Alanus de Rupe

Biographical Details:

  • Lived 1428-1475 A.D.

Biography:

Alanus de Rupe, born around 1428 in Brittany, was a Dominican friar, theologian, and influential promoter of the Rosary. Known for his intense devotion to the Virgin Mary, Alanus entered the Dominican Order as a young man, drawn to the theological and mystical traditions within the Church. He spent much of his career in preaching, writing, and establishing confraternities devoted to the Rosary, through which he sought to combat the perceived moral and spiritual decline in 15th-century Europe.

Alanus claimed to have received multiple visions from the Virgin Mary, instructing him to establish a structured form of the Rosary to bring the faithful closer to God. He was instrumental in formalizing the “mysteries” of the Rosary—the Joyful, Sorrowful, and Glorious mysteries—each grouping of meditations reflecting major events in the lives of Christ and Mary. These mysteries were designed to guide believers in contemplating Christ’s incarnation, passion, and resurrection, thus creating a deeply reflective and transformative prayer experience.

Although Alanus passed away in 1475, his influence endures. While the Rosary existed in various forms before his time, his efforts standardized its structure, firmly establishing it as a major spiritual practice in Catholicism. His legacy in shaping Marian devotion remains evident in the Rosary’s central place within the Church to this day.

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Extant Writings:

•Liber de Dignitate Psalterii

•Rosarius Psalterii Beatae Mariae Virginis

•Summa de Laudibus Psalterii Mariae

•Expositio Prologi Psalterii

•Contra Haereticos

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Quotes and Excerpts:

“The Rosary is a compendium of the entire Gospel.”The Secret of the Rosary (Chapter 2: The Rosary as a Compendium of the Gospel).

“The Rosary is a meditation on the life, passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the fundamental truths of our salvation.” –The Secret of the Rosary (Chapter 4: The Meditative Power of the Rosary).

“The Rosary is the most powerful weapon for the salvation of souls because it combines prayer and meditation on the mysteries of Christ’s life and the Virgin Mary’s intercession.”-The Secret of the Rosary (Chapter 6: The Power of the Rosary).

The Holy Rosary is the greatest method of contemplating the divine mysteries that we possess on earth.” –The Secret of the Rosary (Chapter 8: The Superiority of the Rosary).

“In the Rosary, the faithful are united with the heavenly Mother, who is our intercessor, and thus are drawn closer to Christ.”-The Secret of the Rosary (Chapter 12: Mary’s Role in the Rosary).

“The devotion of the Rosary is pleasing to God because it honors the mysteries of Christ and the virtues of His Blessed Mother.” –The Secret of the Rosary (Chapter 10: Why the Rosary Pleases God).

By meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary, we are drawn into the very life of Christ and His mother, thereby participating in the divine work of redemption.” –The Secret of the Rosary (Chapter 14: The Spiritual Fruits of the Rosary).

“The Rosary is a devotion that leads souls to repentance, refreshes them with grace, and prepares them for eternal life.” –The Secret of the Rosary (Chapter 15: The Rosary and Eternal Life).

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