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In the 15th century, about 1409, Dominic the Prussian (another Carthusian), wrote a book attaching a "Psalter" of fifty reflective thoughts, relating the lives of Jesus and his mother Mary to a devotional ''rosarium'' of 50 Angelic Salutations, a thought for each one of the fifty. Eventually this Psalter was also divided into decades. Each decade was introduced by an Our Father, each decade having ten thoughts with ten Angelic Salutations. Because the form was not firmly fixed, very gradually various forms of this meditative prayer-devotion were composed and proposed from about 1425 through 1470. It was roughly during this period that the greeting of Elizabeth was included, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb"; and joined to this was her additional testimony under the influence of the Holy Spirit that Mary is the mother of God, "Whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?"<ref>"mother of my Lord." Here, and throughout the New Testament, the word "Lord" means "God"—Greek Κύριος ''Kyrios'' "Lord" = God.</ref>

In the 15th century, about 1409, Dominic the Prussian (another Carthusian), wrote a book attaching a "Psalter" of fifty reflective thoughts, relating the lives of Jesus and his mother Mary to a devotional ''rosarium'' of 50 Angelic Salutations, a thought for each one of the fifty. Eventually this Psalter was also divided into decades. Each decade was introduced by an Our Father, each decade having ten thoughts with ten Angelic Salutations. Because the form was not firmly fixed, very gradually various forms of this meditative prayer-devotion were composed and proposed from about 1425 through 1470. It was roughly during this period that the greeting of Elizabeth was included, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb"; and joined to this was her additional testimony under the influence of the Holy Spirit that Mary is the mother of God, "Whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?"<ref>"mother of my Lord." Here, and throughout the New Testament, the word "Lord" means "God"—Greek Κύριος ''Kyrios'' "Lord" = God.</ref>

When the [[Dominican]] Alan of Rupe, ''Alain de Roche'', a disciple of [[Saint Dominic]], founded the first Rosary Confraternity, he also instituted the more modern form of the rosary. With that he launched the Dominican Order as being the foremost of preachers and missionaries of the Rosary, during the [[Albigensians|Albigensian Crusade]] in Europe against the [[Cathar]]s. The form he favored was to refer a special thought for each bead of the Rosary, in preference to a single meditative thought for the whole, which he called the "old" Rosary. The prayer form of 150 special thoughts for the 150 "Hail Mary"s spread rapidly throughout Western Christendom.<ref>In Eastern Christendom, among the Orthodox faithful, another form of prayer with a string of beads became widespread, from the [http://www.holybooks.com/wp-content/uploads/Philokalia.pdf ''Philokalia'']. This particular repeated devotional-prayer of petition, also using an implement of beads similar but not identical in form to the western Rosary implement, says, "'''Oh, my Lord Jesus Christ, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, a poor sinner.''" Hindus and Moslems have copied this form of prayer-tool also using beads of varying numbers up to 99 or more.</ref> This form of meditation, with 150 different thoughts, one for each bead, was gradually abandoned as the Christian world transitioned to the [[Renaissance]].

When the [[Dominican]] Alan of Rupe, ''Alain de Roche'', a disciple of [[Saint Dominic]], founded the first Rosary Confraternity, he also instituted the more modern form of the rosary. With that he launched the Dominican Order as being the foremost of preachers and missionaries of the Rosary, during the [[Albigensians|Albigensian Crusade]] in Europe against the [[Cathar]]s. The form he favored was to refer a special thought for each bead of the Rosary, in preference to a single meditative thought for the whole, which he called the "old" Rosary. The prayer form of 150 special thoughts for the 150 "Hail Mary"s spread rapidly throughout Western Christendom.<ref>In Eastern Christendom, among the Orthodox faithful, another form of prayer with a string of beads became widespread, ''The Jesus Prayer'' from the [http://www.holybooks.com/wp-content/uploads/Philokalia.pdf ''Philokalia'']. This particular repeated devotional-prayer of petition, also using an implement of beads similar but not identical in form to the western Rosary implement, says, "'''Oh, my Lord Jesus Christ, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, a poor sinner.''" Hindus and Moslems have copied this form of prayer-tool also using beads of varying numbers up to 99 or more.</ref> This form of meditation, with 150 different thoughts, one for each bead, was gradually abandoned as the Christian world transitioned to the [[Renaissance]].

In 1500 for the first time, inexpensive woodblock prints could be made of pictures of the events meditated upon in praying the Rosary. Since the vast majority of the common people were still illiterate these picture rosaries were immensely popular, as a form of directed meditation on the events of our salvation, much easier than attempting to memorize them. But it was difficult and expensive to draw and then print reproductions of 150 different pictures for each of the 150 Hail Marys. The ten pictures for each of the ten thoughts in each decade were printed around the words and picture of the Our Father at the beginning of each decade. This was the time of the printing of the [[Gutenberg Bible]] and the beginning of the [[Protestant Reformation]]. It was also the century of the reported apparition in Mexico of [[Our Lady of Guadalupe]]. But gradually, during the 16th and 17th centuries, the use of 150 distinct meditative thoughts gradually died out, and only the 15 brief Our Father thoughts, one for each entire decade of 10 Hail Marys, were printed in the picture rosaries. These fifteen became known as the mysteries of the rosary, because they directly represent the mysteries of the Incarnation and Redemption in the lives of Jesus and Mary for our salvation.  

In 1500 for the first time, inexpensive woodblock prints could be made of pictures of the events meditated upon in praying the Rosary. Since the vast majority of the common people were still illiterate these picture rosaries were immensely popular, as a form of directed meditation on the events of our salvation, much easier than attempting to memorize them. But it was difficult and expensive to draw and then print reproductions of 150 different pictures for each of the 150 Hail Marys. The ten pictures for each of the ten thoughts in each decade were printed around the words and picture of the Our Father at the beginning of each decade. This was the time of the printing of the [[Gutenberg Bible]] and the beginning of the [[Protestant Reformation]]. It was also the century of the reported apparition in Mexico of [[Our Lady of Guadalupe]]. But gradually, during the 16th and 17th centuries, the use of 150 distinct meditative thoughts gradually died out, and only the 15 brief Our Father thoughts, one for each entire decade of 10 Hail Marys, were printed in the picture rosaries. These fifteen became known as the mysteries of the rosary, because they directly represent the mysteries of the Incarnation and Redemption in the lives of Jesus and Mary for our salvation.  

*[http://www.catholicsistas.com/2013/05/no-we-dont-worship-mary-what-the-differences-really-are/ No, we don't worship Mary: what the differences really are, By Brantly Milligan (catholicsistas)]

*[http://www.catholicsistas.com/2013/05/no-we-dont-worship-mary-what-the-differences-really-are/ No, we don't worship Mary: what the differences really are, By Brantly Milligan (catholicsistas)]

*[http://christianchat.com/bible-discussion-forum/63478-do-protestants-worship-bible.html Do Protestants Worship the Bible? - CatholicJeremy (christianchat.com)] ''Writer says, "no", and defends their reverence for it, and their swearing by it, and says that likewise in the same way Catholics do not worship idols, and defends their reverence for Mary, and their honoring of her. Reference is made to the deceptive outward appearance misinterpreted as not being the reality of what is actually being done in the heart.''<ref>Compare 1 Samuel 16:7b "for ''the L<small>ORD</small> seeth'' not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the L<small>ORD</small> looketh on the heart."</ref>

*[http://christianchat.com/bible-discussion-forum/63478-do-protestants-worship-bible.html Do Protestants Worship the Bible? - CatholicJeremy (christianchat.com)] ''Writer says, "no", and defends their reverence for it, and their swearing by it, and says that likewise in the same way Catholics do not worship idols, and defends their reverence for Mary, and their honoring of her. Reference is made to the deceptive outward appearance misinterpreted as not being the reality of what is actually being done in the heart.''<ref>Compare 1 Samuel 16:7b "for ''the L<small>ORD</small> seeth'' not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the L<small>ORD</small> looketh on the heart."</ref>

== References ==

== References ==