MOUNT ATHOS PRAYER ROPES - PAGE 9
The prayer ropes from Mount Athos are blessed from a holy place. At each knot we invoke the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, saying the short prayer "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me". According to the tradition, the origin of the prayer ropes is traced to a monk, who thought of making simple knots in a rope and using it in his daily "rule" of prayer. There are many types of prayer ropes. Some are woven with wool or silk. Others are made with beads, wood, leather, stone or with the fruit of a plant called "tears of the Virgin". The prayer rope is a reminder of the monks' obligation to pray without interruption, according to the command of the Apostle Paul: "pray without ceasing". The main purpose of the prayer ropes is to help us in our prayer to God and His saints.