Franciscan Crown
Encyclopedia
The Franciscan Crown is a rosary
consisting of seven decades in commemoration of the Seven Joys of the Virgin
, namely, the Annunciation
, the Visitation
, the Nativity of Jesus
, the Adoration of the Magi
, the Finding in the Temple
, the Resurrection of Jesus
, and either the Assumption of Mary
, or the Coronation of the Virgin
. Devotion to the seven joys of Mary is found in a variety of forms and communities. It is especially popular Franciscan
s, Cistercians, and the Annunciade
s of St. Joan of France. The devotion was granted many indulgences by different Popes, becoming the most heavily indulgenced devotion in the Church. Whereas other rosaries required blessed beads to be used in order for any associated indulgences to be received it was unnecessary for a Franciscan rosary to have been blessed or even to use beads at all in specific instances.
. The themes resemble the 12th-century Gaudes, Latin praises that ask Mary to rejoice because God has favored her in various ways.
The Franciscan historian, Father Luke Wadding (1588-1657) dates the origin of the Franciscan Crown to the year 1422. In 1442 an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary took place in Assisi
, to a Franciscan novice named James. As a child, he had the custom of offering daily the Virgin Mary a crown of roses. When he entered the Friars Minor, he became distressed that he would no longer be able to offer this gift. The Blessed Virgin appeared to him to give him comfort and showed him another daily offering that he might do: to pray every day seven decades of Hail Mary
s, meditating between each decade on one of the seven joys that she had experienced in her life. Friar James began this devotion, but one day the Director of Novices saw him praying and an angel with him who was weaving a crown of roses, placing a lily of gold between each of the ten roses. When the novice had finished praying, the angel placed the crown upon him. The Director asked Friar James what this vision meant. After hearing the explanation, he told the other friars and soon this devotion spread throughout the Franciscan family.
Among the Friars Minor, the promotion of this devotion is attributed to St. Bonaventure, Bl. Cherubin of Spoleto, St. John Capistran
, Pelbart of Temesvár, and St. Bernadine of Siena
to mention a few. St. Bernadine is also said to have had a vision of the Virgin Mary when he was meditating on the seven joys of Mary.
Mysteries of the Seven Joys of the Virgin Mary - After each mystery, pray one Our Father and ten Hail Marys
It is customary, after the seventh mystery, to pray two Hail Marys to bring the total number to seventy-two in honor of the tradition that the Virgin lived for seventy-two years on earth.
Prayer for the Pope
Catholics customarily pray an Our Father, a Hail Mary, and a Glory Be for the intentions of the Pope.
Sign of the Cross
Rosary
The rosary or "garland of roses" is a traditional Catholic devotion. The term denotes the prayer beads used to count the series of prayers that make up the rosary...
consisting of seven decades in commemoration of the Seven Joys of the Virgin
Seven Joys of the Virgin
The Seven Joys of the Virgin is a popular devotion to events of the life of the Virgin Mary, arising from a trope of medieval devotional literature and art....
, namely, the Annunciation
Annunciation
The Annunciation, also referred to as the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary or Annunciation of the Lord, is the Christian celebration of the announcement by the angel Gabriel to Virgin Mary, that she would conceive and become the mother of Jesus the Son of God. Gabriel told Mary to name her...
, the Visitation
Visitation (Catholic)
The Visitation is the visit of Mary with Elizabeth as recorded in the Gospel of Luke, . It is also the name of a Christian feast day commemorating this visit, celebrated on 31 May in the West and 30 March in the East.- Event :Mary visits her relative Elizabeth; they are both pregnant...
, the Nativity of Jesus
Nativity of Jesus
The Nativity of Jesus, or simply The Nativity, refers to the accounts of the birth of Jesus in two of the Canonical gospels and in various apocryphal texts....
, the Adoration of the Magi
Epiphany (Christian)
Epiphany, or Theophany, meaning "vision of God",...
, the Finding in the Temple
Finding in the Temple
The Finding in the Temple, also called "Christ among the Doctors" or the Disputation , was an episode in the early life of Jesus depicted in the Gospel of Luke. It is the only event of the later childhood of Jesus mentioned in a gospel.The episode is only described in...
, the Resurrection of Jesus
Resurrection of Jesus
The Christian belief in the resurrection of Jesus states that Jesus returned to bodily life on the third day following his death by crucifixion. It is a key element of Christian faith and theology and part of the Nicene Creed: "On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures"...
, and either the Assumption of Mary
Assumption of Mary
According to the belief of Christians of the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, and parts of the Anglican Communion and Continuing Anglicanism, the Assumption of Mary was the bodily taking up of the Virgin Mary into Heaven at the end of her life...
, or the Coronation of the Virgin
Coronation of the Virgin
The Coronation of the Virgin or Coronation of Mary is a subject in Christian art, especially popular in Italy in the 13th to 15th centuries, but continuing in popularity until the 18th century and beyond. Christ, sometimes accompanied by God the Father and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove,...
. Devotion to the seven joys of Mary is found in a variety of forms and communities. It is especially popular Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
s, Cistercians, and the Annunciade
Annunciade
Annunciade is a denomination common to several orders, both religious and military, instituted with a view of the Annunciation.-Religious orders:...
s of St. Joan of France. The devotion was granted many indulgences by different Popes, becoming the most heavily indulgenced devotion in the Church. Whereas other rosaries required blessed beads to be used in order for any associated indulgences to be received it was unnecessary for a Franciscan rosary to have been blessed or even to use beads at all in specific instances.
History
The Franciscan Crown has variously been called the Franciscan Rosary, the Seraphic Rosary or the Rosary of the Seven Joys of Our Lady. The "Seven Joys" is a devotion that recalls seven joyful episodes in the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The practice originated among the Franciscans in early 15th-century ItalyItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. The themes resemble the 12th-century Gaudes, Latin praises that ask Mary to rejoice because God has favored her in various ways.
The Franciscan historian, Father Luke Wadding (1588-1657) dates the origin of the Franciscan Crown to the year 1422. In 1442 an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary took place in Assisi
Assisi
- Churches :* The Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi is a World Heritage Site. The Franciscan monastery, il Sacro Convento, and the lower and upper church of St Francis were begun immediately after his canonization in 1228, and completed in 1253...
, to a Franciscan novice named James. As a child, he had the custom of offering daily the Virgin Mary a crown of roses. When he entered the Friars Minor, he became distressed that he would no longer be able to offer this gift. The Blessed Virgin appeared to him to give him comfort and showed him another daily offering that he might do: to pray every day seven decades of Hail Mary
Hail Mary
The Angelic Salutation, Hail Mary, or Ave Maria is a traditional biblical Catholic prayer asking for the intercession of the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus. The Hail Mary is used within the Catholic Church, and it forms the basis of the Rosary...
s, meditating between each decade on one of the seven joys that she had experienced in her life. Friar James began this devotion, but one day the Director of Novices saw him praying and an angel with him who was weaving a crown of roses, placing a lily of gold between each of the ten roses. When the novice had finished praying, the angel placed the crown upon him. The Director asked Friar James what this vision meant. After hearing the explanation, he told the other friars and soon this devotion spread throughout the Franciscan family.
Among the Friars Minor, the promotion of this devotion is attributed to St. Bonaventure, Bl. Cherubin of Spoleto, St. John Capistran
Giovanni da Capistrano
Saint John of Capistrano, O.F.M., was a Franciscan friar and Catholic priest from Italy...
, Pelbart of Temesvár, and St. Bernadine of Siena
Bernardino of Siena
Saint Bernardino of Siena, O.F.M., was an Italian priest, Franciscan missionary, and is a Catholic saint.-Early life:...
to mention a few. St. Bernadine is also said to have had a vision of the Virgin Mary when he was meditating on the seven joys of Mary.
How to pray the Franciscan Crown
Sign of the Cross- V. + In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
- R. Amen!
Mysteries of the Seven Joys of the Virgin Mary - After each mystery, pray one Our Father and ten Hail Marys
- The Annunciation of the angel Gabriel of Mary. (Luke 1: 26-33; 38)
- The Visitation of Mary to her cousin Elizabeth. (Luke 1:39-45)
- The Nativity of our Lord Jesus. (Luke 2:1-7 or 2:6-12)
- The Adoration of the Magi/Epiphany. (Matthew 2:1-2 & 9-11)
- The Finding of our Lord Jesus in the Temple. (Luke 2:41–51)
- The Resurrection of our Lord Jesus. (Mark 16:1-7, Luke 24:36-41, John 20:19-22)
- The Assumption & Coronation of Mary {Luke 1:46-55, Psalm 45 (44):11-14, Rev.12:1;5-6}
It is customary, after the seventh mystery, to pray two Hail Marys to bring the total number to seventy-two in honor of the tradition that the Virgin lived for seventy-two years on earth.
Prayer for the Pope
Catholics customarily pray an Our Father, a Hail Mary, and a Glory Be for the intentions of the Pope.
Sign of the Cross
- V. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
- R. Amen.
External links
- The story of its origin as well as how to pray it, from a 19th century Franciscan manual
- Catholic Encyclopedia Article
- Meditations & Reflections on the Franciscan Crown Rosary
Books
- Documented History of the Franciscan Order
- Franciscans at Prayer
- New Catholic Encyclopedia