Prayer Rope – 33 Beads – Mount Athos

Description

Prayer Rope with 33 Beads and Cross

This prayer rope is an authentic monastic craft, consisting of 33 beads. At the end, there is a silver-colored cross. It is made by the monks of Mount Athos as part of their monastic service, with great care and love. Prayer ropes are the most well-known monastic craft, as per the tradition of Mount Athos. The monks use the income from the prayer ropes and other monastic crafts to cover their livelihood or to maintain the cells and sketes.

Prayer Rope: Usage

The prayer rope usually consists of 33 or 100 beads, but it can also be larger, with 200 or 300 beads.

It is an essential aid for prayer for monks, clergy, and laity alike. Specifically, each time a prayer is said (usually a short one), one bead is counted. This helps keep track of the number of repetitions or the passage of time.

According to Christian tradition, prayer ropes originated with Saint Pachomius around 320 AD. He began seeking a way to help the monks focus during prayer. One night, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to him in a dream and showed him how to make the tool that would serve the needs of prayer. Thus, the prayer rope was created as a gift from God to the people.

Origin: Mount Athos