Hail Mary (the main prayer of the Catholic faith)
Hail Mary is the traditional prayer of the Catholic faith, also used by some Orthodox religions. Named on the opening Latin words from the Gospel of Luke, people have been praying this in its present form, since the 16th century.
Many people in history have prayed the Rosary at difficult times, and it seems to have a special power. Often during the Irish troubles, soldiers knocking on doors were amazed that local people were not scared, they just kept praying.
And Rwandan Immaculée Ilibagiza not only gives testimonies from others, but of course has her own, when she spent months locked away with other women in a bathroom during the genocide, after her family were massacred. She later met and forgave those involved.
The prayer is basically a praise to the mother of God, and a popular devotional practice. Some people pray the Rosary each day, and says it brings them more peace than any meditation practice ever could.
Stella Maris produces beautiful rosary beads, made from ocean-bound recycled plastic. Collected by communities in the Philippines, each one prevents up to 10kg of plastic (around 500 plastic bottles) from entering the sea.
Pray as You Go (an online audio prayer sanctuary) as audio reflective meditations on each of the rosary mysteries. Each of the 20 minute or so meditations includes Scripture and music, to learn more about and pray on:
- The Joyful Mysteries
- The Sorrowful Mysteries
- The Glorious Mysteries
- The Luminous Mysteries
One man who dedicated his life to praying and teaching about the Rosary was Italian saint Bartolo Longo. He was only beautified in 1980. What makes him interesting is that in his ‘previous life’, he had got so involved with the occult that he was a practicing satanist. Until he gave it all up, to follow God and the Most Blessed Virgin Mary.
