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This is a rosary I made out of uranium glass beads, and a cross with a UV LED flashlight built into it. When the LED is pointed at the uranium beads, they glow a bright green. I originally wanted to have a picture of Marie Curie in the center, instead of a virgin Mary medal, like those that traditional Catholic rosaries have. Instead I have a piece of hardware I found that looks like a cross between a cross and the warning symbol for radiation.
I got them at a local bead store, labeled as Czech glass. You can order them online, but the best way to know for sure any glass has uranium in it is to shine a UV light on it. Here is an example of some Czech uranium beads in ebay:
That rosary is freaking cool!! I'm thinking about making a similar one as a birthday gift for a friend; where can I find the cross with the blacklight, or how can I mount some sort of LED blacklight onto the cross? Thanks!
This is a nice comment and I care about all of you; Do NOT mess with anything that "glows in the dark" or in any way contains uranium. . . which vaseline glass most certainly does. This item should be entirely removed from Instructables. I'm an artist, I get it and it is a cool concept, but simply not worth it in terms being dangerous to anyone's health. Don't believe me? Read "The Poisoner's Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York" by Deborah Blum (I think). The chapter on radiation is fascinating, especially the part about Marie Curie dying from radiation poisoning after touring the U.S. to promote a radium drink that was touted to give energy, 'just like drinking sunshine'. The horrible illnesses and death suffered by 'the dial painters' (the girls who painted the glow in the dark numbers on clock faces) made a believer of me! PLEASE DON'T MESS WITH THIS STUFF, NO KIDDING!
One day when Jesus was walking down desert he was suddenly bit by a radioactive roman turning him into: SUPER JESUS! He now has the ability to casually walk up walls, super Jesus strength, and can shoot radioactive rosaries from his belly button! With great super Jesus power, comes great super Jesus responsibility. Is it considered sacrilegious to write Jesus fan-fiction?
people come on now this isn't a religious site but in fact a place where where intellectual and non come together in common to learn and teach a new or old be it remarkable or ludicrous to one another the information is here today let us grasp and use this to its full potential for those whom are willing today, tomorrow and beyond
hehehe, this is amazing! If you know anything about the Darwin's World RPG, you know there is one sect of people in it that worship radiation. I can just see this as being one of their talismans!
If I am not mistaken, this glass is the same as "vaseline" glass. It was common in the early 1900's. You can purchase it at any antique store, usually as a bowl. I have never seen beads. Wikipedia says that the radiation is negligible and considered harmless. I have a very nice cranberry dish.
allen the fact u point out is very wrong the element is posion and the the glass that he used is a biproduct of a energetic reation and is possibly toxic. he really needs to get a giger and check it
dont you know that the glass u used to make this could still be hot and u may be killing yourself. this is not safe and very stupid. not trying to be mean but u really need to think about this if it is not inert then u can be killing yourself and others.
So, is it safe to assume that the Uranium must not be actively emitting any dangerous amount of rads? If it isn't irradiating you, then I think this project is really cool.
I just hope your not praying for more hair on your head.. As Uranium is Mildly radioactive!! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uranium http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiation_poisoning
What you have here is undoubtedly interesting... even fascinating!.. but it is NOT a rosary. By arbitrarily replacing the image of Mary with whatever it is you replaced it with, it can no longer be called a rosary. And whatever it is mounted on the cross??.., It is no longer a crucifix (which is a non-negotiable part of the Catholic rosary). You shouldn't mess with sacred tradition.
I understand what you mean when you say it is not a legitimate rosary. I do, though, have to point out that religious traditions evolve, and many of the Catholic traditions were borrowed by cultures it encountered. For instance, it is generally accepted by scholars that the resurrection and Christmas stories are based on ancient Mediterranean mystery cults, and were a later development in Christianity. As for the Rosary, prayer beads or knots are a common prayer tool in the Mediterranean, in cultures besides Catholicism, and even Christianity.
As a Jewish scholar, I feel I have to point out that Christianity consists of "messed up" Jewish sacred traditions.
On a more material note, what you see on the cross is only the electrical circuit for the LED, and not a substitution for a religious figure.
While I once did have a lovely gold in-crested rosary that was blessed by the Pope, today I use a rope with several knots in it. I can assure you that what I hold between my thumb and fingers when I say the Apostle's Creed resembles very little to a crucifix.- but that's okay. The main idea of the rosary is not the object itself, but the prayer and the contemplation of the twenty mysteries of Christ.
I dunno beezee, according to wikipedia it sounds like having clearly marked sets of 10 beads is the important part, since rosary beads are used for counting prayers.
Persona, you should go to a Catholic mass, and while taking communion take advantage of your proximity to the priest to switch on your LED and see what s/he thinks of it. I'm sure it would be a religious experience. I hear Catholics love it when newcomers take communion, especially in the case of someone who's made their own rosary like you have!
Just a heads up for the uninitiated. It is NOT appropriate for those who are outside of the state of sanctifying grace to receive communion. This includes Catholics and non-Catholics alike. One must got to confession in order to be fit. Also, the "s/he" in the above comment is superfluous, all Catholic priests are men. I am not trying to start an argument. I think this project is fantastic. My favorite rosary is glow in the dark and has a little hole in the crucifix which when looked through shows an image of La Virgen de Guadalupe.
If one wishes to go forward during communion one may always cross ones arms in front of their chest (watch the little kids many of them do this) and receive a blessing. I am sure many priests would appreciate this rosary, but show them after Mass, they're kinda busy during communion.
Sorry to have started the War of The Rosary everyone! Maybe we should just agree to disagree peacefully... I think for Catholics perhaps there's a specific important definition of 'rosary' that even wikipedia doesn't know about, whereas for the rest of us a broader, more flexible definition is more practical. In fact, prayer beads used by other religions are sometimes referred to as rosaries.
Maybe to include everyone we should just go with the broader definition, respecting that Catholics are free to use a more limited definition with a religious significance to them, and in return they can acknowledge that it would be a little silly for them to impose that definition on the rest of the world?
So call them prayer beads. He didn't have to put a cross on there, he didn't have to configure it like a rosary, he didn't have to search for a substitute for Mother Mary, he didn't have to admit 'like those that traditional Catholic rosaries have."
He made a 'rosary' it was his intention, several derogatory and mealy mouth statements by others attempted to justify their fantasy interpretation.
".. other religions are sometimes referred to as rosaries" If he wanted to make prayer beads he didn't have to configure it as a Catholic rosary. Show us these other religions rosaries, lets see just how closely they are configured. Ya, what I thought.
All I got out of you was, compromise your belief and agree with my false argument.
Second, as I said in my earlier comment, Catholic traditions are not only similar to other religious traditions, but are borrowed from other religious traditions. The Egyptian Ankh (a cross) predates Christianity by thousands of years.
The archetype of death and resurection, which is what the cross is supposed to symbolize, is found all over the Middle East and Mediterranean, again, thousands of years before Christianity. For example, the Isis/Osiris/Horus myth in ancient Egypt, or the Dionysian mystery cults in the Greek empire.
I believe I have made my point. The history of religion and religious traditions is incredibly complex. It is not exclusively the case that traditions are invented by some religions, and borrowed by others. Religions with any contact with one another will inevitably influence each others traditions, and even doctrines.
As you can see, I put a lot of effort and thought into this explanation. I hope this proves to you that I do, in fact, respect and try to understand religious traditions. I respect religious traditions enough to try to understand the truth about them and their origins, and not simply believe the first thing I hear about them.
cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-CZECH-VASELINE-URANIUM-GLASS-BEADS-NECKLACE-21_W0QQitemZ330397779152QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0
I'm thinking about making a similar one as a birthday gift for a friend; where can I find the cross with the blacklight, or how can I mount some sort of LED blacklight onto the cross?
Thanks!
L
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uranium_glass
L
BTW not a religious person but philosophical
If you know anything about the Darwin's World RPG, you know there is one sect of people in it that worship radiation. I can just see this as being one of their talismans!
I'm not a Catholic, but I am Christian.
If I am not mistaken, this glass is the same as "vaseline" glass. It was common in the early 1900's. You can purchase it at any antique store, usually as a bowl. I have never seen beads. Wikipedia says that the radiation is negligible and considered harmless. I have a very nice cranberry dish.
As Uranium is Mildly radioactive!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uranium
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiation_poisoning
As a Jewish scholar, I feel I have to point out that Christianity consists of "messed up" Jewish sacred traditions.
On a more material note, what you see on the cross is only the electrical circuit for the LED, and not a substitution for a religious figure.
Persona, you should go to a Catholic mass, and while taking communion take advantage of your proximity to the priest to switch on your LED and see what s/he thinks of it. I'm sure it would be a religious experience. I hear Catholics love it when newcomers take communion, especially in the case of someone who's made their own rosary like you have!
If one wishes to go forward during communion one may always cross ones arms in front of their chest (watch the little kids many of them do this) and receive a blessing. I am sure many priests would appreciate this rosary, but show them after Mass, they're kinda busy during communion.
Also i dont see a problem with this a rosary because by definition it is one.
But if you really want to find something to be upset about you will.
BTW, the word is "Disrespectful"... there is no such word as "Unrespectful"
I'm catholic myself and dont see any problem with that.
Thanks for the correction, even tho its also "disrespectful" lol
You hypocrisy is amazing.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosary
God would think it better to be creative than critical.
Awesome Instructable but where do you get those beads and are they safe?
wikipedia is not the final word on the Rosary.
Do you believe in God?
The instructable was creative, what it wasn't is a Rosary.
Maybe to include everyone we should just go with the broader definition, respecting that Catholics are free to use a more limited definition with a religious significance to them, and in return they can acknowledge that it would be a little silly for them to impose that definition on the rest of the world?
Kind of like the word 'marriage'.
He made a 'rosary' it was his intention, several derogatory and mealy mouth statements by others attempted to justify their fantasy interpretation.
".. other religions are sometimes referred to as rosaries"
If he wanted to make prayer beads he didn't have to configure it as a Catholic rosary. Show us these other religions rosaries, lets see just how closely they are configured. Ya, what I thought.
All I got out of you was, compromise your belief and agree with my false argument.
Second, as I said in my earlier comment, Catholic traditions are not only similar to other religious traditions, but are borrowed from other religious traditions. The Egyptian Ankh (a cross) predates Christianity by thousands of years.
The archetype of death and resurection, which is what the cross is supposed to symbolize, is found all over the Middle East and Mediterranean, again, thousands of years before Christianity. For example, the Isis/Osiris/Horus myth in ancient Egypt, or the Dionysian mystery cults in the Greek empire.
The evil eye tradition, with accompanying evil eye beads, is over 3000 years old, in Anatolia and other ancient Middle Eastern cultures:
http://www.nazarboncugu.com/Evil_Eye_History.htm
Here is an elaboration of the Islamic prayer bead traditions:
http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/196806/worry.beads.htm
This book has a chapter on prayer beads from around the world:
http://books.google.com/books?id=bytLAKa2liUC&dq=egyptian+prayer+beads&printsec=frontcover&source=in&hl=en&ei=Pa1jS-PmMcff8AbtpKCZAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=15&ved=0CD4Q6AEwDg#v=onepage&q=beads&f=false
This book about prayer beads has a chapter on Pre-Christian prayer beads:
http://books.google.com/books?id=Up_vo0S_S1wC&dq=egyptian+prayer+beads&printsec=frontcover&source=in&hl=en&ei=Pa1jS-PmMcff8AbtpKCZAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=16&ved=0CEAQ6AEwDw#v=onepage&q=egyptian%20prayer%20beads&f=false
The tradition of the Tzit-Tzit in Judaism resembles prayer beads and rosaries:
http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/927994/jewish/Laws-of-Tzitzit.htm
Anglican rosaries have no center medallion:
http://www.solitariesofdekoven.org/Prayer_beads.html
Here is Missouri's Museum of Anthropology website, explaining the history of prayer beads:
http://anthromuseum.missouri.edu/minigalleries/prayerbeads/intro.shtml
I believe I have made my point. The history of religion and religious traditions is incredibly complex. It is not exclusively the case that traditions are invented by some religions, and borrowed by others. Religions with any contact with one another will inevitably influence each others traditions, and even doctrines.
As you can see, I put a lot of effort and thought into this explanation. I hope this proves to you that I do, in fact, respect and try to understand religious traditions. I respect religious traditions enough to try to understand the truth about them and their origins, and not simply believe the first thing I hear about them.