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St. Dominic, the founder of the order of Friar Preachers, having recourse to the Blessed Virgin in order to stem the flood of the Albigensian heresy, which was spreading itself like a plague over many countries, but especially over France, instituted, by special revelation from her, in the year 1206, and afterwards very effectually promulgated, the devotion of the holy Rosary, which ever since has produced now for many ages the most marvellous results in the Christian world. In order to animate all the faithful often to have recourse to the Blessed Virgin by using this devotion, Pope Benedict XIII. granted, by his Brief Sanctissimus, of April 13, 1726, to all who say with contrition the whole Rosary of fifteen decades, or a third part of it of five decades—

i. for every Pater noster and every Ave Maria.

ii. to all who shall have said the third part of it once every day for a year, on any one day in the year, after Confession and Communion.