Is this a shorter version of rosary beads?

January 23, 2009 10:58 PM

What is this? Some type of short rosary beads? And how on earth did it get where we found it?

It's too short to be 'standard' rosary beads (but not being Catholic I am happy to be corrected), but too long to be a bracelet. Possibly about 18cm around, not including the lower 2 charms & 2 strips of gold chain.

The uppermost charm in the photos is a St Christopher's medal, I'm fairly sure. Text around the edge of the icon/picture/carving reads "Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have (re?)course to thee". The reverse has "ITALY" printed in a very small font.

The next charm (connecting the lengths of gold chain) is a carving (not the right word, I know, but it's an engraved 3D 'picture') of Mary. The back is simply her image in negative, or concave, or some other vaguely appropriate term for her being turned inside-out.

The third charm is a faux-enamel picture of Jesus as a man, perhaps with a child at his side.

And the bottom is a crucifix, also with "ITALY" printed on the reverse. The beads are a gorgeous bluey/green glass, with gold 'waves' winding around them. The gold charms & chains are definitely not real gold.

Now, the strange bit which I doubt anyone can answer... it was found in a truck, my stepdads Iveco prime mover to be precise, which was built in Italy a couple of years ago. He's driven it almost every day since he bought it. And he happened to find an almost-but-not-quite-hidden compartment the other day, put his hand in, and pulled this out.

And it's brand-spanking new. As a beader, I can assure you that the gold should have worn off the beads, after bouncing around through hundreds of thousands of kilometres on Australian roads. But it's as new. Bizarre.

No-one has been in the truck who could have left it there. My daughter rides with him occasionally, as does her best friend, but they've never seen it before. My stepdad, my mother and I all feel strongly that it needs to stay in the truck. It belongs there. And we're not religious at all.

But if no-one can explain how it came to be there, can someone clarify if it is simply a shortened version of the rosary beads I've seen in movies & on tv?

(And I know that no-one can EVER explain the weird feeling of serenity I felt when I draped it over my fingers and just admired it.)

posted by malibustacey9999 to religion & philosophy (7 comments total)

Of course, it would help if I added the link to the pics... http://www.flickr.com/photos/11046074@N06/?saved=1
posted by malibustacey9999 at 10:59 PM on January 23

It's a single-decade rosary, which is a kind of chaplet.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 11:15 PM on January 23

It's a one decade rosary bracelet. The 10 beads at the top are for counting Hail Marys, the 11th bead near the cross is for counting Our Fathers. Usually worn slipped over the four fingers of one hand and in the crook of the thumb with the dangly bits and crucifix hanging toward the wrist while the hands are clasped and pointed upwards in prayer.

See, Sister Ann, I was too paying attention.
posted by jamaro at 11:18 PM on January 23

yep, singel decade rosary. Maybe some sweet person blessed the truck when they were doing the finishing.(Ex-catholic optimist here)
posted by Wilder at 1:44 AM on January 25

Thanx for your help, y'all - that info is just what I needed.

And it's funny you should say that, Wilder... we all have a very strong feeling that it needs to stay in the truck. I'm not very religious but I am open-minded, and I'm sure (on what level, I don't know, but I am very certain) that while it's left where we found it, my much-loved stepdad will be kept safe.

My completely illogical gut instinct is that someone put it there during the finishing off to keep the driver/occupants safe, and now that we've found it, it needs to go back where it was put by whoever put it there.

And thanx to Sister Ann, too, for ensuring that Jamaro paid attention. :)
posted by malibustacey9999 at 2:00 PM on January 25

The uppermost charm in the photos is a St Christopher's medal, I'm fairly sure. Text around the edge of the icon/picture/carving reads "Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have (re?)course to thee". The reverse has "ITALY" printed in a very small font.

Nope, it's a Miraculous Medal.
posted by Jahaza at 8:56 PM on January 25

And this is why I came to Metafilter... I just knew some clever people could help us out. Thank you all so very much.
posted by malibustacey9999 at 10:06 PM on January 26