Prayer rope

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A prayer rope is a loop made up of complex woven knots formed in a cross pattern, usually out of wool or silk. The typical prayer rope has thirty-three knots, representing the thirty-three years of Christ's life. It is employed by monastics, and sometimes by others, to count the number of times one has prayed the Jesus Prayer (or occasionally other prayers). Prayer ropes are part of the practice of Eastern Christian monks and nuns, particularly within Eastern Orthodoxy, Eastern Catholicism, and Oriental Orthodoxy. Among the Coptic, Ethiopian, and Eritrean Orthodox Churches, a prayer rope is known by its Coptic or Ge'ez name (mequetaria).

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