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St George Preca (1880-1962) |
This addition to the decades of the rosary - which had been left untouched for over 400 years - has aroused a great deal of interest. The idea of the Pope could have come from the writings of a Maltese priest whom the Pope declared Blessed in 2001, Blessed George Preca, and eventually canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on June 3, 2007, the first Maltese Saint.
The Mysteries of Light became “public property” in Malta after two publications in 1973 and 1987. They were later also put on the internet on websites regarding the Rosary. The Mysteries of Light according to Saint Preca and the Pope were designated as follows:
1. Jesus' Baptism in the river Jordan; 2. His self-manifsestation at the wedding at Cana; 3. His proclamation of the Kingdom of God, with his call to conversion; 4. His transfiguration before the Apostles on Mount Tabor; 5. His institution of the Eucharist, at the Last Supper.
Besides the new Mysteries of Light, in the Apostolic Letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae there are other points which remind us of Fr Preca's teaching on the rosary. For instance, the Pope suggests a moment of silent reflection after the mystery is mentioned. Fr Preca not only practiced this himself, but he recommended it to others as well. Fr Preca used to call the rosary “A school of learning”, especially because of the meditation on the mysteries of the life of our Lord. The liturgical feast day of St George Preca is celebrated in Malta on May 9th.
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