The Abbey Art Collection
Seek Things Above

Providing a window into the art world of Mount Angel Abbey.

Rosary crafted from faceted amethyst “Our Father” beads and cabochon garnet “Hail Mary” beads, sterling silver chain, and bead caps, and utilizing sterling silver chain. The centerpiece depicts the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the crucifix is also of silver in the Gothic style. An Our Lady of Einsiedeln medal is attached. The rosary was handcrafted by Sister Mary Blanche Smith, OSB, of Queen of Angels Priory, Mt. Angel, Oregon.

Natural Alaskan amber was used, along with brass wire, to make this rosary. The brass centerpiece depicts the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the gold-plated silver crucifix is in a mix of Gothic and Art Deco styles. A gift of Father Athanasius Buchholtz, OSB.

Rosary by a First Nations craftsman from Alberta, Canada. The “Hail Mary” beads are natural turquoise, and the “Our Father” beads are of grooved silver, with silver “seed” beads for separation. A silver scapular medal is the centerpiece depicting the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Both the centerpiece and the crucifix are in the Gothic style.

Brass wire chain connects chevron amethyst beads on this rosary from Mount Angel Abbey’s great-grandmother house, Einsiedeln Abbey, Switzerland. It has an Ave Maria centerpiece cast in brass, and a cloisonné brass crucifix in the Romanesque style. It has a Saint Pius X medal attached to the centerpiece.

This hand-made rosary by Sister Mary Blanche Smith, OSB, of Queen of Angels Priory, Mt. Angel, Oregon, utilizes multi-colored cloisonné “Easter Egg” beads, Miraculous Medal centerpiece and sterling silver crucifix in the Gothic style. A Saint Benedict medal from Subiaco, Italy, is attached to the first “Our Father” bead.

Square garnet glass “Hail Mary” beads and silver “Our Father” beads comprise this rosary handcrafted by Mrs. Nancy Brink of Oregon. It also utilized silver “seed” beads as spacers, as this rosary is strung, rather than chained together. It has a sterling silver centerpiece depicting the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the monogram representing Ave Maria. Its Gothic style crucifix is sterling silver.

Natural “Job’s Tears” seeds (Coix lacryma-jobi) provide the beads for this rosary handcrafted by Sister Mary Blanche Smith, OSB, of Queen of Angels Priory, Mt. Angel, Oregon. Keeping with the “tearful” theme, the centerpiece of this rosary depicts the Mother of Sorrows. Both it, and the sterling silver crucifix are in the Art Deco style.

This rosary from the great Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Spain is made from natural tiger’s eye beads. Tiger’s eye is a chatoyant metamorphic stone, meaning it reflects light in bands via aligned inclusions in the stone. The centerpiece depicts Santiago Matamoros – a medieval Spanish legend of the Apostle Saint James arriving from heaven to drive out the overwhelming invading forces that threatened the Christian people. Both the centerpiece and the crucifix portraying Christ the High Priest are hand-tooled Spanish silver.

Cobalt glass “Hail Mary” beads and silver “Our Father” beads, as well as brass chain, are used to make up this handcrafted rosary by Sister Mary Blanche Smith, OSB, of Queen of Angels Priory, Mt. Angel, Oregon. The centerpiece and crucifix are a mixed-style exhibiting a linear ornamentation. A Notre Dame de Paris medal is attached to the centerpiece.