Codex Rosarii Minorum

The History of the Franciscan Rosary or Crown :

also known as the 7 Joys Rosary, or Seraphic Rosary

Brief :

The Franciscan Crown, also called the Seven Joys Rosary, meditates on the Joys of Mary. To our experience, the Franciscan Crown is peculiar in that, according to the 1869 Manual of the Third Order Franciscans, it begins at the centerpiece with the 1st Decade, follows through the other 6 Decades, and ends at the Crucifix on the Introduction. The 2 Hail Marys after the 7th decade were added so that there would be 72 in total, other than for the Holy Father, honoring a tradition that Mary lived on Earth for 72 years. This tradition is not alone, however, so please do research before taking it as fact.

Joys / Gaudia :

Thy # Joy is :

The Annunciation
Thy Visitation
The Nativity of Thy Son Jesus
The Adoration of the Magi
The Finding of Thy Son in the Temple
The Resurrection of Thy Son
Thine Assumption into Heaven

# Gaudium Tuum est

I. Annunciatio

II. Visitatio Tua

III. Nativitas Filii Tui Jesu

IV. Adoratio Magorum

V. Inventio Filii Tui in Templo

VI. Resurrectio Filii Tui

VII. Assumptio Tua in Caelum

Tactic :

Deus + in adjutorium.

For Each Decade :

Announce the Joy.
Our Father.
Hail Mary. 10 times.
Glory Be.
The Fatima Prayer.

Conclusion :

In English :

Hail Mary. 2 times.
For our Holy Father Pope Leo : Our Father. Hail Mary. Optional : Glory be.
V/ In Thy Conception, o Virgin, Thou wast immaculate.
R/ Pray for us to the Father, Whose Son Thou broughtest forth.
Let us pray : O God, Who, by the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin, didst prepare for Thy Son a worthy habitation, we beseech Thee, that as Thou didst preserve Her from every stain by the foreseen death of this Thy Son, so Thou wouldst grant that we also being cleansed from guilt by Her intercession, may come to Thee. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

In Latin :

Ave. 2 times.
Pro Summo Pontifice nostro Leone : Pater. Ave. Optionale : Gloria Patri.
V/ In Conceptione Tua, Virgo, Immaculata fuisti.
R/ Ora pro nobis Patrem, Cujus Filium peperisti.
Oremus : Deus, Qui per Immaculatam Virginis Conceptionem dignum Filio Tuo habitaculum praeparasti : quaesumus ; ut, qui ex morte Ejusdem Filii Tui praevisa, Eam ab omni labe praeservasti, nos quoque mundos Ejus intercessione ad Te pervenire concedas. Per eumdem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

Lore :

Once upon the year 1422, there was a boy named James. Young James was a very pious boy and for love of Our Mother would weave every day a crown of flowers for Her statue and place it on Her head. Yet, there came a day when he left to join the Order of Saint Francis. Wherefore he had not ability, whether for time or flowers, to crown his dear Mother any longer, and so he wisht to leave the holy Order.

Yet before the young Brother James, then a novice, had done thus, Mary appeared to him, saying, "Be not sad and despondent, My son, since thou art no longer permitted to place on My statue wreaths of flowers. I will teach thee to change this pious practice into one that shall be far more pleasing to Me and far more meritorious to thy soul. Instead of the flowers that quickly wither and cannot always be found, thou canst weave for Me a crown from the flowers of thy prayers which will always remain fresh."

So Mary taught young Friar James to pray the Franciscan Crown, and as he was praying it, his Novice Master espied an Angel weaving a crown of roses and inserting between every Decade of which a golden lily. His Reverence asked Br. James if he knew about the vision, which Br. James had not seen, and so Br. James told him about the Rosary Our Lady had given him. Thenceforth, the devotion did propagate and was with great piety spread especially by Saint Bernardine of Siena.

During Lent and Advent is it traditional to substitute the 7 Joys of Mary with Her 7 Sorrows, which Sorrows are related in the Codex of the Servite Rosary.