The Canadian Augustinians are building the biggest rosary in the world in King City, Ontario. The rosary lays across the acres of land near the Marylake Monastery and Villanova College. This site has also been designated as a site of pilgrimage for the Jubilee of Mercy.
We recently installed the crucifix of the rosary at a public blessing. Learn more about the blessing and the rosary in the blog post below written by Augustinian Brother Paul Koscielniak, O.S.A.
The blessing of the Great Crucifix, which forms a symbolic anchor for the entire Marylake Rosary Path, took place on Sunday, November 15, 2015. This event marked an especially important historical point in the entire rosary path project as well as in the ongoing renaissance of the Shrine of Our Lady of Grace at Marylake (King City, Ontario).
Prior to the blessing, Mass was celebrated in the Shrine at 9:00 a.m. Well over 300 people were in attendance. Father Bernie Danber, O.S.A., representing Father Bernie Scianna, O.S.A. (Prior Provincial of the Canadian and Midwestern United States Provinces), was the principal celebrant and homilist for the occasion.
Following the Mass, nearly 200 people accompanied by 40 Knights of Columbus, along with clergy, walked in solemn procession in the bright sunshine to the actual site of the crucifix. When everyone was assembled, all joined in singing several times the refrain of the great Gospel hymn, "Let us praise Jesus now; we are standing in His presence on holy ground!" The strains of the voices echoed beautifully across the meadow in the brisk late autumn air.
Scripture passages taken from the Liturgy of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross were read, and Fr. Bernie pronounced the words with blessing. After this, the crucifix, along with the entire site and all those assembled, were sprinkled with holy water. The image of the crucified Christ was then honored with incense.
Following the rite of blessing, Mr. Ted Harasti (chairman, principal designer, and architect of the entire rosary path project), spoke to all assembled. Ted outlined some of the key points in the ongoing project from its conception to the present time to future projections. At the same time, Ted thanked a number of individuals and corporations, acknowledging their significant contributions by way of financial support, time, and use of heavy duty construction equipment.
The entire path of the rosary is over one kilometer in length and extends over twenty acres of rolling hills and old farm fields. To date, it is the largest rosary in the world. The cross itself, made of specially processed stainless steel, is sixteen feet long while the bronze corpus is nine feet in length. The entire work is that of renowned Canadian sculptor, Timothy Schmaltz. The scroll above the head of Christ indicating "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" was designed by Ted Harasti and is authentically inscribed in abbreviated form in three languages: Hebrew, Latin, and Greek, consistent with the Gospel narrative of Christ's Passion.
