The rosary is a standout “double” sacramental. The Catholic Church considers the chain of beads that make up the rosary a sacramental, and as a form of popular devotion, the chaplet we say also qualifies as a sacramental. The rosary is unique in this way. It is also one of the oldest sacramental devotions in the Church—being a cherished Marian devotion for more than 800 years!
St. Louis de Montfort couldn’t have been clearer about the rosary’s merits: “When the holy rosary is said well, it gives Jesus and Mary more glory and is more meritorious than any other prayer.” After Saint Dominic received and promoted the sacramental in the thirteenth century, devotion to the rosary spread like wildfire and continues to this day. But despite its widespread popularity, many Catholics do not fully appreciate the proper uses and care of the rosary.
The rosary is both a physical object and a pious devotion. Because of this, it comes in many forms and has multiple uses.
The most practical and popular version of the rosary is the long string of beads divided into five sections of ten, known as decades. Why five decades? Because that’s just enough beads to pray a full set of five mysteries for the day. Separating each decade is a bead for the Our Father. Off this string dangles a “tail” with five more beads for the introductory creed and other prayers, plus a crucifix at the end.
There are smaller versions, too. The single-decade rosary, for instance, usually consists of just ten beads, sometimes with a larger bead marking the Our Father and Glory Be. Other versions might include a holy medallion, a cross, or another Christian symbol at the center of the ten beads. These are great to wear on your wrist or carry in your pocket, without fear of them getting tangled with your keys, your loose change, or—let’s be honest—your snack wrappers.
Some religious orders, such as the Franciscans and Dominicans, incorporate the rosary into their habit, so it’s always within reach. It’s both a functional prayer tool and a mental reminder that prayer is never far away. You’ll notice that these rosaries are significantly larger than your average one; this is because they typically contain enough decades to pray multiple sets of mysteries. The original mysteries included three sets of five (fifteen decades in total), so these larger rosaries aid the religious in praying all of them in a single day. In some cases, they carry rosaries with twenty decades, ensuring they’re always prepared for a marathon prayer session with all four sets of mysteries: the luminous, joyful, sorrowful, and glorious.
The rosary’s primary purpose is to pray the devotion it’s named after, but it can also be used for other devotions. Catholics may use a standard rosary to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet, the Chaplet of St. Gertrude, the Chaplet of the Adorable Sacrament, the Chaplet of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and several others. So it’s a multitasker—think of it as the Swiss army knife of Catholic prayer!
All rosaries (and physical sacramentals in general) can—and should—be blessed. This can be done with a short prayer by the priest, or you can choose a blessing from the Book of Blessings or the older Roman Ritual. Since the rosary can also be used as a chaplet for other prayers and devotions, these blessings apply to those uses as well.
Now, let’s address a frequently debated question: should the rosary be worn—for example, like a necklace? This is a big question, given that in many cultures, wearing a rosary is a well-established practice. For some, it’s a comfort, a reminder of faith, and an outward expression of devotion. Others of a stricter persuasion might not like this idea.
To help put this in perspective, think about the religious who are required to wear their rosary as part of their habit. It’s both a functional tool—ready for prayer at a moment’s notice—and a visible sign of their faith. One could argue that wearing a single-decade rosary as a bracelet has a similar dual purpose: it’s there for private devotion, and it can also be a nice little accessory.
Oftentimes, Catholic will hang rosaries on walls within the home or from their car’s rearview mirror as a faithful gesture or a reminder to pray (in the case of the car, to pray for safety—because we all know what it’s like out there on the roads when you need a bit of humility to control the urge to give someone a tongue lashing).
With the right intention, wearing the rosary around your neck is perfectly acceptable as a sacramental. However, it is a sacred object, and it should absolutely not be worn like a piece of jewelry or an accessory meant to enhance a wardrobe. The rosary should not be worn just for looks or as decoration. After all, its primary function is spiritual, not fashion-forward.
Rosaries, like all sacramentals, are more than just sentimental heirlooms or charming home décor. They are sacred objects, and some are even consecrated to serve in the Church’s highest liturgies. This means that we’re responsible for treating them with dignity—by our conscience and, for good measure, by canon law. According to canon 1171, “Sacred objects, which are designated for divine worship by dedication or blessing, are to be treated reverently and are not to be employed for profane or inappropriate use, even if they are owned by private persons.”
This means we should avoid anything that might trivialize these objects or put them at risk of breaking. No tossing your rosary into the bottom of your purse like a forgotten receipt. It’s sacred, after all. When it’s in your pocket or purse, try to treat it like you would your favorite pair of sunglasses—only holier, and with less likelihood of getting scratched by your keys.
It’s not just the physical sacramentals that require careful handling. Our actions with non-physical sacramentals—like blessings and exorcisms—need to be just as intentional. The sign of the cross, for instance, is not a casual “flick” of the wrist or a half-hearted wave, as if we were shooing away a fly. We ought to treat our rosaries with a similar mindset, fingering the beads nicely and remaining in a good posture throughout the prayer.
Now, the Church has some firm rules about sacramentals—and one of them is that we are not permitted to sell blessed sacramentals. Selling a blessed sacramentals falls under the practice of simony. One is certainly allowed to offer a donation for a special blessing or exorcism—think of it like giving a little gift to a priest for his time, like how a family might offer a donation at a baptism—but the Church doesn’t put a price tag on the things of God.
Of course, things wear out over time. Rosaries break, crucifixes chip, candles burn down to nothing, and scapulars tear like the pages of an old book. It happens.
When a sacramental reaches a state where it’s beyond repair or has outlived its purpose, it should be disposed of properly. This doesn’t mean tossing it in the trash, as you would a broken pen or bits of cereal the kids have dropped—and my kids, too, have broken rosaries, so don’t feel as though you’re the only one. Even in its tattered state, the sacramental has been blessed, so it deserves reverent treatment.
The proper way to dispose of a sacramental is either by burning it or burying it in the soil of the earth. Burning is particularly fitting because fire purifies. And burying it is a quiet, respectful way to lay it to rest. Both of these ensure that it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands—hands that might not treat it with the same reverence. And don’t forget: if the sacramental has been desecrated, it should be blessed once more. Regardless, it still needs to be disposed of in the same way. The dignity of the object remains, even if its peak physical form and beauty have taken a hit.
The holy rosary is among the most unmistakable images of Catholicism, and there is no shortage of popes and saints who recommend its frequent use. I sincerely hope this short guide is one of use to many readers who love their rosaries and wish for many years of faithful devotion and joy.
Remember that even if you’ve not dusted off your rosary in years, the prayers are like riding a bike. And if you’re at all concerned about the shape of your rosary, don’t overthink it—just bring it to your next Mass or confession (or the next opportunity) and ask the priest or deacon to give it a blessing.