The Brigittine Rosary named after St. Bridget of Sweden, is a simple rosary dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary which differs slightly from the Dominican Rosary widely used today.
At its most basic form there are no specific mysteries to meditate upon.
One can meditate on any parts Mary's life that one knows best.
The rosary consists of 6 decades of 1 Our Father and 10 Hail Mary’s each, with an additional Our Father and 3 Hail Mary’s at the beginning, or end.
In any case, there are 7 Our Fathers to commemorate the seven joys and seven sorrows of Mary, and a total of 63 Hail Mary’s in honor of the 63 years that, according to St. Bridget, Mary lived until her assumption into heaven.
Because it doesn’t require complicated learning or reading to recite it, the Brigittine Rosary was considered the rosary of peasants. In past centuries it was as popular a devotion as the Dominican Rosary. In fact, it was the 6 decade Rosary which Saint Bernadette prayed at Lourdes during the apparitions, and which can be seen on the statue of Our Lady of Lourdes.
St. Teresa of Avila is also treasured this devotion so much that she included the 6-decade rosary beads as part of the habit of the Discalced Carmelites.
Thus, it is also sometimes known as the Carmelite Rosary.
The following illustration shows the most basic form of this devotion.
Starting with one Apostles Creed, an introductory Our Father and 3 Hail Mary's, followed by 6 decades of 1 Our Father and 10 Hail Mary's each.
More complicated versions of this rosary include mysteries akin to the Dominican Rosary, and an Apostles' Creed after each decade.
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