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How to Pray the Rosary

Steps in Praying the Rosary

Many versions, but basically has a core of basic prayers

There are many ways of praying the rosary but there is a basic core of steps that is usually followed. This article will try to stick as close as possible to the basic and core prayers in praying the rosary.


The praying of the rosary is divided into four different mysteries

When praying the rosary, one must note what day one is praying. A certain mystery of the faith is meditated and contemplated when praying the rosary. There are four different types of mysteries: the joyful mysteries, the sorrowful mysteries, the glorious mysteries, and the light or luminous mysteries. The joyful mysteries are prayed every Monday and Saturday. The sorrowful mysteries are prayed every Tuesday and Friday. The glorious mysteries are prayed every Wednesday and Sunday. And the luminous or light mysteries are prayed every Thursday.


The joyful mysteries

  • The annunciation - The angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she
    will be the mother of Jesus
  • The visitation - Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth who is with child
  • The birth of the Lord - Our Lord is born in a humble stable at Bethlehem
  • The presentation - The Lord is presented to Simeon at the temple of Jerusalem
  • The finding at the Temple - Jesus is found at the Temple speaking with the wise men
The light mysteries

  • The baptism at the Jordan - Jesus is baptized by John at the Jordan
  • The wedding at Cana - Jesus performs his first miracle and sign at Cana
  • The proclamation of the Kingdom - Jesus proclaims the coming of the Kingdom
  • The transfiguration - Jesus is transfigured before his passion
  • The institution of the Eucharist - Jesus institutes the Eucharist at the Last Supper
The sorrowful mysteries

  • The agony in the Garden - Jesus prays in the garden of Gethsemani
  • The scourging at the pillar - Jesus is scourged at the pillar
  • The crowning with thorns - Jesus is crowned with thorns by the soldiers
  • The carrying of the cross - Jesus carries the cross on the way to Calvary
  • The crucifixion - Jesus is crucified to the cross
The glorious mysteries

  • The resurrection - Jesus rises from death
  • The ascension - Jesus ascends into heaven
  • The descent of the Holy Spirit - The Spirit descends on Mary and the apostles at Pentecost
  • The assumption - Mary is assumed both body and soul into heaven
  • The coronation of Mary - Mary is crowned as queen of heaven and earth
Basic steps in praying the rosary

  • Make the sign of the cross - as you touch the crucifix of the rosary
  • Pray the Apostles Creed

    • I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, who was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into the dead, on the third day He rose again. He ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of the Father. From thence He shall 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.
  • Pray the Our Father, followed by 3 Hail Marys and one Glory be, pressing the beads of the rosary in accompaniment

    • Our Father in heaven, holy be Your name. Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our sins; as we forgive those who sin against us. Do not bring us to the test but deliver us from evil. Amen.
    Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your 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 will be, forever, Amen.
  • Announcing the 1st mystery for the day; pray one Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, one Glory be, while meditating and contemplating on the 1st mystery for the day
  • Some devotees of Our Lady of Fatima include the Fatima prayer at the end of the Glory be.

    • Fatima prayer - O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, and lead all souls into heaven, especially those who have most need of Your mercy.
  • The same pattern is prayed for the remaining four decades of the rosary
  • After the fifth decade of the rosary is prayed, the Hail, Holy Queen prayer is said:

    • Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of mercy, hail our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To you do we cry poor banished children of Eve. To you do we send up up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, your eyes of mercy upon us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
    Pray for us, O holy mother of God.
    That we may be worthy of the promises of Christ.
    Let us pray:
    Almighty, everlasting God, who, through the working of the Holy Spirit, prepared the body and soul of the glorious Virgin Mary to be a worthy dwelling for your Son: grant that we who remember her with joy may be delivered by her prayers from the evils that beset us in this world and from everlasting death in the next. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Benefits of praying the rosary

Praying the rosary individually can bring much spiritual benefits and graces. The more one prays the rosary, the more one is "schooled" in the spirit of Mary's virtues: obedience, docility to the Holy Spirit, trust and confidence in God's will, service to others, humility, and many more. If the rosary is prayed together by the family, then it unites the family in one mind, one heart and one spirit in Christ through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mother. As we need to make serious choices in life, praying the holy rosary and meditating on its mysteries, will help us choose what is most according to the will of God. Just as Mary obeyed God's will in utter trust and confidence, so shall we have that same spirit of Mary when we exercise our free will and do what is most pleasing to God.


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