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"Mere sitting at home and meditating on the divine presence is not enough for our time. We have to come to the end of a long journey and see that the stranger we meet there is no other than ourselves -- which is the same as saying that we find Christ in him."
-- Thomas Merton, Trappist monk, Abbey of Gethsemani
This rosary was inspired by the dialogues between Thomas Merton and Tenzin Gyatso, His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama -- and by their shared dedication to interfaith dialogue and to deepening compassion.
The delightful Coptic cross is made in two parts, and hinged. The four small birds are a traditional element of the old Ethiopian design; the interlaced pattern is reminiscent of Celtic knotwork. It's hand-cast from a 19th century original, in solid bronze.
The Pater beads are old, well-traveled, red Masai glass -- with tiny nicks and scratches they've picked up along theilr way. Alongside the Paters are caps of antiqued brass.
The Aves are Bodhi seeds -- traditional Buddhist prayer beads -- separated by beads of red horn and ribbed brass.
This rosary is made all-in-one-loop, rather than in the familiar "Y" form. We don't see lots of all-one-loop rosaries lately, but they were pretty much the norm until just a couple centuries ago.
The rosary is strung on premium quality Soft Flex jewelers' cable, composed of 49 strands of steel encased in nylon, with a test strength of 26 pounds. Each end is double-crimped for security. The connecting rings are solid brass and bronze.
Cross: about 2.5" including its bail
Pater Beads: about .8" long
Ave Beads: about .5" (14mm) diameter
Length: 21.75" from the top of the loop to the bottom of the cross
Weight: 4.6 oz.
$255. (Sold. For a similar rosary, please inquire.)
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