www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Photo Gallery Prayer Ropes

These prayer ropes are the work of Phillip Rolfes, a forum member. I'll leave the description of them to Phillip.

Many years,

Neil

Praise God!

Is he selling them?

Fr. Deacon Stan's is getting 'very, very' frazziled.

Fr. Maximos is going to be here for our parish Lenten Retreat next weekend. His topic 'The Jesus Prayer'

Okay, sorry I've been so long in putting up some descriptions. Yes, I do indeed sell the prayer ropes that I make. Unfortunately, since I make them myself I can't sell them in large quantities. Right now I do have a bit of a supply built up. I'm willing to sell off everything that I have at the current moment, save one. I made a 100 knot rope out of black and white material. It's promised to someone else at the moment.

Here's my price list for "basic" ropes. 33 knots = $15, 50 knots = $20, and 100 knots = $30.

I've also made a 40 knot rope with a bead every 10 knots for cantor's use during Vespers and Orthros, and a 150 knot rope for personal use (I ended up giving it to a little boy). I've not yet made a 300 knot rope because I haven't found long enough material for one. If anyone is interested in a 300 knot rope, however, I'd be very interested in/willing to make it (I would look a little harder for the material needed). I also make ropes out of 4 strands of thread instead of just two. This results in larger knots that are easier to feel. I use a 4 stranded 100 knot rope that I made awhile ago. The 4 stranded ropes are much more difficult to make and are, therefore, more expensive. Since I haven't yet had an order for one I haven't thought of a price.

I'm also considering making a rope version of a lestovka. This is inspired by a picture that I've seen of the "lestovka" used by St. Seraphim of Sarov. It looks pretty much like a prayer rope with large beads instead of knots (certainly not the leather "steps" typical of a lestovka). But before I attempt that I wanted to get some opinions from the people on this forum. What do you think?

Oh, I forgot to add descriptions.

The first two pictures are of the same rope. It's a 50 knot rope made in the "Russian" style (according to the monks at St. Herman's in Alaska). This means that there is a bead after every 10th knot. The tassels are also considered a Russian addition.

The third picture is simply two different 33 knot ropes. They only differ in that one has plastic beads and the other wood beads painted black. The bead is put at the mid-point (knot 17 on a 33 knot rope). Tassels are optional. These ropes represent the most common ropes seen today and are sort of a hybrid between the "Greek" and the "Russian" styles.

The fourth picture are two different 50 knot ropes made in the "Greek" style. In this style there are no tassels and the bead is put at the half-way point (knot 25) instead of every 10 knots. The reason one is larger than the other is because the larger was made out of four strands of thread instead of two. This makes tieing the knots much more difficult, but the resultant larger knots I find easier and more comfortable to use (I use a four strand 100 knot "Greek style" rope that I made).

In the last picture are two 50 knot ropes; one in the "Russian" style with a tassel and beads every 10 knots, the other in the "hybrid" style with the Russian tassel, but there is only one bead at the mid-way point instead of a bead every 10 knots.

These are just a few different ropes I've made and most of them are "experimental". When I made them I was toying with some new ideas that I'd gotten from looking at pictures. I can easily customize ropes to peoples preferences.

Hope you enjoy the pictures.

ICXC + NIKA,
Phillip

Can you make a 33 knot chotki in the Russian style with a bead every ten knots? How do I contact you to order this if it is possible?

May God rrant you many years!

Jeff

Certainly! I haven't yet made a 33 knot chotki that way, but I've been wanting to. I just haven't yet taken the time to do it. If you send me a private message I can give you my e-mail address. We can work out specifics that way as well.

ICXC + NIKA,
Phillip

The PM function is disabled on my profile.

Jeff

Okay. I don't know if the moderators will permit this, but my e-mail address is phillip.rolfes@gmail.com

Just send me an e-mail and we can work things out.

I will alert somebody who can change this for you.

Alice, Moderator

I wonder if Neil or one of the moderators could give jeffbyzsfo my contact info.

Thank you for your assistance!

Jeff

They're up!