Prayer Handiwork – Onyx – Mount Athos

Description

Mount Athos prayer handiwork from Onyx

A wonderful Mount Athos prayer handiwork directly from the Athonite State. It consists of 100 beads of onyx, a semiprecious stone, in black color and stands out for the quality of its materials and the elegant details in its design. Between the Onyx beads, there are scattered metal beads, as well as a small metal cross, while it ends in fringes, black color. Handiwork for Mount Athos monks is an integral part of their daily lives. Besides, one of the most widespread occupations of monks is the creation of prayer handicrafts, which consist either of knots or of wooden or semi-precious stone beads. In this way they create useful aids for prayer time.

Mount Athos prayer handiwork: Use

This particular Mount Athos prayer handiwork consists of 100 onyx beads. The prayer handiwork helps a lot in concentrating the mind during prayer. In every knot or bead that someone passes between his fingers, he says a prayer, the most frequent of which is: “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me”. According to Christian tradition, prayer ropes and prayer handicrafts in general have their origin in Saint Pachomius in 320 AD. Specifically, the Saint began to look for a way that would help the monks in concentration during  prayer, but also in their numbering. Then the Archangel Gabriel visited him in his sleep and showed him how to make the tool that would serve the needs of prayer.

Origin: Mount Athos

Beads: 100