Anglican Prayer Beads, also known as the Anglican rosary or Christian prayer beads, are a loop of strung beads which Anglicans, Episcopalians, as well as Christians of other denominations, use to order their prayer. This particular way of using prayer beads was developed in the latter part of the 20th century within the Episcopal Diocese of Texas and has since been used by Lutherans, Methodists, the Reformed, as well as by members of Anglican Ordinariates within the Roman Catholic Church, thus giving rise to the term "Christian prayer beads".
Prayer: Unlike the Dominican rosary used by Roman and Anglo Catholics, which focuses on the seminal events in the life of Christ and asks the Virgin Mary to pray for their intentions, Anglican prayer beads are most often used as a tactile aid to prayer and as a counting device. The standard Anglican set consists of the following pattern, starting with the cross, followed by the Invitatory Bead, and subsequently, the first Cruciform bead, moving to the right, through the first set of seven beads to the next Cruciform bead, continuing around the circle. He or she may conclude by saying the Lord's prayer on the invitatory bead and/or a final prayer on the cross as in the examples below. The entire circle may be done thrice, which signifies the Holy Trinity.
Prayer: Unlike the Dominican rosary used by Roman and Anglo Catholics, which focuses on the seminal events in the life of Christ and asks the Virgin Mary to pray for their intentions, Anglican prayer beads are most often used as a tactile aid to prayer and as a counting device. The standard Anglican set consists of the following pattern, starting with the cross, followed by the Invitatory Bead, and subsequently, the first Cruciform bead, moving to the right, through the first set of seven beads to the next Cruciform bead, continuing around the circle. He or she may conclude by saying the Lord's prayer on the invitatory bead and/or a final prayer on the cross as in the examples below. The entire circle may be done thrice, which signifies the Holy Trinity.
