Mother Mary Queen of Ireland Rosary Bracelet
- Our Lady of Knock, St. Patrick Catholic Chaplet -

This rosary bracelet is dedicated to Mother Mary Queen of Ireland, also known as Our Lady of Knock, and St. Patrick. The bracelet has a color design inspired by the Irish countryside, offering a vibrant combo of green quartzite, purple amethyst, and Swarovski emerald and yellow crystals. The quartzite is a beautiful shade of green (added and heat enhanced), reminiscent of Ireland in the summer. The amethyst beads represent the late summer's lovely heather, and the yellow crystals recall the yellow gorse that, as purple's complementary hue, always makes the heather look even prettier.

The Italian holy medal is a beautifully detailed two-sided base-metal oval. It depicts the visionary scene of Our Lady of Knock on the front and the patrician figure of St. Patrick on the back. A complimentary holy card is included, from La Salette National Shrine, a sweet place of peace and contemplation in MA. The medal is from a lovely Trappist abbey, Mount St. Mary, in Wrentham, MA.

Included are the following: small faceted amethyst, TierraCast daisy spacers, sterling silver crimps and wire guards, silver-plated lobster clasp, an extender chain, and high-quality 49-strand beading wire. Most of these items were made in the USA.
 

An inspirational piece of religious jewelry, this special rosary chaplet would make a perfect gift for anyone who is engaged in Marian devotion and loves Ireland. It would also be a delightful gift for St. Patrick's Day! Vibrant, sparkly, and unique, it was handmade by me with great care, thought, and best wishes for its destined wearer. It comes in a pretty organza bag, wrapped and ready for gifting to someone who will love it—perhaps you! 

ABOUT OUR LADY OF KNOCK
Our Lady of Knock is also known as the Queen of Ireland. Both are titles given to the Blessed Virgin Mary in association with her 1879 apparition in the town of Knock, County Mayo, Ireland. The vision occurred on a rainy August evening near the south wall of the town's Catholic church, and was first witnessed by a rectory housekeeper, Mary McLoughlin, and a friend's sister, Mary Byrne. That area of the church grounds, including the wall, glowed with a beautiful light, revealing an apparition of Our Lady, who looked life-sized and was flanked by two smaller visionary figures, St. Joseph and St. John. Mary Byrne hurried home to gather her family and bring them to the site. Other townspeople soon joined them. Travelers at a far distance also noticed the strange light around the church. After 3 hours or so, the vision and the light slowly disappeared. Unlike many other Marian visitations, such as those in Fatima, this one involved no auditory communication.

The Catholic Church is typically conservative in its confirmation of sacred visions, and in this case, the diocese suggested that a certain Protestant constable had played a joke on everyone. The people of Knock refused to accept that theory, though. Soon many others in Ireland heard about the visitation, and the next year, Knock became a pilgrimage site. Two years later, an archbishop from Toronto visited the site and later claimed that Our Lady of Knock had healed him of an illness. In 1936, Mary Byrne, now age 86, was interviewed by Church representatives. Her experience at Knock had been related to Catholic authorities back in 1879, and now remained exactly the same.

In 1971, the apparition of Knock was approved as "quite probable" by the Church. Although the vision has never been fully confirmed, the church at Knock is a popular draw for Irish believers as well as Catholic visitors to Ireland. My own visit there was a contemplative experience, and that the weather was "soft," with misty rain, seemed quite appropriate. I've included a picture I took there, of the new church—Our Lady Queen of Ireland—which was built in 1976 at the visitation site. The statues were added to the church in 1994.

ABOUT QUARTZITE & AMETHYST

Quartzite is considered a stone of stabilization, especially during times of many changes or great change. Amethyst is considered a stone of protection that deflects negative influences, lowers stress, and calms the mind. It is the birthstone for February.

To see more PrettyGonzo jewelry, please visit my Etsy shop via the link below.

• ETSY       • PINTEREST        • TWITTER

St. Lucy Rosary Chaplet Bracelet

- Patron Saint of the Blind, Niner Prayer Beads -

This rosary chaplet bracelet is dedicated to St. Lucy and features an Italian-made holy medal, shiny purple Czech glass pearls, glossy white Swarovski crystal pearls, and sparkly violet Swarovski crystal bicones. The holy medal, which is made of base metal, shows St. Lucy on the front and includes the supplication "Pray for us" on the back. It is highly detailed, showing the saint holding two of her standard attributes: a dish with two eyes and a palm sheaf—symbol of martyrdom and victory over sin. These images also appear on the complimentary holy card that comes with the bracelet.

Also included in this St. Lucy niner rosary bracelet is the following:

• TierraCast silver-plate daisy spacers
• Sterling silver twist crimps and guards
• One-inch silver-tone extender chain
• Silver-plate lobster clasp
• TierraCast oval jump rings
• High-quality 49-strand beading wire

All these components were made in the USA except the extender chain. The basic length of the bracelet is 7 inches, with the chain adding another inch. At the very end of the chain, I attached a three-pearl dangle to symbolize the Holy Trinity.

This St. Lucy adjustable chaplet bracelet would make an inspirational gift for anyone, young or old. Because Lucy is the patron saint of the blind and all those who suffer from eye and throat ailments, it would make an especially meaningful gift for anyone who is dealing with such afflictions. Designed and handmade beaded by me with great care, thought, and best wishes for its destined wearer, the chaplet comes in a nice organza bag, all wrapped and ready for gifting to someone special—maybe you!

ABOUT ST. LUCY
A daughter of Sicily, St. Lucy lived in the 3rd century AD, during the time of the Roman Empire, and was martyred at the beginning of the 4th century. Little historical information about her survives beyond an account that her refusal of a rich pagan suitor led to her exposure as a Christian during a time of state persecutions. However, many divinity stories and legends are associated with St. Lucy, and as her name was included in the First Eucharistic Prayer of the ancient Roman Canon, she was obviously a notable figure of respect. Hundreds of years after her death, a tomb marked with her name was excavated in Sicily and the bones transported to Venice and venerated as relics. Among St. Lucy's divinity stories, perhaps the best known focus on her resistance to torture by the Romans. In one popular story, her eyes were plucked out but then her vision restored by new, God-given eyes—a miracle that led to her role as the patron saint of the blind and that explains her standard attribute: a dish with two eyes on it. Other attributes includes a palm sheaf, signifying the martyr's victory over evil, and bare feet, which symbolize poverty and charity.

In the Middle Ages, her feast day, December 13th, became a special occasion. Legends linking her to miraculous shipments of wheat during times of famine led to various Christmastime traditions across Europe that survive to this day. In Scandinavia, miracle stories speak of St. Lucy supplying bread and wheat during a particularly bad famine and even appearing on a supply boat, her body dressed in white and glowing with the light of heaven. The Feast of St. Lucy in these northern countries includes the baking of special bread, Lussekatter, which is brought to poor households along with coffee and good cheer in the form of Santa Lucia songs. Bearing the light of Christ in service to others is an essential element in all observances of St. Lucy, including those in the USA. In fact, her name in Italian (Lucia) has etymological connections to the Latin word "lux," which means light. Considering that her feast day is so near the winter solstice, St. Lucy may be considered the bearer of light in the winter darkness.

• ETSY       • PINTEREST       • TWITTER