Senior Project Advisor
Carrie Frost
Document Type
Project
Publication Date
Fall 2025
Keywords
Rosary, ritual, collective effervescence, Catholicism, Christian rites, Emile Durkheim, ritualization, Christianity, Rosary prayer, Michael Norton, Dimitris Xygalatas
Abstract
This article explores the psychological functions and lasting importance of ritual participation, through the lens of the Catholic Rosary. It defines ritual, and distinguishes it from routine. It also highlights key scholars in the field of religious studies, Emile Durkheim, Dimitris Xygalatas, and Michael Norton, while explaining their ideas on how ritual promotes benefits on the individual and collective level. The Rosary serves as an example of these effects in modern and ancient times. Ultimately, the article argues that ritual participation often fulfills a universal human need for emotional stability, purpose, and belonging, showing why practices like the Rosary endure for hundreds of years.
Department
Global Humanities and Religions
Recommended Citation
Fontes, Ella, "Ritual & Rosary: A Psychological Approach" (2025). WWU Honors College Senior Projects. 1042.
https://cedar.wwu.edu/wwu_honors/1042
Type
Text
Rights
Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author’s written permission.
Language
English
Format
application/pdf