What Are Holy Cards For?

[mme_hardy]

I'm a Protestant, obviously. I get the importance of statues and icons as providing a prayer focus, reminding you of the Saint or aspect of Mary or the Trinity you're praying to/with. (Right?) Are prayer cards the same sort of thing? Several Phatmassers have mentioned keeping holy cards in their breviaries -- is this to remind you of a particular devotion? (I realize the practical aspect is that of bookmarking. *grin*)

Thank you.

[CatherineM]

It's a bit like keeping pictures of your husband or kids in your wallet. My husband carries prayer cards in his wallet, and my dad did the same thing. Sometimes we keep them in bibles or prayer books a bit like a bookmark. It's a way of reminding us to say a prayer, or as a way of focusing our attention before studying scripture. I know a woman who gives them to kids as if they were baseball cards to collect. I have been given them as presents from friends many times. Everytime I say the prayer, I'm also reminded of the friend who gave it to me.