Anglican Prayer Beads
A Form of
Contemplative Prayer
Anglican Prayer Beads are a relatively new
form of prayer, blending the Orthodox Jesus Prayer Rope and the Roman Catholic
Rosary. The thirty-three bead design was created by the Rev. Lynn Bauman in the
mid-1980s, through the prayerful exploration and discovery of a contemplative
prayer group.
The use of the rosary or prayer
beads helps to bring us into contemplative of meditative prayer—really thinking
about and being mindful of praying, of being in the presence of God—by use of
mind, body, and spirit. The touching of the fingers on each successive bead is
an aid in keeping our mind from wandering, and the rhythm of the prayers leads
us more readily into stillness.
Symbolism of the
Beads
The configuration of the Anglican Prayer Beads relate contemplative prayer
using the Rosary to many levels of traditional Christian symbolism.
Contemplative prayer is enriched by these symbols whose purpose is always to
focus and concentrate attention, allowing the one who prays to move more
swiftly into the Presence of God.
The prayer beads are made up of
twenty-eight beads divided into four groups of seven called weeks. In the
Judeo-Christian tradition the number seven represents spiritual perfection and
completion. Between each week is a single bead, called a cruciform bead as the
four beads form a cross. The invitatory bead between the cross and the wheel of
beads brings the total to thirty-three, the number of years in Jesus’ earthly
life.
Praying with the
beads
To begin, hold the Cross and say the
prayer you have assigned to it, then move to the Invitatory Bead. Then enter
the circle of the prayer with the first Cruciform Bead, moving to the right, go
through the first set of seven beads to the next Cruciform bead, continuing
around the circle, saying the prayers for each bead.
It is suggested that you pray
around the circle of the beads three times (which signifies the Trinity) in an
unhurried pace, allowing the repetition to become a sort of lullaby of love and
praise that enables your mind to rest and your heart to become quiet and still.
Praying through the beads three
times and adding the crucifix at the beginning or the end, brings the total to
one hundred, which is the total of the Orthodox Rosary. A period of silence
should follow the prayer, for a time of reflection and listening. Listening is
an important part of all prayer.
Begin praying the Anglican
Prayer Beads by selecting the prayers you wish to use for the cross and each
bead. Practice them until it is clear which prayer goes with which bead, and as
far as possible commit the prayers to memory.
Find a quiet spot and allow
your body and mind to become restful and still. After a time of silence, begin
praying the prayer beads at an unhurried, intentional pace. Complete the circle
of the beads three times.
When you have completed the
round of the prayer beads, you should end with a period of silence. This
silence allows you to center your being in an extended period of silence. It
also invites reflection and listening after you have invoked the Name and
Presence of God.
Closing your
Prayers
The following ending can
be used with any of the prayers in this booklet. After three circuits around
the prayer beads, you may finish as follows:
Last time through:
Invitatory Bead
The Lord’s Prayer
The Cross
I bless the Lord.
Or, in a group
setting:
Let us bless the Lord
Thanks be to God.
Prayers
You may mix and match or put together your own.
Bless
the Lord
The Cross
Blessed be the one, holy, and
living God.
Glory to God for ever and ever. Amen.
The Invitatory
O God make speed to save me (us),
O Lord make haste to help me (us),
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: As it was in the
beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
The Cruciforms
Behold now, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord. You that stand in the
house of the Lord, lift up your hands in the holy place and bless the Lord.
The Weeks
I lift up my eyes to the hills;
From where is my help to come?
My help comes from the Lord,
The maker of heaven and earth.
The Cross
In the Name of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Invitatory
O God make speed to save me (us),
O Lord make haste to help me (us),
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: As it was in the
beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
The Cruciforms
Holy God,
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
Have mercy upon me (us).
The Weeks
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,
Have mercy on me, a sinner.
Or, in a group
setting:
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Have mercy upon us.
*Trisagion means
"thrice Holy"
Agnus Dei Prayer
The Cross
The Lord’s Prayer
The Invitatory
"Let the words of my
mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my
strength and my redeemer."—Psalm 19:14
The Cruciforms
Oh, Lamb of God that
taketh away the sins of the world
have mercy upon us,
Oh, Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world
have mercy upon us,
Oh, Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world
give us Thy Peace.
The Weeks
Almighty and merciful
Lord,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
bless us and keep us.
Amen.
*Agnus Dei means
"Lamb of God"
Julian of Norwich
Prayer
The Cross
In the Name of God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Invitatory
O God make speed to save
me (us),
O Lord make haste to help me (us),
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: As it was in the
beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
The Cruciforms
God of your goodness,
give me yourself,
For you are enough to me.
And I can ask for nothing less that is to your glory.
And if I ask for anything less, I shall still be in want, for only in you have
I all.
The Weeks
All shall be well, and
all shall be well,
And all manner of things shall be well.
Or
In His love He has done His
works, and in His love He has made all things beneficial to us.
This prayer was
created by Sister Brigit-Carol, S.D.
www.solitariesofdekoven.org
A Celtic
Prayer
The Cross
In the Name of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Invitatory
O God make speed to save me (us),
O Lord make haste to help me (us),
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: As it was in the
beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
The Cruciforms
Be the eye of God dwelling with me,
The foot of Christ in guidance with me,
The shower of the Spirit pouring on me,
Richly and generously
The Weeks
Pray each phrase on a separate bead.
I bow before the Father who made me,
I bow before the Son who saved me,
I bow before the Spirit who guides me,
In love and adoration.
I praise the Name of the one on high.
I bow before thee Sacred Three,
The ever One, the Trinity.
This prayer was
created by Sister Brigit-Carol, S.D.
www.solitariesofdekoven.org
Come
Lord Jesus Prayer
The Cross
"Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and
might be to our God forever and ever! Amen."—Revelation 7:12
The invitatory
"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in time of
trouble."—Psalm 46:1
The Cruciforms
"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless God’s Holy
Name."—Psalm 103:1
The Weeks
"Come Lord Jesus, draw us to yourself."—John 12:32
Saint Patrick's
Breastplate
The Cross
I bind unto myself today the
strong Name of the Trinity,
by invocation of the same, the Three in One, and One in Three.
Of whom all nature hath creation, eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
praise to the Lord of my salvation, salvation is of Christ the Lord.
The Invitatory
Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
The Cruciforms
I bind unto myself today
the strong Name of the Trinity,
by invocation of the same,
the Three in One, and One in Three.
The Weeks
1. I bind this day to me for
ever, by power of faith, Christ’s Incarnation;
2. his baptism in Jordan river;
3. his death on cross for my salvation;
4. his bursting from the spicèd tomb;
5. his riding up the heavenly way;
6. his coming at the day of doom:
7. I bind unto myself today.
1. I bind unto myself the power
of the great love of cherubim;
2. the sweet "Well done" in judgment hour;
3. the service of the seraphim;
4. confessors’ faith, apostles’ word,
5. the patriarchs’ prayers, the prophets’ scrolls;
6. all good deeds done unto the Lord,
7. and purity of virgin souls.
1. I bind unto myself today the
virtues of the starlit heaven,
2. the glorious sun’s life-giving ray,
3. the whiteness of the moon at even,
4. the flashing of the lightning free,
5. the whirling of the wind’s tempestuous shocks,
6. the stable earth, the deep salt sea,
7. around the old eternal rocks.
1. I bind unto myself today the
power of God to hold and lead,
2. his eye to watch, his might to stay,
3. his ear to hearken, to my need;
4. the wisdom of my God to teach,
5. his hand to guide, his shield to ward;
6. the word of God to give me speech,
7. his heavenly host to be my guard.
Words: attributed
to St. Patrick (372-466)
translated by Cecil Frances Alexander, 1889
Adapted for use with
Anglican Prayer Beads by Laura Kelly Campbell
An Evening Prayer
The Cross
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. as it was in the
beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
The Invitatory
Open my lips, O Lord,
and my mouth shall proclaim
Your praise.
The Cruciforms
Guide us waking, O Lord,
and guard us sleeping;
that awake we may watch
with Christ, and asleep
we may rest in peace.
The Weeks
Jesus, lamb of God, have mercy on us.
Jesus, bearer of our sins, have mercy on us.
Jesus, redeemer of the world, give us your peace.
