The Tenebrae service evokes a feeling of such desolate emptiness as the candles are extinguished one by one. A friend suggested we spend those awful hours, the hours of Good Friday afternoon and Holy Saturday, “with the women” — and what a sensible suggestion that was!

The medals and milagros on this rosary are reminders of the women who were there — Mary the Mother of Our Lord, Mary Magdalene, Veronica, and the others — as well as the women here with us now.

The large crucifix arises from a heart — a traditional motif — and is embellished on both sides. The rosary center is an ebullient Sacred Heart. All these pieces are solid bronze, cast from vintage Latin American originals.

The Pater beads are luminous free-form disks of Mother of Pearl, reminiscent of the moon. Of course the moon is an age-old symbol of all women, but it’s a particular symbol of the Blessed Mother: we imagine Christ as the sun and — just as our moon reflects our sun — Mary reflects the light of Christ. In dark times like Tenebrae, we may see by moonlight.

The Ave beads are agate, in all kinds of lovely nighttime blues. This stone is mined in Montana.

Among the prayer beads are smaller beads of solid brass and matte glass. All the connecting rings are solid bronze.

The rosary is strung on premium quality Soft Flex jewelers’ cable, composed  of 49 strands of steel encased in nylon, with a test strength of 26 pounds; each end is double-crimped for security.

Crucifix: 71mm,  about 2.75”
Center: 24mm, 1”
Paters: about 20mm, 3/4”
Aves: 8mm
Milagros/Medals: from 1”, 25mm, to 42mm, 1 5/8”
Length: 26.5”