Chaplet (prayer)

A chaplet is a form of Christian prayer which uses prayer beads, and which is similar to but distinct from the Rosary. Some chaplets have a strong Marian element, others focus more directly on Jesus Christ and his Divine Attributes (the Divine Mercy Chaplet), or one of the many saints, such as the Chaplet of St Michael. Chaplets are "personal devotionals" and depending on the origins, each one of the chaplets may vary considerably. In the Roman Catholic Church, while the usual five-decade Dominican rosary is also considered to be a chaplet, the other chaplets often have fewer beads and decades than a traditional rosary and may use a different set of prayers. In the Anglican Communion, a chaplet often includes one week of the Anglican rosary.