Ethan Walker
The Rosary is a Catholic devotion that involves meditating on the lives of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary. It is a Scripture-based prayer that begins with the Apostles' Creed, a summary of the core beliefs of the Catholic faith. The Rosary is divided into five groups of ten beads, called decades, and there are twenty mysteries reflected upon, divided into the Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful, and Glorious Mysteries. These mysteries centre on the events of Christ's life, and the repetition of prayers helps to focus on each mystery. The Rosary can be prayed privately or with a group, and it is often used to make requests to God or to give thanks for blessings.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | To help keep in memory certain principal events in the history of salvation |
| Number of Mysteries | 20 |
| Types of Mysteries | Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious, Luminous |
| Days to say the Joyful Mysteries | Monday and Saturday |
| Days to say the Luminous Mysteries | Thursday |
| Days to say the Sorrowful Mysteries | Tuesday and Friday |
| Days to say the Glorious Mysteries | Wednesday and Sunday |
| Rosary beads | Used to help Catholics count their prayers |
| Rosary prayer | Begins with the Apostles' Creed |
| The first part of the Hail Mary | Angel's words announcing Christ's birth |
| The Rosary can be | Said privately or with a group |
| The Rosary is | A Christ-centered prayer, rooted in Sacred Scripture |
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What You'll Learn
Begin with the Sign of the Cross and the Apostles' Creed
The Rosary is a meditative prayer based on Scripture. It is a Christ-centred devotion in which participants ask for the intercession of Mary, the Mother of God, to help them grow closer to her divine son, Jesus.
To begin the Rosary, start with the Sign of the Cross:
> In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Next, you should hold the crucifix and pray the Apostles' Creed:
> I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; He descended into hell; on the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.
The Apostles' Creed summarises the great mysteries of the Catholic faith. Each line comes from different books of Scripture, including the Gospels, 1 Peter, 1 Corinthians, and Acts.
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Pray the Our Father and ten Hail Marys for each decade
The Rosary is divided into three parts, each having five mysteries. Each mystery is announced and then followed by an Our Father, ten Hail Marys, and a Glory Be. The mysteries are events from Christ's life and are meditated upon during the prayers.
The first prayer, the Our Father, is as follows:
> Our Father, who art in Heaven; hallowed be thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. Amen
The ten Hail Marys that follow are as follows:
> Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen
This is repeated for each decade, with a different mystery announced at the beginning of each. The mysteries are divided into four sets: Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious, and Luminous. The Luminous mysteries are optional and are said on Thursdays. The Joyful Mysteries are said on Mondays and Saturdays, the Sorrowful Mysteries on Tuesdays and Fridays, and the Glorious Mysteries on Wednesdays and Sundays.
The Rosary can be prayed privately or with a group.
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Announce the Mystery and meditate on Christ's life
The Rosary is a meditative prayer based on Scripture. When praying the Rosary, one asks Mary to pray for them as they seek to grow closer to her son, Jesus, by reflecting on his life, death, and resurrection. The Rosary is comprised of several prayers, all rooted in Scripture.
The Rosary begins with the Apostles' Creed, which summarises the great mysteries of the Catholic faith. The Creed is followed by the Our Father, which introduces each mystery and is from the Gospels. The first part of the Hail Mary is the angel's words announcing Christ's birth, and Elizabeth's greeting to Mary.
The Rosary is made up of four sets of Mysteries: Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious, and Luminous, which was added by Saint John Paul II in 2002. Each set of Mysteries centres on the events of Christ's life. For instance, the Sorrowful Mysteries, prayed on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays during Lent, include the following biblical passages:
> Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, 'Sit here while I go over there and pray.' He took along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to feel sorrow and distress. Then he said to them, 'My soul is sorrowful even to death. Remain here and keep watch with me.' He advanced a little and fell prostrate in prayer, saying, 'My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will.' (Matthew 26:36-39)
For each of the five decades, announce the Mystery, perhaps followed by a brief reading from Scripture, and then say the Our Father. While fingering each of the ten beads of the decade, say ten Hail Marys while meditating on the Mystery. To meditate on the Mystery, try to focus on an episode of Jesus' life, imagining it and trying to be emotionally involved in the situation. You can also put yourself in the scene with Jesus—close your eyes and say the Hail Marys while imagining biblical Israel. Imagine the weather, the breeze, the people, and what Jesus is doing.
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Finish with the Glory Be and the Fatima Prayer
The Rosary is a Scripture-based prayer that is used to help Catholics remember certain principal events in the history of their salvation. It is based on the incidents in the life of Jesus Christ and his Mother, the Virgin Mary, that are celebrated in the Liturgy. The Rosary can be said privately or with a group.
The Rosary begins with the Apostles' Creed, which summarises the great mysteries of the Catholic faith. There are four sets of mysteries: Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious, and Luminous, which was added by Saint John Paul II in 2002. Each mystery is introduced by the Our Father, which is from the Gospels.
After the last Hail Mary, one would finish with the Glory Be and then the Fatima Prayer before announcing the next mystery. The Glory Be is considered standard, whereas the Fatima Prayer is optional.
> Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
> O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those in most need of Thy mercy.
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End with the Hail, Holy Queen and the Sign of the Cross
The Rosary is a Scripture-based prayer that can be said privately or with a group. It is meant to help keep in memory certain principal events in the history of salvation, focusing on the events of Christ's life. The mysteries of the Rosary are divided into the Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious, and Luminous Mysteries.
After saying the five decades, recite the Hail, Holy Queen, followed by a dialogue and prayer:
> V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
> R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
> Let us pray: O God, whose Only Begotten Son, by His life, Death, and Resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life, grant, we beseech thee, that while meditating on these mysteries of the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through the same Christ our Lord.
Finally, end the Rosary with the Sign of the Cross, just as you began it. Hold the Crucifix in your hand as you do so. You can also whisper a prayer of thanks as you put your rosary away.
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Frequently asked questions
The rosary is a Christ-centred prayer, rooted in Sacred Scripture, that helps Catholics meditate on the lives of Jesus and Mary. It is divided into five groups of ten beads called decades.
The rosary begins with the Apostles' Creed, which summarises the great mysteries of the Catholic faith. The Our Father, which introduces each mystery, is from the Gospels. The first part of the Hail Mary is the angel's words announcing Christ's birth and Elizabeth's greeting to Mary. Rosary beads are used to help Catholics count their prayers.
There are twenty mysteries reflected upon in the rosary, and these are divided into the five Joyful Mysteries, five Luminous Mysteries, five Sorrowful Mysteries, and five Glorious Mysteries. The mysteries centre on the events of Christ's life.
Catholics pray the rosary to make a request to God, to thank God for blessings, or to request a special favour. For example, these intentions may include world peace, stopping abortion, or praying for souls in Purgatory.
