The rosary in simplest terms is a tool used to aid prayer and meditation. The beads of a rosary count the prayers as they are recited out loud or in the mind. Relying on the rosary beads to keep track of how many times you’ve said a prayer allows you to clear your mind and meditate on your prayer more effectively.  

Most recognized in the United States as a symbol of Catholicism, other religions including Buddhism, Hinduism, Paganism and Islam employ rosary bead traditions as well.