NO. 2287. COLLECTION OF ECCLESIASTICAL ART—CASANOWICZ. 631 



tion of Mary into heaven, and the coronation of Mary in heaven 

 (the two last mysteries are accepted on the authority of tradition). 

 The rosary most in use, however, consists of five decades for the aves 

 and five larger beads for the paters, called the "lesser rosary." 

 Otherwise it is arranged in the same way and recited in the same 

 manner and order as the "greater" or "full" rosary. The entire 

 devotion of 15 decades may be said on it by counting it tliiee times. 



Besides this "Dominican rosary," which is used m common by 

 all Catholics, there are other varieties of chaplets used by particular 

 religious bodies or for special devotions. So the chaplet of St. 

 Bridget of Sweden (about 1303-1373), which consists of 63 beads 

 for the aves, to commemorate the 63 yeai-s which Mary is supposed 

 to have lived; the crown of our Lady, in use among the Francis- 

 cans, has 72 aves, based on another tradition of Mary's age; and 

 others more. 



The Feast of the Rosary is observed on the first Sunday in October 

 as the anniversary of the victory of the Christians over the Turks 

 in the naval battle at Lepanto, near the Eohinades Islands, on 

 October 7, 1571, which is attributed to the power of the devotion 

 of the rosary. 



Rosaries are usually blessed with prayers and holy water by some 

 duly authorized ecclesiastical pereon and become thereby sacramen- 

 tals — that is, instruments of grace. 



179. Rosary of mother-of-pearl. — The full or greater Dominican 

 rosary. The 15 decades are divided by the insertion in two places 

 of four extra beads, one large and three small ones, into tliree divi- 

 sions of five decades each. The chain on which the beads are strung, 

 as also the figure of Christ on the crucifix, are of German silver. 

 Length, 7 feet.— Italy. ( ?) (Plate 84, Cat. No. 288983, U.S.N.M.) 

 Gift of Miss Louise Salter Codwise. 



180. Rosary. — Made of the seeds of the Virginia fringe tree. 

 (Chioanthus virginica). The lesser Dominican rosary of five decades 

 The cross is of olive wood from Mount Olive, bound in Japanese 

 silver. Of the same metal are also the figure of Christ and the chain 

 on which the beads are strung. Length, 53 inches. — Washington, 

 District of Columbia. (Plate 85, Cat. No. 275575, U. S. N. M.) Gift 

 of Frederick J. Braendle. 



181. JRosary. — Made of the Kentucky coffee beans (Gymnocladus 

 dioica). The lesser Dominican rosary of five decades. The cross of 

 olive wood is bound in Japanese silver. Of the same metal is the 

 figure of Christ and the other appurtenances of the crucifix — namely 

 the title (I N R I) and the rhomb-shaped nimbus above the figure, 

 the skull and crossbones (for the significance of which see above 

 p. 619) underneath, and the crown of thorns on the back of the 



