This is broken up by her epiphets and may not work for all prayer beads, feel free to adjust! Each line represents a bead, the orange text being separator beads
Hestia,
Goddess of the home,
She who tends the hearth,
She who is the first and last born,
Please accept this praise and devotion,
I praise and honour you, I thank you for your blessings.
Hestia Äídios,
Keeper of the eternal flame,
She who is so dedicated to her work,
She who is always there in our lives,
Bless me with your unwavering presence.
I praise and honour you, I thank you for your blessings.
Hestia Bulaea,
Overseer of community council,
She who oversees charity work,
She who upholds civic unity,
Bless me with your inclusive care for all.
I praise and honour you, I thank you for your blessings.
Hestia Polyolvos,
Bringer of blessings,
She who is so generous in her gifts,
She who assists those in need,
Bless me with your favour.
I praise and honour you, I thank you for your blessings.
I made two sets, a normal size one and a kind of pocket/travel sized one companion set. Also one of the charms is an attached piece of sea glass which I've never done before so I'm quite proud of that!
I never really planned to make prayer beads themed after him but i found the charms just before going to the sea! And i got inspired haha
Showing off my handmade prayer beads for Lady Artemis today :) I see a lot of posts around asking about how prayer beads can be used for worshipping the Greek Gods, so here’s the basics of mine!
My main set of prayer beads are these ones I made from wooden beads and wire. I made these a while ago so they’re not the best lmao
These are made so my prayers focus on remembering different epithets of Artemis and considering how each one guides me in life. I change which epithets I thank each time, but I commonly thank Artemis Hemeresia for her support in hard times, Artemis Aristobule for her guidance, Artemis Agrotera for helping me chase down what I want in life etc.
My second set are a smaller charm to hold while I pray or meditate in general. These are inspired by the myth of Callisto, my favourite Artemis myth and the one I connect with her through the most. I have the two bear charms for Callisto and Arcas and the feather for the arrow of the hunt. I made these from beads I stripped from thrift shop necklaces!
And those are my prayer beads! I hope this was interesting/helpful to people interested in bringing prayer beads into their practice! Your beads can look however you want and be used for whatever prayers or just to hold for grounding during any prayers, and I think they’re a great resource! And making them yourself can be a really fun devotional activity!
Diagrams for an Ecumenical Mysteries Rosary on Different Bead Layouts
I've developed these adaptations to help Christians from different traditions pray an ecumenical version of the Catholic rosary, no matter which prayer bead layout they have.
I started with the traditional Dominican Rosary, since it is the original version of the rosary that focuses on the mysteries of Christ's life. I did my best to keep the spirit of the original while still making it more accessible to non-Catholics who might be distracted by the Hail Marys or closing prayers/litanies. I'm certainly not the only person to create an ecumenical adaptation, but I hope this version is a helpful tool for someone looking for more resources.
As always, when adapting Catholic rosaries and chaplets, I make no claims about the traditional promises associated with the original or whether they apply to adaptations. I have great respect for my Catholic siblings, and don't intend to present these adaptations as better than the original.
To God be all the glory.
A list of the mysteries and written out prayers can be found below the cut!
The Mysteries
The mysteries can be prayed on any day, but have traditional rotations for which set is prayed on which day. Two additional, alternative mysteries are offered for those who are uncomfortable with the two Marian Glorious Mysteries. Because the Anglican/Week layout only has four sections, those utilizing those layouts will either need to recount a section or choose a mystery to skip.
If you're unfamiliar with any of the mysteries, I highly recommend you take some time separate from praying the rosary to familiarize yourself with them so that your meditation can be more fruitful. The Joyful Mysteries are a great onramp for this, because they are recorded basically consecutively in the first two chapters of Luke.
The Joyful Mysteries (Mondays, Saturdays, Sundays in Advent)
The Annunciation - (Luke 1:26-38)
The Visitation - (Luke 1:39-56)
The Nativity - (Luke 2:1-20)
The Presentation in the Temple - (Luke 2:22-40)
The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple - (Luke 2:41-50)
The Luminous Mysteries (Thursdays)
The Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan - (Matthew 3:13-17)
The Wedding at Cana - (John 2:1-12)
The Proclamation of the Kingdom of God - (Mark 1:14-15).
The Transfiguration - (Matthew 17:1-8)
The Institution of the Eucharist/Lord's Supper - (Luke 22:14-20)
The Sorrowful Mysteries (Tuesdays, Fridays, Sundays in Lent)
The Agony in the Garden - (Matthew 26:36-46)
The Scourging at the Pillar - (John 19:1)
The Crowning with Thorns - (Matthew 27:29)
The Carrying of the Cross - (John 19:17)
The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus - (Luke 23:33-46)
The Glorious Mysteries (Wednesdays and Sundays)
The Resurrection - (Matthew 28:1-10)
The Ascension - (Luke 24:50-53)
The Descent of the Holy Spirit - (Acts 2:1-13)
The Assumption of Mary - (Revelation 12:1; Tradition)
The Coronation of Mary - (Revelation 12:1; Tradition)
*The Road to Damascus - (Acts 9:1-9)
*The Wedding Feast of the Lamb - (Revelation 19:7-10)
The Prayers
Trinity Prayer/Sign of the Cross
"In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen"
If making the sign of the cross, touch your forehead on "... the Father," your chest/breastbone on "... the Son," your left shoulder on "... Holy," and your right shoulder on "Spirit."
Opening Prayer (From 1 Thessalonians 5:13-23)
"Always rejoice. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you. Don’t quench the Spirit. Don’t despise prophecies. Test all things, and hold firmly that which is good. Abstain from every form of evil. May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (WEB)
The Lord's Prayer/Our Father
"Our Father, Who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy Will be done,
on earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen."
The Apostles' Creed
"I believe in God,
the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried;
he descended into hell;
on the third day he rose again from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;
from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting.
Amen."
Agnus Dei
"Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, grant us peace.”
Glory Be/Doxology
"Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen."
Jesus Prayer
"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."
Closing
When you finish the final Glory Be/Doxology, I'd encourage you to take a moment to quietly reflect on anything that stood out to you during your meditations on the the mysteries. This is a good way to let these pre-written, formulaic prayers sink in and give yourself more room for personal response before rushing into a busy day.
