The rosary month of October isn't limited to Catholics, says a South Carolina priest.

The rosary, a Catholic prayer, is dedicated to the month of October, with Christians believing it bestows "spiritual roses" upon the Blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, as a priest stated to Planet Chronicle Digital.

Fr. Jeffrey Kirby advised believers to start or intensify their rosary prayers in October, as he stated in an email to Planet Chronicle Digital.

Father Kirby is the pastor of Our Lady of Grace Parish in Indian Land, South Carolina, and also hosts the YouTube channel "Daily Discipleship with Father Kirby."

Throughout the month, he stated that there were rosary processions, living rosaries, retreats, and special talks on the rosary.

The rosary, traditionally linked to Catholics, is increasingly popular among other denominations, particularly Lutherans and Methodists, according to Kirby.

Nearly 500 years ago, October has been commonly referred to as the "month of the Rosary," according to Kirby.

Off the southern coast of Greece, a naval battle occurred in the 16th century, he stated.

According to Kirby, the conflict was between European Christian forces and Western expansionist Islamic forces. Had the Islamic forces emerged victorious, the Christian faith would have vanished from the European continent.

The pope requested that everyone pray the rosary for the Christian forces, who were "greatly outnumbered," Kirby said.

Despite the odds, the Christian forces emerged triumphant, as Kirby stated.

The feast day on Oct. 7 marked the triumph.

He stated that the day, originally known as "the feast of Our Lady of Victory," was later renamed to "the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary."

The celebration of the rosary expanded to encompass the entire month of October, as Kirby shared with Planet Chronicle Digital.

Kirby stated that there are numerous reasons why Christians are attracted to the rosary.

"For each decade, there's a reflection on a 'mystery,' which is an event in the life of Jesus or Mary."

He stated that many Christian believers view the Blessed Virgin Mary as a spiritual mother who protects and accomplishes tasks for them, while wearing combat boots.

Many individuals find it helpful to use rosary beads while praying the rosary to maintain their position during the lengthy prayer.

The differently sized beads indicate which part of the prayer they are on.

"Kirby explained that the rosary consists of a circle of 50 beads, divided into five sets of 10 called a decade. Each decade reflects on a 'mystery,' which represents an event in the life of Jesus or Mary."

According to Kirby, the traditional view held that there were three sets of mysteries: "Joyful," concerning the birth and early years of Christ; "Sorrowful," encompassing the events leading up to Christ's crucifixion; and "Glorious," focusing on the events surrounding Jesus' resurrection.

In 2000, St. John Paul II introduced a new set of mysteries known as the "Luminous" mysteries, which focus on the public ministry of Jesus.

The custom was initiated to enable the illiterate and those engaged in manual labor to participate spiritually with the monks who would recite the 150 Psalms of the Old Testament, as stated.

"The rosary is biblically inspired from the Book of Psalms and follows the repetitive nature of many psalms in the Old Testament."

Kirby stated that although illiteracy is less prevalent now than in the past, the rosary can still be recited during daily activities such as "walking, jogging, driving in the car, waiting for appointments or running errands."

"Despite distractions, the rosary's beads help us maintain focus on spiritual matters, maintain a calm demeanor, and connect with God amidst life's challenges," he stated.

Kirby stated that even when we're occupied in life, we can always find time for a quick decade of rosary since it is the easiest form of prayer.

"The rosary is cherished by believers due to its soothing and steady rhythm during prayer."