Prayer Handicraft – Tear of the Virgin Mary and Cross – Mount Athos

Description

Prayer Handicraft with “Tears of the Virgin Mary” and Cross at the End

The prayer handicraft with “Tears of the Virgin Mary” is a unique monastic creation from Mount Athos, distinguished by its exceptional quality and the meticulous effort required for its construction. Monks collect the seeds of the plant known as the “Tear of the Virgin Mary,” which are typically light-colored, and then pierce and assemble them to create these one-of-a-kind handicrafts.

This particular prayer handicraft is available in two sizes, featuring 33 and 50 “tears,” separated by metallic beads. At the end, there is a large metallic cross with depictions of the Virgin Mary and Saints.

The “Tears” of the Virgin Mary in Tradition

According to tradition, this plant grew beneath the Cross of Christ from the tears of the Virgin Mary as she watched the suffering of her only Son, giving the plant its name.

Another tradition recounts that these prayer handicrafts originated following an appearance of the Virgin Mary to a monk of Mount Athos. The monk, as the story goes, was distressed because he could not learn how to weave prayer ropes. One day, the Virgin Mary appeared before him and, upon asking why he was crying, he bowed his head and explained his difficulty. Then, the Virgin Mary handed him the seeds of this plant, saying: “Take my tears, cultivate them, and make prayer beads.”

The planting of this particular plant usually occurs towards the end of spring, while the harvesting of its seeds by the monks begins in early October.

Beads: 33 & 50

Origin: Mount Athos