Category: Prayers and Devotions

The wearing of a small blessed chain either around the neck, on the arm, on the foot, or about the body, this devotion has certain exterior practices which must not be omitted or neglected.

Strictly speaking, this practice can be omitted without affecting the essential nature of the devotion, but just the same it would be wrong to despise or condemn it, and foolhardy to neglect it.

Here are the reasons for wearing this external sign:

1. It signifies that we are free from the baneful chains of original and actual sin which held us in bondage.

2. By it we show our esteem for the cords and bonds of love with which our Lord let himself be bound that we might be truly free.

3. As these bonds are bonds of love, they remind us that we should do nothing except under the influence of love.

4. Finally, wearing this chain recalls to us once more that we are dependent on Jesus and Mary as their slaves.

Eminent people who had become slaves of Jesus and Mary valued these little chains so much that they were unhappy at not being allowed to trail them publicly like the slaves of the Muslims. These chains of love are more valuable and more glorious than the necklaces of gold and precious stones worn by emperors, because they are the illustrious insignia of Jesus and Mary, and signify the bonds uniting us to them.

It should be noted that if the chains are not of silver, they should for convenience’ sake at least be made of iron. They should never be laid aside at any time, so that they may be with us even to the day of judgment. Great will be the joy, glory and triumph of the faithful slave on that day when, at the sound of the trumpet, his bones rise from the earth still bound by the chain of holy bondage, which to all appearance has not decayed. This thought alone should convince a devout slave never to take off his chain, however inconvenient it may be.

Source: “The Secret of Mary” by St. Louis de Montfort.

According to “Raccolta – Collection of Prayers and Good Works”, sacramentals are a powerful channel of Grace, and have many Holy Indulgences attached to those, which have touched the holy places and sacred relics of the Holy Land.

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