How To Say The Rosary

To pray the Rosary is to set a bouquet of roses before Mary, whom God chose to bear His Son, Jesus.  To pray the Rosary is to honor the Creator by honoring Mary, mankind's Solitary Boast, who is beloved of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

The rosary consists of saying a few well known prayers (at bottom) while meditating on important events in the life of Jesus and His Holy Family.  These events are called mysteries.

There are 20 mysteries divided into four groups.  Typically one group of these mysteries is said per day (such as praying the Joyful Mysteries on Saturday), although many people will say more Decades as their daily circumstances allow.

THE JOYFUL MYSTERIES (prayed on Mondays and Saturdays):
1st Decade - The Annunciation of the Angel Gabriel
2nd Decade - The Visitation of Mary and Joseph to her cousin St. Elizabeth
3rd Decade - The Birth of Jesus
4th Decade - The Presentation of Jesus in the temple
5th Decade - The finding of Child Jesus in the temple

THE LUMINOUS MYSTERIES (prayed on Thursdays):
1st Decade - The bapism of Jesus in the river Jordan
2nd Decade - The miracle at the wedding feast at Cana
3rd Decade - The proclamation of the Kingdom of God
4th Decade - The transfiguration on the mountain
5th Decade - The institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper

THE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES (prayed on Tuesdays and Fridays):
1st Decade - The Agony in the Garden
2nd Decade - The Scourging at the Pillar
3rd Decade - Jesus being Crowned with Thorns
4th Decade - The Carrying of the Cross
5th Decade - The Crucifixion of Jesus

THE GLORIOUS MYSTERIES (prayed on Wednesdays and Sundays)
1st Decade - The Resurrection of Jesus
2nd Decade - The Ascension of Jesus into Heaven
3rd Decade - The Descent of the Holy Spirit
4th Decade - The Assumption of Mary into Heaven
5th Decade - The Crowning of Mary as the Queen of God's eternal, infinite Kingdom.

WHAT PRAYERS ?   WHEN ?
1.  Beginning with the Crucifix or Cross, we make the Sign Of The Cross and say the Apostles' Creed.

2.  At the first large bead we say the Our Father.

3.  On each of the next three smaller beads we pray a Hail Mary.  These three Hail Marys being for an increase in Faith, Hope and Charity.

4.  In the space before the next large bead say a Glory Be.  Steps 1-4 constitute the Opening Prayers of the Rosary.

5.  On the next large bead announce the first Mystery and say an Our Father.

6.  At each of the next ten beads say a Hail Mary while meditating on that particular Mystery.  For example, saying ten Hail Marys while thinking about the Agony In The Garden (the first decade of the Sorrowful mysteries)

7.  In the space before the next large bead say a Glory Be and the Fatima Prayer

The formula for the remaining four decades is the same: an Our Father, ten Hail Marys, a Glory Be and the Fatima Prayer.

8.  The Closing Prayers are said on the Center, which is often a medal.  These prayers are the Hail,Holy Queen, and the Rosary Prayer.

SIGN OF THE CROSS
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

APOSTLES' CREED
 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. Amen.

The OUR FATHER
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.

HAIL MARY
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.

The GLORY BE
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.

FATIMA PRAYER
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell; lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of thy mercy.

HAIL, HOLY QUEEN
Hail, holy Queen, mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us; and, after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.  Pray for us O holy mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

The ROSARY PRAYER
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 by meditating upon 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. Amen.