Rose wood Rosaries

Can you get to where they're sold without paying for the tour? I'd like to get one for a Catholic friend, but we aren't taking the tour.

There is a street very close to the Vatican called Borgo Pio; on it there are tons of shops that sell this sort of thing. A good one is Comandini - just Google "Comandini Roma" to find their site and get their location on the Borgo Pio. A lot of places sell the rose-scented rosaries, as well as a million other kinds, and anything else you could want. Remember that if you go to the Wednesday Papal Audience, the Holy Father intends to bless whatever religious articles you might have brought with you for that purpose, when he gives his blessing at the end (they will announce this fact also). So it's a great way to bring back religious gifts that have been blessed by the Pope.

Unfortunately the stuff in the shops is pretty crappy & doesn't say "Edizioni Musel Vaticani" with the papel symbol. I bought one for my secretary who is very devout & wouldn't want to get her something from a souvenir shop. Maybe you can get someone that is going there to buy you one & you can pay them back.

@Celeste there is a gift store outside The Basillica. Facing St. Peter's it's forward and on the left side of the Square.

The gift shop at San Giovanni in Laterno sells them for less than 9.50 euros. Don't remember the exact price though.

Thanks everyone. I'm not Catholic but I have a dear friend who is, and who (at the age of 35) just last week received a totally unexpected diagnosis of untreatable thymic cancer. I thought a rosary from the Vatican would be a great gift. I will definitely seek one out.