So. About that rosary I was getting shit about.
Three days ago my dear daughter, “Dter”, was cleaning out her Drawers Of Endless Accumulation. She came across a salvaged item and brought it to me.
“Mom, I found this at school last year on the ground. I asked every one that wore stuff like this if it was theirs and they all said ‘No’. But I couldn’t throw it away, it felt special so I held on to it. And quickly forgot all about it. So I just found it again going through my junk and I still can’t throw it away. It feels special… and lost. I’m not Catholic, and none of my Catholic friends are devout enough that I would feel comfortable giving it to them. It needs a good home. Would you ask your woo-woo friends if they want it? Also, I know you like to tinker, so if you know what kind of chain it should be on, would you make it?”
Not everyday my kid comes home with a crucifix, and even rarer is the request to restore it. She knows my history with Christianity, so bringing this to my attention told me it really meant something to her.
When I held it, I understood why. The crucifix has wear marks on it, but not what would be expected from rubbing against clothing or being dragged on the ground. All the wear marks are where my right thumb and forefinger fell when holding the crucifix as if praying. This was well loved before it was lost.
And it returned the attention. I felt something in the crucifix, something that would remain inert to me, but would be a source of warmth and reassurance to a Catholic. I told her I would put out a call to my “woo-woo” associates and see what came of it.
The more I thought about it, the more I felt I could not just pass it on as is. The four beads in the image are the only surviving remnants of the original rosary it was attached to. It looks like junk. No precious metals. The face is almost gone. As is, it was more likely to be discarded. I kept trying to ignore the slowly building pressure, but I couldn’t forget Dter’s request.
Guess I better look up what it takes to make a rosary.
At first I claimed the inability to make a chain rosary. But the more I researched, the more I realized it was within my skill set. I just had to sit down and try. One $22.55 raid on Hobby Lobby the next day, and I had all the items necessary to make a chain rosary for the Lost Crucifix.
That night is when I was challenged about making the rosary. Yes, I admit, I am being compelled. It is my personal belief that there is an guardian entity in the crucifix, and that it required the physical rosary to be the medium of contact between it and the devout believer. Never mind all my antagonism with Christianity, this isn’t about me and those other troublemakers. The Lost Crucifix is a guardian without a charge. Why should I begrudge it for being what it is?
Besides, I can always justify it by saying I’m learning a new skill set that will help me out with other things later on. Yea, that’s my excuse.
Yesterday I got started. I had trouble with the eyepins until I realized that what was labeled “chain pliers” in the store wasn’t true chain pliers. Just short needle-nose pliers with a flat surface. I learned how to improvise my technique and produced the pendant portion of the rosary for inspection.
After getting reassurances from fellow Tumblrites, I continued with the process of making the chain rosary. Six hours of oft interrupted toil later, I produced the completed rosary.
It’s not Perfect, but it is Good. It’s not precious metals, but it will endure daily use and is not a target for thieves. I’m sure the Purists will point out a thousand and one reasons why it’s not as good as those rosaries sold at every Catholic gift shop.
I will point out the One Reason why I believe this is worth more than those. It was made in faith.
It’s not mine to keep. It never was. I want to send it off to someone that will appreciate it for what it is, a relic of a faithful person that is imbued with prayers. This doesn’t belong in a museum. This belongs in hands that will continue the wearing process on the crucifix. I put out the offer on Tumblr and immediately received requests for it. I’ll be deciding tomorrow, after the craziness of today gets settled.
And that is the story of how and why the Apostate made a Rosary.