This is worse. Looking at these you can tell they have no significant monetary value. They were confiscated as a fear tactic. Nothing more.
This picture breaks my heart everytime it appears in my dash. Itâs a fear tactic, alright butâ
The first one in the left corner: Itâs a first communion rosary, and itâs not cheap.
The black one in the first line: Thatâs a widow rosary and itâs old.
The white one in the second line: is a commemoration rosary. It has a miniature picture in the round part. I havenât seen that since the 70â˛s.
In the third line, multicolor one: Itâs an Anima mundi, I have only seen those in the hands of Rosary ministeryâs old ladies. The oldest ones are from the 80â˛s after Juan Pablo II came to Mexico for the first time. Itâs one of the old ones, I know because the crucifixes are different. The third one on the fourth line: Red and gold. The style is old, the metal is dark, thatâs a 50â˛s rosary, probably a quinceaĂąera one (or itâs maybe older, from the 40â˛s when the brides carried red roses with their offerings).
The fifth one on the fourth line: Itâs a quinceaĂąera rosary with Ignatiusâs tear. The style is old and in my part of Mexico is orphan girls who used it. At least it was when I was young. The third one of the fifth line: the blue one with the anchor. That one I have only seen in Veracruz and it doesnât look new. The fifth one on the fifth line: Thatâs a 90â˛s wedding rosary. Black and white patterns were popular on that date. The fourth one on the last line: Thatâs a first communion rosary from the 30â˛s. Itâs delicate and most probably silver. The rest wrench my heart too, the humble everyday rosaries with wooden beads and knots. Those are cheap and bear the wear and tear of their user handling. But those I described are much more.
Those are motherâs rosaries.
Those are not just rosaries. Those are mementos, thatâs the proof of their families stories. They are taking from them the only portable things they can carry to feel the connection to their families. Itâs not a fear tactic. Call it like by its name. Itâs dehumanization.


















