A rosary is a powerful sacramental that is important to the Catholic faith. So finding can be symbolic for some people, especially practicing Catholics. In this post, we discuss the spiritual meaning of finding a rosary and what to do if you find one.
What You'll Learn Today
Why Are Rosaries Important?
You may have noticed that Catholic faithful treat their rosaries with utmost reverence. If you are not Catholic, it can be difficult to understand why. After all, it’s just a necklace with beads.
But a rosary is much more than a necklace. It’s a powerful aid to prayer. It’s one of the sacramentals in the Catholic Church.
Sacramentals are not sacred or holy like sacraments. Rather, they are objects or actions – usually blessed by a priest – that prepare our hearts to receive the effects of sacraments.
CCC 1667: Holy Mother Church has, moreover, instituted sacramentals. These are sacred signs which bear a resemblance to the sacraments. They signify effects, particularly of a spiritual nature, which are obtained through the intercession of the Church. By them men are disposed to receive the chief effect of the sacraments, and various occasions in life are rendered holy.
Other sacramentals include holy water, blessed salt and crucifixes.
The main purpose of a rosary is to help believers pray the twenty mysteries. These mysteries teach us about the life of Jesus and Mary.
The twenty mysteries are categorized into five main mysteries, each one represented by the five decades on a rosary. These prayers are collectively known as the rosary.
A rosary is one of the most important possessions a Catholic believer can have. It is a deeply personal and sentimental object for many, especially if it has been blessed by a priest or the Pope (yes, you can have your rosary blessed by the Pope by attending one of his audiences or masses at the Vatican).
What Does It Mean When You Find A Rosary?
While rosaries are highly symbolic objects, finding one doesn’t necessarily mean anything. Remember a rosary is not something holy. It’s just an aid to help us pray and meditate on the life of Jesus.
Finding a rosary could simply mean that someone has dropped it or thrown it away.
But some people believe that finding a rosary has spiritual meaning. Here are some of the most common meanings people associate with finding a rosary.
- For most people, finding a rosary is a good sign. It symbolizes good things like blessings, hope and strength. It can be especially uplifting to come across a rosary when you are going through a difficult time.
- It’s a message from God. The specific message depends on your needs and the situation you are going through. It can be a message to be hopeful, a reminder to keep your faith or an encouragement to stay on the path of righteousness.
- A rosary represents prayer, so finding one can be a sign that you need to spend more time in prayer. Use the rosary you’ve found (if you don’t get the owner) or get your own rosary and pray with it.
- If it’s your rosary that you’ve found after losing it, it might be a sign of God’s blessings and redemption.
- If you are no longer practicing your faith, finding a rosary is probably a message to get back to the church. It can also be a sign to stop sinning or to strengthen your faith.
- Some people believe that the place where you find a rosary also means something. For instance, finding a rosary at your workplace could have a meaning related to your work or career. Maybe it’s a sign you are where you are supposed to be, or that it’s time to turn to God to guide you on your next career step. Finding a rosary at home can be a sign that your family is blessed.
- There are also those who believe that the color of rosary beads has spiritual meaning. Finding a black rosary signifies protection, white rosary beads symbolize purity, holiness and peace, and so on.
What To Do If You Find A Rosary?
Whether or not you believe finding a rosary has spiritual meaning, the best thing to do when you come across one is try to find its owner.
Remember rosaries are highly sentimental possessions. For all you know, that particular rosary has been passed down generations.
Helping someone find their lost rosary is the most christian thing you can do.
If you’ve found the rosary in a closed setting like an office or at home, it’s easy to ask around for whoever may have misplaced theirs.
If you find the rosary in Church or a venue, hand it over to the lost and found or place it somewhere where the owner can easily find it. For instance, you can place it on a table or hang it on the wall.
If you find the rosary on the street or some other public place, you’ll probably not find the owner. In that case, take the rosary to the church.
They will either dispose of it or keep it for someone who needs a rosary.
If you can’t find the owner, you can also keep the rosary for yourself. Use it for prayer and as a reminder of faith.
How To Dispose Of A Rosary?
If you don’t need the rosary, there’s no one you can give it to and there’s no Catholic church nearby to take it to, you can dispose of the rosary.
Like other sacramentals, you have to be careful how you dispose of a rosary. While it is not a sin to throw away a rosary, you should treat sacramentals with respect.
There are two ways to respectfully dispose of a rosary: burning or burying.
If you opt to burn it, make sure you bury the ashes afterwards.
