August 27 The Seven Joys of Mary-The Franciscan Crown

 

One unique devotion of the Franciscans is a seven-decade rosary known as the Franciscan Crown. While the traditional rosary consists of 5 decades that meditate on 15 mysteries (or 20 if you pray the Luminous mysteries), the 7-decade Franciscan “Rosary” is a chaplet consisting of seven decades, with each decade describing a particular joy from the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The story of the Rosary of the Seven Joys of the Blessed Virgin dates back to the early 15th century. A pious young man named James had been accustomed to adorning a beautiful statue of Mary with a crown of flowers, which he had picked and woven himself. He later entered the Franciscan Order, but either because of a lack of time or permission, he was no longer able to continue this devotion. Distraught because of this, he decided to abandon the religious life and return to the world.

Our Lady then appeared to him in 1422 and convinced him not to leave the Order. She told him that he should not be downcast because he was no longer permitted to adorn her statue, for she would teach him a way to give her honor which was much more pleasing and meritorious. Instead of a crown of flowers which quickly wither, he was to weave a crown of prayers, and these prayers could be offered at any moment. She then taught him the Rosary of the Seven Joys, adding that these prayers would not only form a more acceptable crown, but they would also yield innumerable graces for himself and others.

Among the Friars Minor, the promotion of this devotion is attributed to St. Bonaventure, BL. Cherubin of Spoleto, St. John Capistrano, and St. Bernadine of Siena, to mention a few. St. Bernadine is said to have had a vision of the Virgin Mary when he was meditating on the seven joys of Mary. It is especially appropriate to pray the Franciscan Crown in community every Saturday. 

The Seven Joys are:

1) The Annunciation, in which the Immaculate Virgin Mary conceives of Jesus by the Holy Spirit

2) The Visitation with Elizabeth

3) The Birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ into the World

4) The Adoration of the Magi

5) The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple

6) The Appearance of Christ to His Mother Mary after the Resurrection

7) The Assumption and Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth

It would seem that Our Lady had more than seven joys in her life, with differing lists that can be found. Note the uniqueness of the Adoration of the Magi and the legendary Appearance of Christ to His Mother Mary after the Resurrection. Another approach is to combine the Nativity with the Adoration of the Magi (#3) in order to make room for (#4) Presentation & Purification in the Temple (as a joyful event rather than a sorrow). 

An illustration by Lucas Cranach the Elder from 1505-20 is very similar but switches out the Visitation in favor of the Coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost:

1. Annunciation

2. Birth of Jesus

3. Visit from the Magi

4. Finding in the Temple

5. Resurrection appearance to his mother Mary

6. Pentecost Descent of the Holy Spirit

7. Coronation in Heaven 

Despite this abundance of joyfulness, devotion to the Mother of Sorrows and her seven sorrowful events would seem to be more popular nowadays. BTW: The official Servite chaplet of seven sorrows is technically seven groups of seven Hail Mary’s each, with no Pater Nosters included. Because of the same basis of seven, the Franciscan Crown can be used to pray the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary during Lent.

The Seven Sorrows are:  

1.    The prophecy of Simeon

2.    The flight to Egypt

3.    The loss of the Child Jesus for three days

4.    Mary meets Jesus carrying the cross

5.    The Crucifixion of Jesus

6.    The body of Jesus is taken down from the cross and placed in his mother’s arms.

7.    The body of Jesus is placed in the tomb

How to Pray the Crown Rosary

The Franciscan Crown Rosary begins quite simply by stating the first joy and then praying one Our Father and ten Hail Mary’s while meditating upon it. This same procedure is then followed for the other six joys. Even though it is common practice nowadays to add the Glory Be at the end of each decade, and even the Fatima Prayer, these are not required. It is customary to finish by adding two Hail Mary’s in honor of the 72 years that Our Lady is said to have lived on earth. Conclude with one Our Father and one Hail Mary for the intentions of the Pope, proper to an indulgence.

Finding the Franciscan Crown where you might least expect it!

For all the uproar over the presence of a cross on the seal of the County of Los Angeles, and the numerous revisions it went through, the seal of the City of Los Angeles contains religious imagery as well. It contains the Franciscan Crown in the inner set of beads: Seven decades with seven larger beads to indicate the mysteries. A subtle acknowledgment of the Franciscan missionaries and the Catholic roots of the “City of the Angels”!!!