Origin: Lourdes, France
Date: circa 1930s–1950s
A vintage French rosary acquired as a devotional souvenir of Lourdes, composed of warm ivory, honey and occasional pale green oval beads joined by darkened metal links.
At its center is the remarkable element: a small metal reservoir marked “EAU DE LOURDES”, or “Water of Lourdes.” Behind its tiny transparent window is a Marian image, and the centerpiece appears to have been designed to contain a minute quantity of water from the sanctuary at Lourdes.
The rosary terminates in a beautiful cream colored crucifix with a dark metal corpus, its materials mellowed with age into the soft honey tones visible today.
Since the apparitions of the Virgin Mary to Bernadette Soubirous in 1858, pilgrims have carried water from the spring at Lourdes home with them as a devotional object and reminder of prayer, healing and the presence of Mary. This rosary brings those two practices together: the repetitive prayer of the rosary and the carrying of sacred water.
Whether any original Lourdes water remains inside the reservoir cannot be authenticated, so I would deliberately say that the centerpiece was made to hold Lourdes water, rather than promising that the liquid presently visible is original.
Materials
Molded devotional beads, darkened base metal chain and fittings, metal Lourdes water reservoir with transparent window, cream molded crucifix with metal corpus.
Important Note
All sales are final, each piece is one-of-a-kind. Please note the shipping options at checkout.
Origin: Lourdes, France
Date: circa 1930s–1950s
A vintage French rosary acquired as a devotional souvenir of Lourdes, composed of warm ivory, honey and occasional pale green oval beads joined by darkened metal links.
At its center is the remarkable element: a small metal reservoir marked “EAU DE LOURDES”, or “Water of Lourdes.” Behind its tiny transparent window is a Marian image, and the centerpiece appears to have been designed to contain a minute quantity of water from the sanctuary at Lourdes.
The rosary terminates in a beautiful cream colored crucifix with a dark metal corpus, its materials mellowed with age into the soft honey tones visible today.
Since the apparitions of the Virgin Mary to Bernadette Soubirous in 1858, pilgrims have carried water from the spring at Lourdes home with them as a devotional object and reminder of prayer, healing and the presence of Mary. This rosary brings those two practices together: the repetitive prayer of the rosary and the carrying of sacred water.
Whether any original Lourdes water remains inside the reservoir cannot be authenticated, so I would deliberately say that the centerpiece was made to hold Lourdes water, rather than promising that the liquid presently visible is original.
Materials
Molded devotional beads, darkened base metal chain and fittings, metal Lourdes water reservoir with transparent window, cream molded crucifix with metal corpus.
Important Note
All sales are final, each piece is one-of-a-kind. Please note the shipping options at checkout.
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