There has been a scurrilous rumor circulating around the web for the past few years about so-called “new-age rosaries.” These are plastic rosaries molded onto a white string that comes in various colors. The conspiracy theorists claim that on the crucifix of these rosaries is an intertwined snake. As far as I have determined, this rumor seems to have started in Medjugorje. (If you like, look back to my earlier blog on Medjugorje.) The “new-age rosary” notice on the EWTN web-site was posted to the Q&A Board and does not reflect any type of endorsement from ETWN concerning this hoax. I think this is all non-sense. The supposed serpent on the crucifix is nothing but a squiggly line; part of the cross' design.
On the internet I found a fascinating interview with Father Michael Skluzacek, a Catholic priest of the Diocese of Baltimore, who is an expert on demonic possession and spiritual warfare. He said that when it comes to the devil, there are two extremes people must avoid. According to Father Skluzacek: “One of them is to think that he doesn’t exist, the other extreme is just to become so obsessed with demons that we think there’s a devil under every rock.”
Hi there, Regarding the Supposedly New Age Rosary. It is a hoax. But, this was a ver damaging thing to the family business who made these rosaries. These were made in Italy, in a family business and I have not met them personally, but they are close friends with close friends of mine that live in Medjugorje. There are a lot of things to many religious sites that come from Italy and this was one of them.
ReplyDeleteYou are right, this is not a serpent but it is a tradition in Italy that this is a ribbon, or standard wrapped around the crucifix. It has been said that on each tip of these rosaries there is a pentagram, which, it is not. It was a design of a flower on some and the sun on others. There is no demonic anything with these rosaries but of course, the rumor got started by someone who didn't understand the culture of the people who designed these rosaries and just assumed, this ribbon was somehow a snake.
It is truly a shame. There were many people throwing these rosaries away, breaking them up, smashing them or burning them, even when they were blessed.
Since that time, this family of course was shocked, the family business went bankrupt all because of a word from someone on a pilgrimage and bingo, it spread like wildfire.
I'm sure the evil one loved it when this happened.
When I heard about the family and from my friends who know them, they were heartbroken of course but there is nothing they could do. The damage was done and still now, to this day, there are reports of these new age rosaries.
I just wanted to pass that along as on some sites, it's hard to read about this when you know what a shame this was.
There are priests speaking out against believing in this hoax, but once again, something like this is hard to correct, just as when you do something good all your life, and make a mistake and that is the thing that the people remember.
God Bless
Ana