Dear Charles,
O.K. - I accept your apology!
I guess one problem is that so much of the Orthodox Rule of the Theotokos is contained in Russian language texts. In fact, NOTHING I've ever said about it doesn't come from those Russian religious texts. For example, I follow the Rule as given in the English language "Staretz Zechariah: An Early Soviet Saint" Chapter 6.
That book outlines 15 subjects for meditation during the recitation of the 15 decades, each headed with an Our Father and the prayer "Open to us the doors of Thy Mercy . . ."
This pattern is given in many other Russian sources, including the Moscow Patriarchate's "Encyclopaedia of Orthodoxy" 2003.
The Orthodox and the tradition of St Seraphim of Sarov are quite serious about this private Rule of prayer which is variously called "wonderful" "miracle-working" etc. St Seraphim had a list of miracles that happened to people who recited the Rule daily. He himself said the Queen of Heaven indicated to him that it is a prayer that should be recited by all Christians daily to obtain for them Her Protection throughout their lives, at death and in eternity.
Again, none of this has any reference to St Dominic (and there is really no evidence that Dominic ever had the vision with Our Lady of the Rosary he is said to have - that was taken from the imaginative writings of Bl. Alan des Roches).
Also, the Old Believers are quite devoted to this. Given their deep suspicion of anything Western, I just find it telling that they would pray 15 decades of Hail Mary's, each headed with an Our Father, and on a special Lestovka that goes back deeply into Russian Orthodox history.
It is a beautiful prayer and I love the new books that come out with scriptural meditations. Each new book seems to say something original and this prayer has become a high adventure for me, bringing me closer and closer to Christ and the Theotokos, the Church and salvation history.
It has also made me more deeply aware of my sinfulness.
Cheers,
Alex