A Collector’s Break: The Walk of Faith in 2026

Usually, when you visit Nineteenkopongkopong.com, you expect to find stories of dusty artifacts, 17th-century curiosities, or items from a time so distant that the memories have turned sepia. The name of this blog itself suggests the "outdated and the old," yet today, I’m writing for a future audience—perhaps my grandkids—who will look back at this post or probably a hard copy and realize that even in the high-tech bustle of 2026, their grandfather was still a bit "old-fashioned" when it came to the things that truly matter. Today, we’re taking a break from physical collectibles to talk about a different kind of "vintage" treasure: Faith.

As a collector, I have a natural urge to sort, label, and find the perfect display case. Naturally, this desire extended into my spiritual life. I began collecting vintage rosaries and medals I found at antique shops, on eBay, at exhibits, and at shows organized by communities like the Bayanhihan Collectors Club, where I’ve picked up a few that were just lying around. Of course, most of these were also given by friends and family who travel all over the world and always bring me a rosary or a medal from the countries they visit. But it’s the rosaries that truly make a difference for me, as I try to pray with each one whenever I get the chance. Here is a snapshot of what I currently have, along with some of my favorites in this collection:

1.    The Medjugorje Stone Rosary: The Medjugorje Stone Rosary is distinguished by its hand-carved, irregular white stones, believed to be sourced from Apparition Hill in Medjugorje. It is strung together with a durable black knotted cord and features a silver-toned metal crucifix. Adding to its uniqueness, the rosary comes with a tan drawstring pouch adorned with a white line-art illustration of the Virgin Mary and the word "Medjugorje."

2.    The Minimalist Hematite-Style Rosary: The Minimalist Hematite-Style Rosary features smooth, polished gunmetal-grey beads with a metallic finish, accented by small silver-toned "Our Father" beads. Its centerpiece is a circular silver-toned medal depicting the Blessed Virgin Mary, and it is distinguished by a St. Benedict crucifix, which features the iconic Benedictine medal behind the figure of Christ.

3.    The Rugged Wooden Rosary: The Rugged Wooden Rosary is crafted with dark, round wooden beads displaying a natural grain, strung on a sturdy tan paracord-style rope. It features an ornate silver-toned crucifix and is accented by a circular St. Benedict medal with an antique bronze finish, combining both durability and detailed religious symbolism. This is one of my heavy-duty rosaries, designed to withstand any condition.

4.    The Olive Wood St. Therese Rosary: This item features small, light-colored olive wood beads connected by silver links, a simple silver-toned flared crucifix, and an oval medal depicting St. Thérèse of Lisieux, also known as the "Little Flower," and one of my favorite saints who has given me a lot, holding roses and a crucifix. Additionally, it includes a small wooden box adorned with a metal plaque of St. Thérèse.

5.    The Classic Polished Black Rosary: The piece features glossy, jet-black round beads, possibly made of glass or polished resin, strung on a traditional silver-toned metal chain. It is adorned with a slim silver-toned crucifix and a silver-toned medal depicting a relief image of the Holy Family.

6.    The Holy Face of Jesus Chaplet: This piece features alternating polished black round beads and translucent amber-colored beads, accented by ornate silver-toned spacer beads and a black knotted cord. It includes a classic silver-toned crucifix paired with a large circular "Holy Face" medal, as well as a rectangular silver centerpiece depicting Jesus with the Crown of Thorns. This happens to be the Chaplet of the Holy Face and not a rosary.

7.    The Pictorial Wooden Rosary: The item features oval, dark-stained wooden beads, each inset with small, colorful images of Catholic figures such as the Pope, the Virgin Mary, and various saints. It includes a simple, flat wooden crucifix with a white line drawing of the crucified Christ and the inscription "INRI" at the top. This is one of my more colorful rosaries.

8.    The Faceted Jet-Black Rosary: The piece features small black beads that are hexagonal or faceted, catching the light with a subtle sparkle. It is connected by a delicate silver-toned chain and includes a silver-toned crucifix with a dark inlay behind the figure of Christ. The centerpiece is a rectangular silver-toned medal embossed with a relief image of Our Blessed Virgin Mary.

9.    The Carved Bone "Circle" Rosary: The collection features cream-colored, matte beads likely made of bone or horn, with a weathered texture, some engraved with a three-circle pattern. A prominent, large carved cross made from the same material as the beads is adorned with concentric circles and a small dark stone or bead at its center. Additionally, a triangular carved bead serves as a centerpiece.

10. The Blue Marble-Style Rosary: This piece features pale blue and white marbled beads with grey veining, resembling howlite or turquoise, separated by small silver-toned spacer beads. It includes a dark-toned cross, possibly black enamel, with a silver-toned Christ figure, and a centerpiece oval medal showcasing a colorful image of Our Lady of Lourdes.

11. The Stations of the Cross Rosary: This rosary features dark, textured volcanic-style or charcoal-colored round beads, with a unique twist of silver-toned metal shields instead of traditional "Our Father" beads. Each shield displays one of the 14 Stations of the Cross with Roman numerals on the back. It includes a large, flat silver-toned crucifix with detailed engravings inspired by San Damiano, and an oval silver-toned medal depicting the Virgin Mary as the centerpiece.

12. The Chi-Rho and Cobalt Duo: The rosary on the left is made of light-colored, grain-heavy wooden beads on a brown cord, featuring a flat wooden cross engraved with the Chi-Rho symbol, along with Alpha and Omega symbols. The rosary on the right features vibrant cobalt-blue metallic beads connected by a silver-toned chain, a slender silver-toned crucifix, and a decorative silver-toned heart-shaped centerpiece of our Blessed Mother.

13. The Luminous Opaline Rosary: Beads are translucent, oval-shaped, with an opalescent or milky white moonstone finish. The cord is a simple, twisted white. The crucifix matches in translucent white, resembling resin or molded glass. The centerpiece is a large, oval opalescent medal. I like the simplicity of this rosary.

14. The Lourdes Olive Wood Rosary: The item features smooth, round olive wood beads marked with the "ULIVO" tag, an Italian word for olive. It includes a mixed-material crucifix with a silver figure of Christ mounted on a light-wood cross with metal end caps. The centerpiece is a distinctive silver-toned medal with a small glass "bubble" at its center, which contains water from the Grotto at Lourdes.

15. The All-Metal St. Benedict Rosary: This piece features a highly specialized medal rosary with each bead being a small, double-sided St. Benedict medal in silver-toned metal. It includes a large, heavy-duty St. Benedict crucifix with the Saint's protective medal embedded behind the figure of Christ, and a circular St. Benedict medal at its center, all emphasizing spiritual protection.

16. The Black Ornate Rosary: The piece includes black beads with a textured, carved pattern resembling tiny roses, a classic wooden and metal crucifix featuring a silver-toned figure of Jesus set against a dark inlay, and a centerpiece displaying a silver-toned medal that depicts the Blessed Virgin Mary.

17. The Pink Stone Rosary: The jewelry features soft pink, rounded beads resembling natural stone or matte glass, complemented by a stylized reddish-pink wooden crucifix that matches the beads. At the center is a silver-toned Miraculous Medal depicting Our Lady of Graces.

18.  The Olive Wood French Rosary: This rosary features oval, polished wooden beads with a distinct olive wood grain, complemented by a wooden crucifix adorned with silver metal tips and a silver corpus. Notably, it includes a tag adorned with French flag colors and marked "SILVER ARGENT," indicating that its components are silver-plated.

19. The Devotional Pictorial Rosary: This rosary is composed of 5 rounded beads depicting the following: The image of St. Padre Pio, The Image of St. Michael the Archangel, the Virgin Mary from the Miraculous Medal, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary back to back with the Sacred Heart of Jesus. While large, round, dark-brown wooden beads are threaded on a sturdy brown cord, a robust wooden crucifix adorned with a vibrant, resin-covered depiction of the Crucifixion. For the single centerpiece, a mini monstrance reflects the image of the Eucharist (IHS), adding a distinctive devotional character to the piece. (this is my favorite)

However, amid all this, the "holy grail" of my rosary collection isn't valuable because of its beads, design, or origin, but because of its provenance and a short story that comes with it. While attending an online Mass during the pandemic, Fr. Dennis Paez asked a simple question during the homily: "If your house were burning and you could save just one thing, what would it be?" I was literally sorting and labeling my rosary collection before joining that Zoom mass, and because he picked me out of 100 people on Zoom, I flubbed my answer and blurted out, "My collection of rosaries!" I guess Fr. Dennis was so thrilled with my answer, as I could hear it in his voice and see it in his smile, when he said, "Where your heart is, there is your treasure," and gifted me a rosary that belonged to St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta. It had traveled from the hands of a saint to a woman on a plane who eventually became a nun, to Father Dennis, and finally to me. It is a "collectible" that has helped our 9pm Rosary group cope with the "darkness" creeping into our lives, and one that has traveled around the world to different members of our 9pm Rosary Family. 

After gathering and collating my collection of rosaries, both vintage and modern, I’ve come to realize that while I love old things, the most enduring and reliable "item" I own is my habit of prayer. That’s why this Black Saturday, when my sister and favorite faith partner, Michelle, gave me a last-minute invite to join her for the “Faith Walk” at BGC, I didn’t hesitate. If you know BGC, it’s all glass, steel, and modern energy. But stretching from Serendra to 5th Avenue, there are the 14 Stations of the Cross. In the "distant past," I’ve done this as a ritual. But this year was different. I’ve come to see that unless Jesus is your Friend, you’re just wandering, and if you don’t experience firsthand what your Friend has experienced, it doesn’t make sense. That’s what the Faith Walk does: it puts you in that moment, experiencing what Jesus went through.

For years, my life resembled a soap opera—filled with drama, sin, anger, and plenty of "crap" (let’s be honest). It was an empty vessel filled with the wrong things. But ever since I started praying the rosary and made it my daily 9 pm habit (which, by the way, last February 11 on the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, we launched the 9 pm Rosary Crusade and we are "live" everynight on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@9pmRosaryCrusade ), I've come to realize that it is important to go beyond vocal prayers but to actually make Jesus my best friend and by making Him my "Bestie"—visiting Him weekly in the Blessed Sacrament, striving to attend daily Mass to receive Holy Communion, and beginning my journal writing with a simple, “Dear Jesus”—that emptiness has been replaced by a fullness I can't describe. I still stumble (I’m a work in progress, believe me!), but I try every single day. Walking those stations in the middle of the city at 3 pm under the scorching sun, I realized further that Ephesians 6:11 is the only manual that explains why the world is so crazy. We are in a spiritual battle, and I believe we need the right gear and to definitely walk with faith.

The Faith Walk 14 Stations: A Modern Reflection

Each station began with the familiar: "We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You. Because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world." But as I moved on and walked to each station, the reflections truly resonated:

While all 14 are beautiful, a few really hit me right where I am today:

·       Station 1: Jesus is Condemned. Truth stood silent while the crowd made noise. It reminded me how often I used to choose "noise" over discernment. Now, I try to pray for the courage and to stand for what’s right, even if it’s uncomfortable.

·       Station 3, 7, & 9: The Falls. Jesus fell three times. If HE can fall and get back up, there’s hope for me when I trip over my own feet (spiritually speaking). I guess the falling doesn't disqualify us; it’s the rising that’s holy.

·       Station 10: Stripped of Garments. This is where I believe I am now—praying for Jesus to strip away my pride and that "false identity" I used to wear like a heavy coat.

·       Station 12: Jesus Dies. The ultimate surrender. It’s taught me that "It is finished" means I can finally stop trying to control everything and just trust the process, a very difficult lesson I had to learn the hard way.

·      Station 14 (The Tomb): Learning to trust the unseen—the ultimate test for someone who likes to see and touch his collectibles, amidst the uncertainties of the future, and the realization that "the journey" does not end at the tomb -- it continues in how we live, love, and remember."

But how do we stay on course? How do we avoid falling during the "third fall" of our lives? How do we let go of the things we gather? And most importantly, how do we trust things we can't hold or touch?

I guess, navigating the "third fall" of my life had called me to shift from seeing faith as just a routine to treating it as a real survival tool for a spiritual battle. We stay on track by recognizing that, although we may fall more often than a clumsy collector in a porcelain shop, the "holy gear" in Ephesians 6:11 gives us the traction we need to keep getting up. To let go of the "crap" and the labels we collect, we must do a spiritual spring cleaning—clearing out our soul's display case to make space for a friendship with Jesus that’s much more resilient than glass or steel. In the end, trusting what we can't see becomes easier when we stop "wandering" through life’s drama and instead walk with a Friend who’s reliable even in the heat of uncertainty; after all, it’s much easier to trust what you can’t touch when you're holding the hand of the One who makes you whole.

So, to my grandchildren, years from now, when you read this, know that your grandfather understood that life is fleeting. The most beautiful "item" I ever encountered wasn't a 16th-century relic or a 19^th century Philippine gold countermark coin with the bust of General Iturbide, but the simple act of surrendering to a Friend who is always waiting to be visited in the Blessed Sacrament, waiting every day to be received in Holy Communion or just simply waiting to be written to in a journal using a Parker Vacumatic Senior Maxima purchased from eBay. Every day is a new arena, a new spiritual battle. But as the song that was played and shared with us during our 9 pm Rosary Prayers the other night, “Stay With Me Mother Mary” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oAXWyIXcBA&list=RD1oAXWyIXcBA&start_radio=1 ) says, "Lead me to your Jesus, He will make me whole." That is the only complete and whole collection that truly matters.

Keep collecting the right things.