Hello Rosary lovers! In this post, we ask: is the Rosary idolary? You see, those who are unfamiliar with the Rosary and unfamiliar with Catholicism often think that praying the Rosary is idolatry.
It’s not just those unfamiliar with Catholicism who sometimes think this. There are times when even Catholics themselves question whether praying the Rosary might be a form of idolatry, or secret ‘Mary worship’.
What is involved in the Rosary?
In the Rosary, someone takes a set of blessed Rosary beads and meditates on the lives of Jesus Christ and his Mother Mary. We do this by announcing a mystery (such as the Annunciation, or the Crucifixion), praying one Our Father, 10 Hail Marys and finishing with one Glory Be.
A typical Rosary is 5 mysteries long (see here for a list of the mysteries of the Rosary). So this would mean praying 50 Hail Marys in total. It is this that gives the impression that the Rosary is really just a secret form of worshipping Mary instead of God.
An Outstanding Way to Find Christ
The truth is, however, that the Rosary is ultimately a form of meditation on the Holy Gospel of God in Jesus Christ. The Rosary is designed to do nothing more or less than help a Christian to focus on Jesus and his life: his conception, birth, ministry, death, resurrection and glorious reign in heaven.
Praying the Hail Marys is a MEANS by which we can step into these glorious mysteries of the Rosary, the glorious events of the life of Christ. Each Hail Mary becomes a sort of background chant which – believe it or not – helps us to step into the mystery and experience Jesus Christ more fully.
If you doubt this, then watch this video with an open mind and see what you think.
The reason why the Rosary is so powerful is because the MEANS we are employing for stepping more deeply into Jesus Christ is his own Mother. No-one in all of history ever meditated on Jesus more than Mary did. We read about this in Luke chapter 2, that constantly Mary remained silent and kept all these things in her heart and often thought about them.
When we recite 10 Hail Marys whilst thinking about an event in the life of Jesus, we are not only doing what Mary did, but we are asking for Mary’s prayers and help to be more united with her Son Jesus.
God came to us through the Virgin …
The Catholic Church believes in an incredible theological teaching: that just as God chose Mary by which to come to humanity, so humanity rises back up to God through Mary.
Mary, in Catholicism, is the great Vessel and Means by which we find Christ. She is at the same time the means by which Jesus Christ came to us, and she is also the Christ-appointed means by which we come to Christ.
St Louis de Montfort took pains to constantly explain this amazing truth, and you can read about it in his books ‘The Secret of Mary’ and ‘True Devotion to Mary’, which I very much encourage you to read. I found ‘The Secret of Mary’ to be utterly life-changing, and I’ve never been the same since.
The Rosary, in other words, is one GIANT way of approaching Jesus through his Mother. That, in essence, is all the Rosary is trying to accomplish. And that is why it is so very powerful, so very influential and such an outstanding means to holiness.
So many Catholics have become saints through their devotion to the most holy Rosary. Notice that title ‘the most holy Rosary’. This is what even Popes have called the Rosary (such as Pope Pius XII).
The Rosary Idolatry?
So is the Rosary idolatry? Not at all, because it never leads someone away from Jesus. It always leads us to Jesus because it leads us to his Mother, and Mary never, ever leads us anywhere but to her Son Jesus.
In John’s gospel chapter 2, Mary told the servants at the Wedding Feast: ‘Do whatever HE tells you.’ She did not say, ‘Do whatever I tell you.’ Mary is always looking to direct all attention to her Son, and her ENTIRE purpose for being is to direct humanity and lead humanity to her Son. She is, in this sense, the Great Evangelist of the Church. Her very nature is such that it only ever leads to Jesus.
St Maximillian Kolbe once said: ‘Don’t ever worry that you might love Mary too much. You can never love her more than Jesus does.’
How much love do we think Jesus has for his Mother? His love for her is infinite, and cannot be measured.
Well then, let us do what Jesus always does; let us love his Mother. Let us approach his Mother in the Rosary and thus find Christ.
No, the Rosary is not idolatry.
If you have any questions, we are here for you. Do get in touch.
Rosary Lovers constantly promotes the glory of Mary and her Rosary. As such, we often direct readers to this gorgeous collection of long-lasting paracord rosaries.
God bless, through Mary immaculate, Mother of the Word made flesh.
As I understand it, the question of whether the Rosary is considered idolatry arises from concerns that it could potentially lead individuals away from Jesus. However, it is important to note that the Rosary’s primary purpose is to lead individuals to Jesus through his mother, Mary. Mary’s ultimate mission is to direct humanity toward her son, and her love for Jesus is immeasurable. Therefore, it can be concluded that the Rosary is not idolatry but rather a means of fostering a deeper connection to Jesus through the intercession of his mother.
That’s a good reminder, thank you
In my opinion, the use of beads in the Rosary does not constitute idolatry. Instead, it can be seen as a tool to aid in prayer and contemplation. The beads themselves are not the focus of the prayer, but rather a means of keeping track of the prayers being recited.
Furthermore, the Catholic Church has a long history of using physical objects in prayer, such as candles, incense, and statues. These objects are not seen as idols, but rather as aids to worship and prayer.
In conclusion, I do not believe that the use of the Rosary or any physical object in prayer constitutes idolatry. It is important to understand the intent behind the use of these objects and to recognize that they are simply tools to aid in worship and prayer.
That’s a good point about the beads. I think it’s more the prayers that people take issue with, that there are so many Hail Marys in the prayers of the Rosary. But you are right in that the Rosary prayers and the beads are fundamentally inseparable.
If you Love Jesus, and send happy thoughts and say nice things to his Mum, that is a good idea. No, we don’t pray to the statue or to the beads, it is just a created thing. In John 19 : ‘ 26 When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, “Dear woman, here is your son.” 27 And he said to this disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from then on this disciple took her into his home. ‘ Mary is the Mother of the Christianity, as much as the Apostles are the founders of Christ’s Church. Mary is the fully HUMAN example of Grace – the most precious HUMAN – mother of Christ, completing the very Mystery of the Power of the Trinity: Jehovah Father God, Christ Jesus Our Saviour God’s son, and the Holy Spirit of Truth, guiding us all towards knowing the truth and love of God.
So, ” THANK YOU MARY !” – = Only a real human could give Christ real flesh, real skin flayed from his back, a real skull peirced by thorns, real blood poured out into a slippery puddle when stabbed by the Centurian. And a real death and real Rising from the Grave. And he was still scarred, deeply – and he was very hungry, eating foods – not a spirit ghost !
CHRIST HAS RISEN ! CHRIST LIVES ! Because Mary, full of Grace, welcomed HIM first !
Wow, thank you for those amazing words!! God bless you!