Bethlehem Cooperative || Olive Wood Box and Rosary

Product Overview

This Olive Wood Rosary and corresponding rosary box was created by the Rock Company and artisans of the Bethlehem Cooperative. These unique, handmade pieces can help bring you closer to Our Lord through real physical contact with olive wood from the land where Jesus walked. Olive wood rosary includes a pewter corpus on the crucifix.

About the Brand

The Bethlehem Cooperative is a partnership of Christian families whose lineage in the Holy Land traces back to the time of our Lord. As a minority in the region, they are subject to constant persecution and have little economic opportunity. Hand-crafting and selling religious items allows them a modest living and ensures an ongoing Christian presence in the Holy Land.

Reviews

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4
Handcrafted

Posted by Nicholas C. B. on Dec 17th 2022

This box and rosary are of good quality. The box comes inside a small white cardboard box and the rosary comes in a small plastic bag. Both the box and rosary were wrapped in paper to protect them for shipment. The box is assembled nicely, it seems there are no screws or nails used in its construction, just glue. This gives the box a pleasant, all wood look. Some globs of glue are visible on the interior seams of the box, but they don't bother me. The lid of the box has a wood burned engraving and is perfectly centered and leveled, meaning it isn't crooked or off center. The box is sealed by two small magnets. The interior and bottom of the box have felt padding. The felt on the bottom makes it so the box won't scratch any delicate surface you might place it on. The interior felt is only on the bottom, and not the interior walls of the box. The box itself is rather small, and although the rosary can fit inside, it's a tight fit. I wish it was slightly larger so I could place the rosary inside more easily. The rosary is nicely crafted. The beads are round and smooth and have a glossy finish to them. The crucifix doesn't seem to have a finish and is left plain like the box. I believe the beads have this finish to protect them from the oils and sweat produced by our hands. I'm glad it's there as I hope this rosary will last a lifetime with out it becoming damaged. The back of the crucifix has the word "Jerusalem" stamped on the back with ink. I mention this because none of the photos on the website show this detail. The metal parts of the rosary are made of pewter, a metal alloy that is soft. Because pewter is soft, I'd avoid carrying the rosary in a pocket because the friction caused by walking or other movements can rub away the features of the pewter. The INRI plaque is slightly crooked but the depiction of Jesus is straight. Overall I'm happy with my purchase, there are some small flaws, but that is to be expected with any handcrafted item.