Tiny Rosaries

Lapis Lazuli & Sterling Silver 4mm Rosary

This petite rosary has 4mm semi-precious lapis lazuli Ave's and Our Fathers. The Pater beads are wirewrapped and capped with tiny bead caps. This rosary has total sterling silver construction and rosary set. Very appealing, practical, and sturdy.

Feast Day of Sts. Simon and Jude

Today we celebrate the feast of Sts. Simon and Jude, whose names occur together in the Canon of the Mass and are celebrated together. Actually, we know nothing for certain about them except they were called as Apostles to our Lord and that they preached the Gospel throughout Mesopotamia (referred to in modern times largely as Iraq), Syria, and Persia (now Iran).

“Jude” is named by Luke and in the Acts of the Apostles and is probably the most recognizable of these two Apostles because of his great celestial influence. Matthew and Mark called him Thaddeus. Jude had the same name as Judas Iscariot and apparently because of the disgrace of that name, it was shortened to "Jude" and consequently, his friends called him Thaddeus. St. Jude is especially known as the rescuer of desperate causes. St. Jude is the patron of desperate situations, forgotten causes, hospital workers, hospitals, impossible causes, lost causes, and the diocese of St. Petersburg, Florida. His most recognizable symbol is a small flame above his head. St. Jude also has a special nobility, far surpassing all earthly titles, that of being nephew to St. Joseph and the Blessed Virgin Mary and cousin to Our Lord and Savior. Jude was one of those, so called by their companions, to be the brothers of Joseph’s Son.

St. Simon is sometimes called "the Zealot." The Zealots were a Jewish sect that represented extreme Jewish nationalism. Our modern connotation of “zealous” is surely derived from this group. St. Simon’s well known symbol in art is the carpenter’s saw, the instrument of his martyrdom. St. Simon is the patron of curriers, sawmen, sawyers, tanners. The exact manner of his death is not known, but it is certain he was martyred.

A modern-day tribute to St. Jude is an interesting story of the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. St. Jude’s founder was entertainer Danny Thomas, who some of us remember from early television. More than 70 years ago, Danny Thomas prayed to St. Jude Thaddeus and asked the saint to “help me find my way in life, and I will build you a shrine.” In the years that followed, he remembered his pledge to St. Jude and the idea was born of creating a unique research hospital devoted to curing catastrophic diseases in children. Thomas started raising money for his vision, and by 1955, local business partners had joined his cause. In the decades since, St. Jude’s has enabled striking improvements in the care of pediatric leukemias and numerous forms of solid tumors. St. Jude—which now has a daily operating cost of nearly $1.5 million—has brought about improved health care for children all over the world. From a pledge to the fulfillment of a dream, Danny Thomas lived to see St. Jude’s become an international beacon of hope for the catastrophically ill children of the world.

Also worthy of note, Danny Thomas called upon his fellow Arabic-speaking community in the U.S. to help fund St. Jude in appreciation for the freedoms given their immigrant parents. The community responded and founded an organization called ALSAC, which assumed full responsibility for all the hospital’s fundraising efforts, raising hundreds of millions annually through benefits and solicitation drives among Americans of all ethnic, religious and racial backgrounds. Perhaps St. Jude Thaddeus, like his apt namesake, is a beacon of hope to our troubled world today.

Blessings to all on this special commemoration. Debbie Athas, 15 Promises Rosaries

Rosary Inspired Necklace



Amethyst, Lepidolite, & Sterling Silver Rosary-Inspired Necklace

 A 15 Promises Heritage Necklace - 15 Promises Heritage Rosaries handcrafts Accessories for the Soul using semi-precious gemstones and metals of the Bible, Stones of the Apostles, birthstones, Stones of the Guardian Angels, and more. This 30" rosary-inspired necklace is sterling silver, faceted semi-precious 6mm amethyst, and semi-precious lepidolite with a 1" sterling silver Our Lady medal.


Amethyst is the stone of the apostle St. Matthias and the Guardian Angel Adnachiel. St. Matthias' feast day is May 14th. Amethyst is the birthstone of February. Silver was frequently used in the fabrication of sacred temple objects in the Old Testament, as were gold and bronze. Semi-precious lepidolite is often known as flower sugilite, but is not actually sugilite at all. Its color is violet to pale pink or white and rarely gray or yellow. Its luster is vitreous to pearly and crystals are transparent to translucent. It is 2.5 on the Mohs hardness scale. Associated minerals are quartz, feldspars, and tourmaline.

Lepidolite is one of my favorite gemstones and you can read more about it in an earlier post below.

Feast Day of Our Lady of the Rosary



October 7th – Our Lady of the Rosary


Today is the feast day of Our Lady of the Rosary (also Our Lady of the Holy Rosary or Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary). Histories of the Holy Rosary often attribute its origin to St. Dominic through the Blessed Virgin Mary at Prouille. Our Lady appeared to St. Dominic in 1208 in the church of Prouille, France, where the Virgin Mary gave the Rosary to him.

The rosary has a rich and ancient history and continues to bring peace to devotees. The word "rosary" comes from the Latin, "rosarium," meaning rose garden or garland of roses. Praying the rosary is like walking through Mary's rose garden in contemplation. Long ago, the practice of counting prayers by counting beads was common. Even illiterate folks could keep track of their devotion by moving between beads, or even by tossing pebbles into a pile. A tradition of devotion developed of praying 150 Our Fathers a day and evolved to Marian devotion.

This feast day dates from Pope Pius V (1571) and it was first called, “Our Lady of Victory” to commemorate a miraculous battle victory of the Holy League. The feast has changed names and dates several times at the direction of various popes through history. October 7th was assigned in 1913 and in 1969, Pope Paul VI changed the name to “Our Lady of the Rosary.”

Before the vision of Our Lady in Prouille, St. Dominic's goal was to teach the people about Jesus, but as in the ageless human condition, the people wanted to fit Jesus into their own way of thinking, not fit their lives into the thinking of Jesus. After the apparition, St. Dominic's mission became to preach the rosary to the people and thereby teach the people about Jesus. The response was amazing.

The rosary as St. Dominic taught it is much the same as we say it today. It included the Sign of the Cross, the Our Father, the Hail Mary, the Apostles Creed, and the Glory Be. The Hail Holy Queen was added a few centuries later, as well as Our Lady's request at Fatima, and Pope John Paul II's Luminous Mysteries. Blessings to all on this special commemoration. Debbie/15 Promises Rosaries

Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi

Today is the feast day of our beloved saint, St. Francis of Assisi. Follow the link to my article in the Rosary Guild's blog. http://www.etsyrosaryguildteam.blogspot.com/

St. Francis Tiger Eye & Bronze Rosary

Etsy Rosary Guild Team: Feast Day of the Little Flower--Saint Therese of Lisieux

Etsy Rosary Guild Team: Feast Day of the Little Flower--Saint Therese of Lisieux