thumb|Franciscan Crown Rosary

The Franciscan Crown (or Seraphic Rosary) is a rosary consisting of seven decades in commemoration of the Seven Joys of the Virgin, namely, the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Nativity of Jesus, the Adoration of the Magi, the Finding in the Temple, the Resurrection of Jesus, and finally, either or both the Assumption of Mary and the Coronation of the Virgin. Devotion to the seven joys of Mary is found in a variety of forms and communities. It is especially popular with the Franciscans, Cistercians, and the Annunciades of St. Joan of France. The devotion was granted many indulgences by different popes, becoming the most heavily indulgenced devotion in the Catholic Church. In order for any associated indulgences to be received it was not necessary for a Franciscan rosary to have been blessed or even to use beads at all.

Among the Friars Minor, the promotion of this devotion is attributed to Bonaventure, Cherubin of Spoleto, John Capistran, Pelbart of Temesvár, and Bernardino of Siena to mention a few. Bernadine is also said to have had a vision of the Virgin Mary when he was meditating on the seven joys of Mary.

According to Charles Sammons, "The Franciscan Crown offers us a chance to meditate on certain mysteries that we do not find in the Dominican Rosary [traditional Rosary], such as the Adoration of the Magi."

Order of prayers

Following a brief period of meditation on each mystery, one Lord's Prayer and ten Hail Marys are prayed in order.

It is customary, after the seventh mystery, to pray two more Hail Marys to bring the total number to seventy-two in honor of the tradition that Mary lived for seventy-two years.

References

  • The story of its origin as well as how to pray it, from a 19th century Franciscan manual
  • Meditations & Reflections on the Franciscan Crown Rosary