Anglican prayer bead sets consist of a cross and thirty-three beads.
Beads The loop is formed of 32 beads. 28 of the beads are divided into four groups consisting of seven beads, each which are called "weeks". The four larger beads separating the four groups are called "cruciform" beads. When the loop of an Anglican prayer bead set is opened into a circular shape, the "cruciform" beads form the points of a cross within the circle of the set, hence the term. Next after the cross on Anglican prayer bead sets is a single bead called the "invitatory" bead, which brings the total of beads to 33.
Materials The beads used can be made of a variety of materials, such as precious stones, wood, coloured glass, or even dried and painted seeds.
Symbolism The number 33 signifies the number of years that
Jesus Christ lived on the Earth, while the number
seven signifies wholeness or completion in the faith, the days of
creation, and the seasons of the
Church year.
Cross Anglican prayer bead sets are made with a variety of crosses or, occasionally, crucifixes.
Christian crosses such as the
Celtic cross and the
San Damiano cross are two which are often used, though other styles are used as well. ==Prayer==