The Anglo-Saxon word bede means a prayer, giving rise to the term we now use for beads.

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Praying with beads finds its roots in the spirituality of the Desert Fathers. In the 9th century the community of St Columba began to use beads or knotted string in prayer. In the middle ages the monasteries of Europe used beads to aid the weekly cycle of reciting the 150 Psalms. The Roman Catholic church began to use Rosary Beads in the middle ages. Luther saw that beads could aid prayer.

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Prayer beads can aid prayer in different ways. They can enable focus and concentration for those who are easily distracted. They can be a creative way of praying for those who are more touch focussed or visual than ‘wordy’. They can enable discipline in prayer through the joys and sorrows of life. They are not to encourage vain repetition in prayer but instead to encourage taking time to talk with God. They can also be a way of rooting the word of God in your heart.