ions pronounce her blessed.

Oh, let us then resolve to wind this wreath frequently, to lay it often
at the feet of the noble, the gracious queen of the Rosary!

II. THE ORIGIN OF THE ROSARY

"The Highest himself hath founded her."--Ps. lxxxvi.

My dear brethren, in our consideration on the rosary let us to-day
reflect upon its origin.

Its origin and age bestow on this devotion a great dignity. From the
earliest times of Christianity it has been the custom of the Christians
to observe in their prayers method and perseverance. Thus it was the
custom of the hermits of the Orient, as far back as the fourth century,
to devise a sequence of certain prayers, which they counted on pebbles.
We also know that long ago in England a so-called Paternoster-cord was
used for this purpose. St. Gregory, at the end of the fourth century,
spoke of such a method of devotion in veneration of the Blessed Virgin
Mary. This pious bishop thought a wreath of spiritual roses would be
more pleasing to the blessed Virgin than the natural roses with which
the faithful adorned her altar. He selected, therefore, a number of
prayers, in praise of the blessed Virgin, and united them into a
wreath. And this was the origin of the rosary, woven by pious hands for
the veneration of Mary, the mystical rose.

In the fifth century, St. Brigid urgently commended the devotion of the
rosary, and she chose as its prayers the Our Father, the Hail Mary, and
the Creed, and united them into a wreath of prayers. In order to count
their recital she strung little beads of stone or wood and made a
wreath of them.

This custom subsequently spread through all Christian lands, and
through the centuries, to our own days. That this devotion was always
in great favor and esteem among pious Christians may be concluded from
the fact that in the grave of St. Norbert, who died in 1134, a rosary
similar to ours was found.

We have proof, then, that the devotion of the rosary, such as we have
it, was practised already in the early days of Christianity. And it was
practised not only by monks and nuns, but found adherents among all the
faithful.

The particular manner in which we now pray the rosary was brought into
vogue by St. Dominic. This is attested by the tradition of six
centuries. Twelve Popes bear witness to this fact. We will now speak of
the introduction by St. Dominic, and will also refer to the great
efficacy of this devotion since its inception. May o