My grandmother always had a rosary on her nightstand. I never saw her with any other kind of rosary. They were always wooden, simple, worn. This one had been on her nightstand for decades. She had brought it back from a trip that she took once. I never knew why she had brought it back. She never replaced it, not even when the cord started to fray. She had it re-knotted twice.
Wooden rosaries, particularly those made of wood such as olive, walnut, and other varieties of natural wood, are amongst the most effective symbols of prayer and spiritual growth within the realm of Catholicism. Simple in design, yet powerful in effect, the image of a rosary on a nightstand is a familiar and iconic one that evokes sentiments of days gone by, yet is not itself a symbol of days past, rather a means of attaining spiritual ends that have been utilized by people for centuries in a wide variety of ways.
Simplicity as a spiritual statement
A simple wooden rosary is a decision of a theological nature. For nearly 800 years the spirituality of the Catholic Church has been marked by a preference for simple things. And for the last 800 years the spirituality of the Church has been marked by the Francis Crowns, the Poor Souls Society and by many other groups of prayer throughout the centuries. The simple wooden rosary is the spirituality of St. Francis of Assisi. It does not draw attention to itself. In fact it does not even get noticed when it is placed on a table or nightstand in front of a candle. That is its intent. Its focus is on the object of our meditation and not on the meditation itself.
In other words the simple untreated wooden rosary is an object that focuses the attention of the praying person on what he is praying about and not on the object of his prayer.
Which is the whole point, isn’t it?
What wood actually does during prayer
One reason that wooden rosaries are often preferred to other types of rosaries is their physical properties. Most prayer beads are made from materials such as glass or resin, smooth to the touch and cold to the sense of touch. For the most part the prayer beads are so light that after a short time holding them in your hands they are forgotten completely by your senses. This is not the case with wood. Yes, some woods are very smooth and have a fine texture. But others, such as olive wood, have a texture that can be felt clearly. And while the smooth prayer beads are cold to the touch, wooden rosary beads are warm. Not only do they have a physical feel to them that can draw your attention to your prayer, but the grain of the wood can pull your attention in a positive way. In between each word of prayer the wood can remain silent, just as a good conversationalist will remain silent from time to time before speaking.
This is not to say that the other beads do not have their own attention grabbing quality. However, there is a vast difference between a glass bead that you hold in your hand and forget about after a few seconds, and a wooden bead that draws your attention in a more sustained way. The warmth and texture of the wood is just one of the ways that a wooden rosary can anchor you in your body and draw you back to the present moment.
The weight of the rosary is another factor. A good quality wooden rosary will be very light, making it easy to carry around from day to day. However, just because a rosary is light does not mean it is flimsy. A well made rosary is solid and has substance to it. Of all the woods used to make rosaries, olive wood is one of the densest. This makes it an ideal material for rosaries as it is very durable and will last for a long time. As the rosary is used, it will begin to absorb the oils from a person’s skin, and over time it will develop a patina. This is a natural process that occurs with all wood as it ages, and the rosary will look more mellow and worn-in with age, rather than old and worn-out.
Why olive wood, specifically
Olive trees are old and robust. Many of the trees that are still growing in the Garden of Gethsemane are over a thousand years old. This fact alone is enough for many people. The trees’ root systems are well known and are tended by knowledgeable people.
There are various lines and marks apparent in the olive wood. Some beads have more noticeable features than others, and certain marks seem to vary in appearance depending on the angle at which one views them. There are swirls of cream, of amber, and of deep brown wood apparent throughout. It is rare to find two identical beads, even when they are made from the exact same piece of olive wood.
So the next time that you are searching for the perfect religious gift for that special Catholic in your life consider giving them a wonderful piece of handmade olive wood rosary beads from the Nazareth Store. These items make for a fantastic memento for anyone as the olive wood is a completely natural, earthy and sturdy material that makes for an incredible keepsake item. Additionally, olive wood rosary beads are quite inexpensive, yet rich in unique detail. Unlike the majority of other items of prayer which are typically created using man-made resin and glass, each hand carved olive wood rosary is completely one of a kind offering the buyer exceptional worth. Plus the symbols that are typically found on the Catholic rosary are widely known, so no additional information about the Rosary needs to be given as a gift.
Walnut and other natural woods: a quick comparison
Walnut rosary beads, similar to olive wood rosary beads, are also very classic in appearance and of high quality. These are to be considered as separate to olive wood beads, and chosen for the particular characteristics that walnut possess as a natural material.
| Wood type | Color and grain | Weight feel | Best suited for |
| Olive wood | Warm amber tones, dramatic swirling grain | Light to medium | Daily prayer, Holy Land gifts |
| Walnut | Deep chocolate brown, smooth and even | Medium | Those who prefer a darker, understated look |
| Rosewood | Rich reddish-brown, fine grain | Medium to heavy | Formal or ceremonial use |
| Cedar | Light, pale with subtle streaks | Very light | Travel rosaries, children’s rosaries |
Note: The various types of wood listed above are all options for rosary beads and none are better than the others. People may choose a certain type of wood for a rosary for a variety of reasons. Some may simply like the look of certain types of wood. Others may be drawn to a type of wood that holds some special significance for them. Other people may choose a type of wood for a rosary on the basis of how the rosary will be used. For example, a rosary made from very soft woods, such as pine or cedar, would probably not be the best choice for a man in the military. On the other hand, a rosary made from cedar would make a very lovely gift for a child learning to pray with a rosary. The scent of the natural wood is very faint and does not wear off.
What makes wooden rosaries work as gifts
Several factors really.
- They’re appropriate across age groups, from a child receiving their First Communion to an elderly parishioner marking a milestone anniversary
- Natural wood feels personal in a way mass-produced plastic simply doesn’t — there’s a handedness to it, a sense that someone considered the object before passing it along
- The Holy Land connection adds a layer of meaning that most recipients recognize immediately, without prompting
- They improve with use, which means the gift actually deepens over time rather than wearing thin
Lately I have not thought about my grandmother’s rosary. In fact I have not thought about it for a long time. I have no idea what happened to the grandmother’s rosary that my mother had after she died. It was one of those little losses that crop up from time to time but then are never thought of again. I make rosaries for prayer. These are objects for prayer made from natural materials and they leave an impression. I have a clear image in my mind of what my grandmother’s rosary looked like. I have a clear memory of how it felt in my hands the few times she let me hold it.
When we use something truly good, the best of objects meet our hands halfway. The best of tools become so second nature to us that before long we cease to think of them as tools at all. Instead, we come to feel that they are a part of ourselves or even our companions. By the time that a really fine tool has been used for a decade or so, it has been worn into the shape of the person who has been using it. It feels warm and familiar to the touch and it feels as though it has been with us every step of the way along the way.
