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How did the rosary reach its definitive form in the 15th century?
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Mary
Madonna and Child, oil and tempera on panel by Antonello da Messina, 1475; in the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.
The Rosary of the Blessed Virgin reached its definitive form in the 15th century through the efforts of the Dominican friar Alan de la Roche and his associates.12
They were instrumental in organizing Rosary Confraternities in Douai, France, and in Cologne, which helped standardize the practice. While the devotion is traditionally associated with St. Dominic, the founder of the Dominican order, its development was likely a gradual process that served as a substitute for the recitation of the Psalms or the divine office performed by monks.12
Following this period of development, the rosary received official approbation from Pope Leo X in 1520.312