Forms of Popular Piety (AQA GCSE Religious Studies A) : Revision Note

The role & importance of the Rosary

Forms of piety

• Piety means devotion to God

• Forms of piety refers to the ways in which believers show their devotion to God, and there are several forms of piety in the Catholic Church

  • Some are used all the time, while others are associated with certain times in the Church calendar

• Two key forms of piety for Catholic Christians are the Rosary and the Stations of the Cross

The Rosary 

• The Rosary is a form of Catholic prayer

• It involves reciting a series of set prayers while reflecting on specific events in the life of Jesus and his mother Mary

• Catholics use a chain of rosary beads while praying to help them to count the prayers they are saying

• The rosary beads are divided into sections to represent the different sets of prayers said, with one prayer for each bead

  • The sets of prayers are called decades of the Rosary

  • Each decade consists of

    • One Our Father prayer

    • Ten Hail Mary prayers

    • One Glory Be prayer

  • Other prayers used within the Rosary are the Sign of the Cross and the Apostles’ Creed

• Importance of the Rosary

  • Praying the Rosary reminds Catholics of the most important events in the history of their faith

  • Taking the time to pray the Rosary shows a believer’s devotion to their faith

  • It brings a person closer to God

  • It is a time for personal reflection

  • It can help a believer to come to a greater understanding of their faith

  • Praying the Rosary as a community can bring believers together

The role & importance of the Stations of the Cross

• The Stations of the Cross are a series of 14 images that show the events that happened to Jesus on the day of his crucifixion

  • The first of the stations marks the moment when Jesus is condemned to death before the Roman governor at the time, Pontius Pilate

  • There are images to show events such as Jesus carrying his cross, falling, meeting his mother Mary, and being nailed to the cross

  • The final station shows Jesus being laid in the tomb after his death 

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• During Lent, especially on Good Friday in Holy Week, Catholics undertake a spiritual pilgrimage called the Stations of the Cross

  • They walk between each of the images which are placed around the walls of the church or chapel

  • They pause before each image (called a ‘station’) to hear a short reading, say prayers and reflect on the events shown

• Importance of the Stations of the Cross

  • The Stations of the Cross allows Catholics to make a pilgrimage and walk in the footsteps of Jesus, helping them to understand and share in his suffering

  • It reminds Catholics that Jesus understands human suffering, which can console them during their own trials

  • It shows Catholics how much Jesus was willing to suffer and sacrifice out of love, which will deepen their faith

  • It helps them to feel that they have accompanied Jesus on this final journey and prepares them to celebrate the resurrection on Easter Sunday