Every rosary begins with a story of a young woman who said yes. Here, the Annunciation, the first Joyful Mystery, is that story. It refers to the moment when the Angel Gabriel visited Mary. With one humble response, Mary changed the entire trajectory of human history.
Whether you live in busy parishes in New York and New Jersey or in the tightly knit Catholic communities of Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Massachusetts, it doesn’t matter. Thousands of faithful people are chanting this prayer using a floral rosary every Monday and Saturday. It is far more than a Bible passage. It is more like a living meditation on humility, trust, and God’s grace at work in the lives of ordinary people around us.
This reflection marks the first in our upcoming series exploring the beautiful mysteries of the Rosary and how they connect to our daily lives.
What is the Annunciation?
The Annunciation is the moment when God sent the Angel Gabriel to Nazareth to convey his message to the Virgin Mary. She learned that she had been chosen to conceive and bear the Son of God—Jesus Christ.
As recorded in Luke 1:26-38, Gabriel greeted Mary with words that became the foundation of the Hail Mary prayer:
“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with thee.”
Mary, who was confused but not afraid, asked how this was possible. She was a virgin. Gabriel answered that the Holy Spirit would come upon her. Mary’s response was one of complete surrender:
“Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done unto me according to thy word.”
This one single “yes” was quiet, humble, and total. This is why the particular mystery’s spiritual fruit is the “Love of Humility.” The Catholic Church celebrates the Annunciation as a feast every 25th March, exactly nine months before Christmas. It marks the moment of the Incarnation when God became a man. Many Catholic parishes, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Springfield, Massachusetts, hold special observances on this day. In fact, 25th March is one of the most widely celebrated Marian feasts in the United States.
The Annunciation in the Rosary
Basically, the Annunciation is the first of the Five Joyful Mysteries, prayed on Mondays and Saturdays throughout the year. The Catholic families around the world gather around this prayer weekly. This is what they pray on the mentioned weekdays:
Step 1: Announce the Mystery
“The First Joyful Mystery—The Annunciation.”
Step 2: Say the Our Father
“Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.”
Step 3: Say ten Hail Marys (while meditating on Gabriel’s visit to Mary)
“Hail Mary, full of grace! The Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.”
Step 4: Say the Glory Be:
“Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, without end. Amen.”
Step 5: Close with the Fatima Prayer
“O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those most in need of Your mercy.”
As you pray each Hail Mary, picture Gabriel standing before Mary in Nazareth. Build a picture in your mind as Mary kneels in that moment of grace. Ask God to help you respond to His will with the same quiet humility she showed.
Hold the Mystery with Custom Floral Rosaries
As sisters and founders of Floral Rosary, we (Colette Green and Jeanette Puliga) create rosaries from flowers you mail in to us. The flowers you sent in can be from your wedding bouquet, a loved one’s funeral arrangement, or any other meaningful occasion. Since 2001, we have been turning beautiful petals into heirloom keepsakes. These custom rosaries are designed to be held, prayed with, and passed down from one generation to another.
Catholic families across New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Massachusetts have trusted Floral Rosaries for over two decades. You may belong to a grieving family in New Jersey, sending your funeral flowers to us. You may be a newlywed couple wanting to preserve your wedding bouquet as a rosary made from flowers. As a grandmother, you may want to gift your grandchildren something special. A community in Massachusetts may choose to commission rosaries for a special feast. Irrespective of what you want, your floral arrangements are treated with the same personal care and craftsmanship.
Praying the Annunciation decade on a bead made from your own meaningful flowers makes Mary’s moment of surrender deeply personal. At Floral Rosary, we create personalized beads starting at just $95. The process may take around 12-14 weeks, and delivery reaches all six states mentioned in the blog.
Learn more about us at www.floralrosary.com now.
Final Thoughts
The Annunciation teaches us that God’s greatest works begin with human humility. On each Monday and Saturday, Catholics around the world pray this prayer. They put their finger on their respective rosary beads made from flowers and step into the sacred room in Nazareth alongside Mary. Everyone is quietly invited just as she was to offer her most humble “yes.”
Let your rosary be a daily reminder of that calling. Let each of its beads tell a story as beautiful as the one Mary lived. Send your personalized flowers to Floral Rosary now.
FAQs
1. Can I send you the dried flowers from an event that happened years ago?
Yes, you can absolutely do so. You can send us either your preserved or fresh flowers. The petals are perfect for use as long as they are not moldy at all.
2. How many flowers do I need to mail in for a single rosary?
You need to send us about 2 to 3 standard-sized roses made into rosary beads (or an equivalent amount of other flower petals). If there are any unused petals, we will respectfully return them to you with your completed order.
3. Why does the crafting process take 12 to 14 weeks?
Every bead is handcrafted carefully. The process involves drying out your petals, completely crushing them, and mixing them into a durable compound to mold each bead. Then, we cure each bead and hand-string the final rosary to make it last across many generations.