Traditional Prayer Ropes
Christians have been using prayer ropes since the fourth century when Saint Pachomius used one as an aid when praying and making prostrations in his cell. A prayer rope can have a number of beads or knots where each bead or knot is a prayer, such as the Jesus Prayer or a prayer to the Mother of God. 33 knots represents Jesus Christ's years of life. Prayer ropes can have any number of knots, although typically they are either 33, 50 or 100.