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October 2002 to October 2003

Proclaimed As

"Rediscover the ROSARY in the light of the Scripture, in harmony with the Liturgy, and in the context of your daily lives." - Pope John Paul II

Last October 16, 2002, an Apostolic Letter entitled "ROSARIUM VIRGINIS MARIAE" was issued by His Holiness, the Supreme Pontiff John Paul II, to the Bishops, Clergy, and the Faithful on the Most Holy Rosary. This marked the beginning of the 25th year of his Pontificate.

It will be recalled that even on the first year of his Pontificate, His Holiness had already set the pace in his life "within the daily rhythm of the rosary," calling it the "rhythm of human life." (Angelus: Insegnamenti di Giovanni Paolo II, 1 1978).

This Apostolic Letter contains the proclamation of the period October 2002 – October 2003 as "THE YEAR OF THE ROSARY."

This proclamation was brought about by certain concerns of the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy:

1.  The misconception that the rosary is of lesser importance than the  centrality of the Liturgy. Pope John Paul II cites Pope Paul VI as saying that the rosary in fact sustains the Liturgy, "since it seems as an excellent introduction and a faithful echo of the Liturgy."

2.  The misconception that the rosary is unecumenical because it is Marian in character. This is disputed by the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council which cites the rosary as a "devotion directed to the Christological center of the Christian faith."

The Apostolic letter states that the most underlying reason for the Pontiff’s proclamation is because the rosary "represents a most effective means of fostering among the faithful that commitment to the contemplation of the Christian mystery;...the rosary belongs among the finest and most praiseworthy traditions of Christian contemplation."

Among those saints said to have discovered the rosary as a genuine path to holiness are St. Louis Grignion de Monfort (author of "The Secret of the Rosary"), St. Padre Pio de Pietrelcina, and Blessed Bartolo Lango.

The rosary is referred to as a "compendium of the Gospel" an "exquisitely contemplative prayer". Pope Paul VI is quoted as saying "without contemplation, the rosary is a body without a soul." Hence it is in this context that the exhortation to pray the rosary while contemplating on the important events of the Life of Christ is repeated several times in the Apostolic Letter. It reaffirms the aspect of the rosary as really being a form of "CHRISTOCENTRIC CON-TEMPLATION", where the mind directs itself towards a particular stage in the Life of Christ.

MYSTERIES of the LIGHT ADDED to the ROSARY

Pope John Paul has added, as part of the rosary, five additional mysteries representing important events that happened during the Lord’s public ministry, which happened between His Baptism by St. John the Baptist by the River Jordan, and His Passion and Death on the Cross. His reason is to "bring out fully the Christological depth of the Rosary."

The additional five mysteries are called "Mysteries of the Light" or "Luminous Mysteries". The important events that happened during the Public Life of Our Lord projected the mystery of Christ as a mystery of light: "While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world." (John 9:5)

We are encouraged to "contemplate important aspects of the person of Christ as the definitive Revelation of God."

These mysteries of Light are the following:

1. Baptism at the River Jordan – where Jesus was declared the Beloved Son of the Father while the Spirit vested upon Him His mission on earth;

2. Wedding at Cana –  when Jesus changed water into wine, with the intervention of His Blessed  Mother;

3. Jesus Proclaims the Coming of the Kingdom of God – His call to conversion and forgiveness of sins;

4. The Transfiguration in Mt. Tabor – where God the Father admonishes the Apostles to "listen to Him" so as to share with Him the joy of a life transfigured by the Spirit;

5. The Last Supper – where He instituted the Eucharist as the sacramental expression of the Paschal Mystery. 

MATERNAL COUNSEL

It is pointed out that in all these five events, except the Wedding at Cana, Mary’s presence is not evident. Yet, her words of counsel, addressed to the servants at the Wedding of Cana, are the same words of maternal counsel that now forms the Marian foundation of the "Mysteries of Light": "Do whatever He tells You." (John 2:5)

PRAYER of POPE JOHN PAUL II

Before ending the Apostolic Letter, Pope John Paul II shares his prayer which may rightfully be prayed before the end of the rosary (or anytime, for that matter):

"O Blessed Rosary of Mary, sweet chain which unites us to God, bond of love which unites us to the angels, tower of salvation against the assaults of hell, safe port in our universal shipwreck, we will never abandon you.

You will be our comfort in the hour of death: Yours our final kiss as life ebbs away, and the last word from our lips will be your sweet name, O Queen of the Rosary of Pompei, O dearest Mother, Refuge of Sinners, O Sovereign Consoler of the Afflicted.

May you be everywhere blessed, today and always, on earth and in heaven. Amen.

 

Sources: CHURCH DOCUMENTS: Rosarium Virginis Mariae 2002 NEW ADVENT WEBSITE www.newadvent.org with special thanks to: Nimfa C. Tangcuangco for providing initial info.

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