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Culture
 how to make a rosary out of roses
By Patricia Majher | Photography by Philip Shippert
n Dec. 9, 1531, an Aztec Indian was making his
way to Mass past the hill of Tepeyac outside Mexico City, when the
Virgin Mary appeared to him in the form of a dark-skinned princess.
She asked the man to instruct the local bishop to build a church
on the site from which she could bestow her love and compassion
"for all the inhabitants of this land."
The man, called Juan Diego, was awestruck by the apparition, and
dutifully reported Mary's message to the local bishop. Doubting
the sincerity of this macehual or simple farmer, the bishop asked
for a more definitive sign. And the Virgin complied.
 When
she next appeared to Juan Diego, she asked him to pick roses on
Tepeyac - an odd request given that roses were not known to bloom
in December. But, when he arrived there, he found it covered with
flowers and gathered many in his tilma, or cloak, to show to the
bishop. Once in his eminence's presence, Juan Diego unwrapped the
cloak, spilling roses on the floor and revealing an image of his
Mary - La Virgen de Guadalupe - miraculously imprinted on
the fabric. The bishop is said to have fallen to his knees before
it.
The story of Juan Diego and the miraculous image spread like wildfire
throughout the region, inspiring great numbers of native Mexicans
to convert. On July 31 of this year, Pope John Paul made Juan Diego
a saint, the first of Indian descent. And, on Dec. 9, we celebrate
his feast day.
In St. Juan Diego's honor and in honor of the Virgin Mary, FAITH
offers these steps in making a rosary made out of roses.
 Rose
Petal Beads
4 cups of rose petals
(trim off any brown or white parts)
Water to cover
Rose oil
Straight pins
Corrugated cardboard
Chop rose petals into small pieces. Put the pieces
into a saucepan or skillet and cover with water, simmering for an
hour. Add a bit of rose oil to the pot and simmer for an hour 4
or 5 times in one day until the petal mixture begins to look like
clay. When it reaches a clay-like state, squeeze as much moisture
as possible out of the mixture and save the rose liquid in a small,
covered container.
Form beads with the mixture. (Warning: the beads will shrink by
about half as they dry.) Poke a hole in each bead with a pin and
stick the loaded pin into cardboard, setting aside to dry. (It may
take 3 or 4 days, depending on the humidity level in your house.)
When fully dry, remove the pins and rub some of the reserved rose
liquid on each bead. Do this for several days to harden and polish
the surface. Store the beads in a closed container to help them
retain their scent. Depending on the color of the petals used, finished
beads can range from a deep wine color to purple or black.
 Rose
Petal Bead Rosary
6 large rose petal beads
53 medium rose petal beads
Nylon cord with attached needle
Small cross or crucifix
1 center piece (a metal piece that has two loops on top and one
on the bottom)
4 bead tips
Add a bead tip to the end of your cord. String on
10 medium beads, knotting between each one. String on one large
bead and add a knot. Repeat the previous two steps three more times
and then string on the final 10 medium beads and knot between. Finish
off with another bead tip.
Close the hooks of two bead tips around the loops of the center
piece, and set aside. Using another length of cord, add a bead tip
to its end, then slip on a large bead and knot. Then slip on 3 medium
beads, knotting in between. Finish this section by adding another
large bead and a bead tip. Connect this short strand to the end
of the center piece by closing the hook of the bead tip around the
loop of the center piece. Connect the cross or crucifix in the same
manner.
Where to find rosary parts
Nylon cord and bead tips are available in craft and
bead stores, but you may have to check other sources for center
pieces, crosses, and crucifixes. Here are five Web sites that specialize
in rosary parts.
Originally Published: December 2002
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