Rosaries in witchcraft and paganism and how to utilize them in your practice
Now if you have a rosary for your deity or religion like a triple moon rosary for an amulet/talisman or aesthetic and decorative purposes that’s fine but for people who really want to know how to use chaplets in their practice for mediation this is just a simple informational and how to guide for it. People who are folk witches, pagans with their deity rosaries, etc.
Now I’m going to explain the Christian layout then how to use it in a witchcraft and pagan practice, the explanation is going to have a lot of Christian elements for obvious reasons to put nuance and context for the rosary.
First and foremost, Rosaries are a strict Christian tradition. Rosaries from the Latin term rosarium “wreath of roses” and is associated with Holy Mother Mary, The Queen of Saints. They’re Chaplets a form of Catholic meditation beads from Rosaries, on friar monks or nuns would wear knotted cords and string beads to count their prayers. Their used to mediate and focus on their prayers and requests to the Virgin Mary, God, to a particular saint. Many rosaries will have a different number of beads, prayers, etc. to pray or just mediate on the mysteries of Jesus Christ.
But the rosary is effective for praying and connecting to any spirit, deity, energy, whatever or whoever you feel comfortable with. Best way I can describe it a fidget toy whilst praying, it’s good if you’re aren’t at a shrine or altar, to formulate and structure your prayers. And you can create unique prayers for your rosaries depending on the deity and spirit. This guide hopefully provides an inspiration in your making of your own rosaries and using it in your practice effectively.
The common rosary people think of and buy or make is the Dominican Rosary seen below.
There is specific parts, the tail end of the Rosary starting from the crucifix all the way up to the connector which on mine is the Virgin Mary’s picture but the connector can be another bead, image, charm, etc. The Rosary then has ten beads separated by four special beads these ten specific beads are called decades. Each decade bead represents an Ave Maria prayer. The beads separating the decades are Pater Noster prayers all fifty nine in counting. It takes about half an hour to an hour to pray the rosary but you can keep it short by praying a one or two decades or just praying the tail end portion. Praying the entire loop is said for special occasions like weddings, ceremonies, recoveries, etc. there are portable mini rosaries that are shorter.
So the Rosary begins at the tail end of the Rosary starting at the Crucifix then ending at the connector. You touch each bead to start a new prayer. There are different methods one you’re praying and focusing on the request you’re seeking aid on or announcing your request at the connector after saying the Pater Nostre Prayer. Each Decade also is the reflection of Jesus’s Mysteries Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful, Glorious representing his life cycle and mediated on specific days.
Crucifix: This is the Apostle’s Creed prayer basically you’re accepting the truth of the gospels “I believe in the trinity, Jesus’s life, death, resurrection, and the church.”
Then the large bead on top: Is the Pater Nostre prayer or Our Father in Heaven prayer
The three smaller beads: Ave Maria “Hail Mary full of Grace” prayer said three times.
Then the next large bead right before the connector: The Glory Be prayer which is “Glory to be the Father…” then the Pater Nostre prayer.
The connector piece (optional): This optional but essentially you can recite your request or prayer at this point or you can continue and focus on your request. But you can say “Virgin Mary may you aid in me in this situation…” or at this point invocate a specific Saint since the Virgin Mary is the Queen of Saints. After the Pater Nostre prayer you can say, “Saint Michael the Archangel, may you protect my loved ones…”
Then you pray counterclockwise of the rosary so starting at the left side of the rosary each decade or any beads you have in your rosary is the Ave Maria prayer then the large beads separating them are Pater Nostre Prayers. Then after completing the five decades you say “Hail, Holy Mother Queen, pray for us.” Then pray “O God, whose only begotten son…amen” make sign of the cross unless followed by company prayers like a prayer to St Michael or St Joseph.
This is the basic and simple method of using the Rosary but there are different Chaplets for different purposes. But I know the Dominican Rosary is what most people get of their deities.
How to pray the Rosary for your deities, spirits, etc.
Now you can have multiple options for this cause there is no set structure unlike the traditional rosary first and foremost you can use a regular rosary if you wish, say your closet witch or pagan, many deities that were adapted into Sainthood like St Brigid can be used in this way. You can make your own Rosary out of yarn and create your own prayers. It’s personalized and private. I understand having a rosary praying to a deity or spirit and having Jesus’s face can be odd BUT it’s not that out of the ordinary when paganism is outlawed and people are forced to hide their practice they use images of Christ, Virgin Mary as their deities. Mary as Hera/Juno or Diana/Artemis. Jesus is well known motif of dying and resurrection deities so he can be seen as Dionysus, Persephone, Adonis, Osiris, Baldr, etc. who represent that cycle. Now depending on the Rosary you have it may not have decades as in ten beads but you can certainly pray with the amount of beads that deity is associated with if there is but they don’t have a number ten is fine. For instance Apollo was born on the seventh day and he was honored on the seventh day of every month his rosary with each decade being seven rather than ten.
I’m going to give an example of Hekate, say you have her rosary which can have the traditional ten beads within each decade or 3 beads or more, what have you as along there is a tail end it’s fine.
Crucifix is the starting point this can be replace by a image of Hekate, a serpent, torch, anything that you have be her symbol.
The Apostle’s Creed would be prayed here but since it’s Hekate we can have number of substitute prayers, but I’ll give two ways, if you want a specific prayer for Hekate simply say “I believe in the power of Hekate, triple form goddess of the Crossroads, I believe in her power over earth, sea, and sky, I believe her to be the guide of departed souls, I believe in her absolute power as a goddess and guardian, I accept her into my life and I believe in her divine authority.” Or you can be more Hellenic Polytheistic about it, “I believe that the world is Gaia born from Chaos created the first life with her consort Uranus birthing the titians, I believe that Zeus holds control over the cosmos in his divine authority, I accept the divine will of the gods that be.” Just an example you can mix it up a bit. Ending it with “Be it so,” “so may it be” whatever you feel the most comfortable with even if it’s Amen.
Then the Paster Nostre prayers: Again you can have Hekate or Hellenic Polytheistic Prayer. For Hekate it be like, “O’Mother Hekate, stand by my door with torches cross, keep me safe and secure from my troubles, for I shall walk with you forever be it may.” Something like that or replace god with Zeus, “Zeus our king of the Gods may you bless us with life and prosperity, oh king may you look down at us favorable, we humbly pray.”
Then finally Ave Maria which is strictly should be for Hekate, you can copy paste the prayer so “Hail Hekate, Holy Queen of Witches and magic, who guides all spirits to her. Please grant me your blessing of power and protection, guide me through my darkest days and hours, watch over me now and always, be it so.”
Glory to be Prayer is always been a prayer for protection and grounding especially during a time of crisis so a simple prayer for protection to Hekate, “Hail Hekate, gracious Queen of the Crossroads, thank you for protecting me and providing me with safety within your heart and keeping, be it so.” Simple and easy.
Reflecting on Rosary traditionally is reflecting on Christ’s stages of life, the mysteries of life, so for Hekate it can be from her roles in myths or certain aspects of her. Now personally if I have a rosary just for a specific deity I’m going to use it for that deity rather include other deities since it be much more easier to remember but you can have a general rosary for your Hellenic Polytheistic practice or whatever religion you are part of. You can make a rosary out of the virtues of Hellenic polytheism.
If say don’t worship a deity or spirit, you can be atheistic and make one just for yourself or energies of nature.
What can you do with your Rosary
Now praying is a great way to implement your rosary like how it was intended but there is more than you can do. Amulet and talisman, a common ways to use your rosaries are for protection sleeping with it under your pillow, hanging it in your car, protecting yourself from the evil eye, etc.
You can also make holy oil and water from your rosary by dipping it in the substance (depending on what the material your rosary is made of be wary about it because it may get ruined so just be mindful). But also cleansing it with smoke like Frankincense, Rosemary, clean water, Florida water, etc. I’ve heard people do baneful magic with their rosaries as well.
I’ve mention it before Rosaries range of different materials from really expensive to cheaply made. There was evidence people made rosaries out of bread so don’t worry about what material of Rosaries you need to make or buy, even a plastic one can suffice. You may want to consider colors of your focused source. There are video tutorials of how to create rosaries out of yarn and twine which is very handy. Don’t worry about pendents and charms, a simple knot bigger than the other can work just as well, if you have buttons or Bobby pins they can be good substitutes as well. Again rosaries are very personalized and when you see someone’s rosary you might get an idea who they are like.
I’ve heard people say “rosaries have no place in paganism or witchcraft, they don’t do much.” Which is bonkers their meditation beads, not everyone will prefer Rosaries or meditation beads in general but it’s certainly an option. Especially for people who can’t be public about their paganism or witchcraft. Especially since Roman Catholicism and Greek Orthodox Christianity which are which Rosaries are very popular are still part of the culture of Greco-Roman polytheism.
Plus they’re great for representation of your focus point of your practice. No different than a coin, image, a simple object. You can use the Rosary without praying it use for like the things I mention for blessing and protection.
