Praying the Franciscan Crown for The Seven Joys of Our Lady
Secular Franciscans USA tells us The Franciscan Crown Rosary dates back the 15th century when the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared in Assisi to a Franciscan friar named James. As a child, James offered Mary a crown of roses every day as a sign of his love and devotion to her. When he joined the Franciscans, James was distressed that he could no longer make this offering of flowers to Our Lady. But Mary appeared to James, and she instructed him to weave for her a crown of prayers instead by reciting a Rosary of seven decades, each one meditating on one of the seven joyful events in her life.
What are the seven joys of Mary?
Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary lists the following:
1. The Annunciation
2. The Visitation
3. The Nativity
4. The Adoration of the Magi
5. The Finding of Our Lord in the Temple
6. The Resurrection
7. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin into Heaven and Her Coronation as Queen of Heaven.
To pray The Franciscan Crown:
1. Using beads for the Franciscan Crown (seven decades), announce the First Mystery and pray the Our Father on the single bead just before the medallion.
2. Pray one Hail Mary for each of the ten beads. (It seems most fitting to proceed around the beads in a clockwise direction.)
3. On the single bead between the decades, announce the next Mystery and then pray the Our Father. Continue as in Step 2 for the remaining Mysteries.
4. After the last Mystery, pray one Hail Mary each on the fourth and third beads from the Cross to complete 72 years of Mary’s Joy.
5. Pray the Our Father and the Glory to the Father (Gloria Patri) for the intention of the Holy Father on the 2nd bead from the Cross.
6. Pray a Hail Mary on the single bead closest to the Cross.