Edit: I've created a separate blog to display my habit rosaries. The address is: http://habitrosary.wordpress.com/

This is my display page for my habit rosaries. These rosaries are not for sale (at least not until the Provincial tells me otherwise), rather they are for friars of my order: the Capuchin Franciscans. Instead of sending out a huge email everytime someone needs one, this page is so that friars can look and choose what they want for their own habit rosary.

In the Franciscan tradition, these rosaries aren't made with precious beads and/or metals. As friars, we need a habit rosary to be durable, simple, comfortable, and functional. I use wood for the beads and the crosses and a tough Rhodium plated chain to prevent rusting or easy breakage. These rosaries hang from the cord to about the knee, allowing the friar to pray while standing or walking.

 (By clicking on each picture, you can view a larger image and see the rosaries better.)

Here we have the "Franciscan Crown" or "Seraphic Rosary." This is a seven-decade rosary which is used to pray the Seven Joys of Mary. It uses a San Damiano Crucifix instead of the normal beveled cross. It can also be used to pray the traditional Mysteries of the Rosary. Many thanks to Br. Anthony for modeling this rosary!

The traditional 5-decade rosary can come in two types. The first is to use cord, such as this rosary Br. Nathaniel has. While rope does appear more "rustic," these rosaries are usually smaller and cannot be fixed if they break. Walking around with our rosaries on our hips can cause accidents - any religious will tell you of an experience of getting their side rosary stuck on a chair, on a pew, etc. I make a "break-away" to ensure that the rosaries don't snap, however accidents and wear & tear still happen.

This rosary that Br. Quan is wearing is the standard rosary I make. The crucifix (which Br. Nathaniel is inspecting) is special and was sent to me by a women's religious community in Peru. The actual cross is a 5" medium cherry stained & beveled cross. The dark reddish color is what most friars prefer, and like this rosary, I try to use beads of that color exclusively.

These are some of the things I use in the rosaries I make. I hand make the Break-Away  as well as the front Cord-Over (soft yet tough wire that secures the rosary without digging into your stomach). I include a small medal to represent the specific province of the friar (for example, I am from the St. Joseph Province), as well as offering an optional St. Benedict Medal that is worn near the belt. Many of the old habit rosaries were kept on the cord/belt by hoops similar to a keychain. Belt key holders are cheap and provide and make the task of putting on/taking off a habit rosary very simple. And in the tradition of momento mori, I include a Skull of Adam on to the rosary...a tradition that one can find on old habit rosaries.

If a friar has need of a new or replacement rosary, contact me at St. Conrad Friary in Allison Park, Pa with your preferences and I will get started on it right away.

I'll add more pictures as I take them.

Peace,
-Vito Martinez, Capuchin

So for the last few weeks, I've spent a lot of time making rosaries. It's no small task, and with so much time to spend on prayer and personal reflection, I've certainly had plenty of time to make a lot of them!

Taking the time to actually learn how to make rosaries can be time-consuming, but like I said: when you got plenty of time, you can learn just about anything! Since the beginning of the year I've spent a lot of my "free time" (that is, time that isn't scheduled for any specific task) learning and perfecting the skill of rosary making.

I first got inspired to return a favor.

When I joined, I asked a friar in Peru about a side rosary. I wanted something wooden and that looked "ethnic." Thankfully Br. Hugo Mejia asked a sister in South America to make me a corona. (Traditional 7-decade rosary) Inspired by that sister's gift, I decided that I wanted to learn that skill as well...as a way to help out the novices coming next year.

The first real rosary I made wasn't actually a rosary. I've been working with the chotki as well as a devotion to the Divine Names of God. Using this traditional prayer method with a meditation on the Names of God, I decided to first make a side rosary to allow me to pray the names while walking. I am still writing down everything for this specific chaplet, since it's more complicated than most other chaplets. I should have that information posted soon.

Happy with my work, I decided to venture into making other rosaries. Above is a picture of a seraphic rosary or corona. The process required a lot of work, and there were times learning when I think I broke more wires and beads. But eventually I was creating rosaries! Since I started I've gotten some other novices started on making rosaries as well. Even as I write this blog, one of the other novices is looking for beads online.

Have I gotten too into this? Well, I did spent my last stipend entirely on rosary parts! However I feel good in entering a skill that allows me to reach a prayerful experience as I work, and I like being able to give away what I make to people who like it. I've even had a friar approach me about making 2 habit rosaries for him!

So if you don't see me online, you can probably find me in my room making more rosaries.

-Peace