“All generations will call me blessed” (Lk 1, 48).
The Rosary is a very traditional and profound form of prayer, consisting of meditation on 20 different events in the lives of Jesus and Mary, called “mysteries.” These are divided into four parts – joyful, luminous, sorrowful, and glorious mysteries. Each part consists of 5 mysteries. Usually, one part is prayed at a time. In this way, on Monday and Saturday the joyful mysteries are meditated upon, on Thursday the luminous mysteries, on Tuesday and Friday the sorrowful mysteries, and on Wednesday and Sunday the glorious mysteries.
How to pray the Rosary?
The Rosary is a combination of two forms of prayer: vocal and mental prayer, recited using prayer beads. The meditative prayer of the Holy Rosary consists of reflecting on 20 mysteries of the life and death of Jesus Christ and the glorification of Him and the Blessed Virgin Mary. These mysteries are divided as follows:
Joyful Rosary
The Annunciation to the Virgin Mary
The Visitation of the Virgin Mary to Elizabeth
The Birth of Jesus
The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple
The Finding of Jesus in the Temple
Luminous Rosary
The Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan
The Wedding at Cana
Jesus Proclaims the Kingdom of God
The Transfiguration of Jesus
The Institution of the Eucharist
Sorrowful Rosary
The Agony of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane
The Scourging of Jesus
The Crowning of Jesus with Thorns
Jesus Carries the Cross
Jesus Dies on the Cross
Glorious Rosary
The Resurrection of Jesus
The Ascension of Jesus
The Sending of the Holy Spirit
The Assumption of the Virgin Mary.
The Coronation of the Virgin Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth
The Order of Praying the Rosary
Introduction
On the Crucifix:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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, 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. Amen.
On the first bead:
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.
On the next three beads:
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with Thee. 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.
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.
For each mystery (decade):
Our Father (on the large bead)
Hail Mary.. (on the ten following beads)
Glory be to the Father … (on the next large bead)
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell and lead all souls to heaven, especially those who most need Your mercy. Amen.
At the end of the Rosary one may add the Marian antiphon:
Hail, Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope, hail. To you do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to you do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious Advocate, your eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.