pray the Rosary: A Step by Step Guide for Beginners
To pray the rosary, hold the crucifix and make the Sign of the Cross, then pray the Apostles' Creed. Move to the first bead for the Our Father, pray a Hail Mary on each of the next three beads, and a Glory Be. Then pray five decades. Each decade is one Our Father, ten Hail Marys, and a Glory Be, while you meditate on a Mystery from the life of Christ. Close with the Hail Holy Queen and the Sign of the Cross. A full rosary takes about twenty minutes... Leer más...
Christmas Celebrations
Celebraciones navideñas prepandemia en Belén, una mirada al pasado
Al amanecer de una fría y seca mañana navideña, la gente de la ciudad de Belén, en Tierra Santa, se despertó con el sonido de los Scouts que se preparaban... Leer más...
Galería Virtual de Tallados en Madera de Olivo de Tierra Santa
Explore nuestro catálogo completo de tallas cristianas, estatuas, rosarios y regalos de madera de olivo tallada a mano; cada pieza está hecha en Belén por familias cristianas de Tierra Santa. Su compra apoya directamente sus medios de vida y ayuda a preservar la presencia cristiana en Tierra Santa. Leer más...
Protecting Our Families: How Living in the Image of St. Joseph Makes Better Men and Fathers
Protegiendo a nuestras familias: Cómo vivir a imagen de San José hace mejores hombres y padres
Protegiendo a nuestras familias: cómo vivir a imagen de San José nos hace mejores hombres, esposos y padres. Aquí, examinamos cuánto debe influir San José, el Padre de Cristo, en... Leer más...
Mother Mary, A Woman of Aspiration and Faith
Madre María, una mujer de aspiración y fe
No es un secreto que María amaba a su bebé Jesús más que a nadie, y vemos muchos ejemplos en los que María muestra su habilidad como madre y mentora... Leer más...