According to a beautiful story told by the Franciscan order, Our Lady revealed the devotion to her Seven Joys to a 15th-century Franciscan novice.
Up until his entrance into the order, this novice had been accustomed to making a wreath of flowers for Our Lady every day and crowning her statue with it. With the schedule at the monastery, he could no longer do this, and thought that perhaps Our Lady would no longer be pleased with him. He was so disturbed by these thoughts that he questioned his vocation and planned to leave the religious life.
But Our Blessed Mother consoled him and safeguarded his vocation by appearing to him and asking him to give her instead a crown of prayers that would please her much more than a wreath of earthly flowers. This chaplet would consist of seven decades in honor of the Seven Joys she experienced on earth:
- The Annunciation
- The Visitation
- The Nativity of Jesus
- The Adoration of the Magi
- The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple
- The Resurrection
- The Assumption and Coronation
The novice obeyed, and was showered with immense graces and blessings from Our Lady. The devotion spread to the whole order and the Franciscan Crown Rosary is now a beloved devotion of the Franciscans today.
It is said much like a normal Rosary. Each decade consists of an Our Father and ten Hail Marys, and many people add the Glory Be and Fatima prayer as well. Two extra Hail Marys are added to commemorate the seventy-two years Our Lady is said to have lived on earth.
Of course, you don’t need to be a Franciscan to honor Our Lady with this beautiful crown of prayer! Here at The Catholic Company, we offer a simple, lovely Crown Rosary to assist you in honoring Our Lady’s Joys. Composed of wooden beads, a San Damiano Crucifix, and a medal of St. Francis, this Rosary will help you offer Our Lady a pleasing wreath of spiritual flowers. Order yours today!
