Saint Dominic, the Popes and The Holy Rosary
The holy rosary is an integral aspect for a catholic who is devoted to the Virgin Mary and her role as the Mediatrix and Co-Redemptrix in saving the humanity. It is believed that when we lift our offers, appeals and prayers to God, through the Virgin Mary, it is more effective. As the mother of God, she has influence on Jesus Christ as evident during the wedding at Cana.
Praying the holy rosary is well known in the catholic world and even in other Christian traditions such as the Anglican and Episcopal churches. The rosary of the Roman Catholic Church is used to meditate on the significant lives of Jesus Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The Origin of the Holy Rosary, though obscure, is accorded to the mysterious legend of St. Dominic.
Saint Dominic of Osma, also known as Santo Domingo De Guzman was born as Domingo de Guzman Garces in 1170. He was known as the founder of the Preacher Priests or the Order of Preachers or OP, popularly known as the Dominicans. Saint Dominic is the patron saint of astronomers and the Dominican Republic.
He studied in Palancia, Spain and afterwards pursued a university degree in arts and theology. During the 1190 Spanish Famine, he has just finished his theological studies.
In the year 1208, Domingo met the papal legates returning lavishly to Rome and said "It is not by the display of power and pomp, cavalcades of retainers, and richly-houseled palfreys, or by gorgeous apparel, that the heretics win proselytes; it is by zealous preaching, by apostolic humility, by austerity, by seeming, it is true, but by seeming holiness. Zeal must be met by zeal, humility by humility, false sanctity by real sanctity, preaching falsehood by preaching truth."
Later, a small group of people followed Domingo in his pursuit of preaching and a simple lifestyle. However, most of these followers were discouraged with such a monastic life. Those remained faithful to his principles were the forerunners of the present-day Dominicans. Saint Dominic founded the principle of the Dominicans – to find truth no matter where it maybe.
The role of Saint Dominic in the development of the rosary is very significant, controversial, miraculous and mysterious. The propagation of the rosary as a Marian devotion is attributed to Domingo’s preaching and intellectual thoughts. Until now, the Dominican Order has an active role in the propagation of the rosary devotion. A method of praying the rosary termed as the Dominican way is used by many Catholics and believed to be more holier and more personal than the traditional form.
It was believed by many Catholics that the rosary was given to Saint Dominic by the Blessed Virgin Mary during an apparition known as Our Lady of the Rosary.
The Virgin Mary is given the title of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary in relation to the way of praying by the Dominicans. She was believed to have an apparition in the church of Prouille.
Pope Pius V, in 1571, also entitled the Blessed Virgin Mary as Our Lady of Victory to celebrate and commemorate the victory of Lepanto, a victory credited to the Virgin Mary with an intercession using prayer of rosary. It was Pope Gregory XIII who changed this celebration to the Feast of the Holy Rosary. However, in 1969, Pope Paul VI created the name of the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.
