Rosary

The Holy Rosary

This is composed of twenty decades, each decade consisting of the Our Father, ten Hail Marys and the Glory Be, and each being recited in honor of some mystery (happening) in the life of our Lord and His Blessed Mother. During each decade we should call to mind the mystery which it is intended to honor, and pray that we may learn to practice the virtue specially taught us by that mystery.

How to Pray the Rosary

1. Make the Sign of the Cross and say the "Apostle's Creed."
2. Say the "Our Father."
3. Say three "Hail Marys"
4. Say the "Glory be to the Father."
5. Announce the First Mystery; then say the "Our Father."
6. Say ten "Hail Marys" while meditating on the Mystery.
7. Say the "Glory be to the Father."
8. Announce the Second Mystery; then say the "Our Father." Repeat 6 & 7 and continue with Third, Fourth and Fifth Mysteries in the same manner.

Apostle's 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; 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 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.

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 you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your whomb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death. Amen

After each decade say the following prayer requested by the Blessed Virgin Mary at Fatima: "O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who have most need of your mercy."

The Joyful mysteries are said on Monday and Saturday: The Joyful Mysteries are marked by the joy radiating from the event of the incarnation. This is clear from the very first mystery, the Annunciation, where Gabriel's greeting to the Virgin of Nazareth is linked to an invitation to messianic joy: "Rejoice, Mary." The whole of salvation ... had led up to this greeting.

	First Joyful Mystery - The Annunciation: the angel Gabriel tells Mary she will have a son. The Angel Gabriel said to Mary: "Hail full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women.....You shall conceive and bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus...Mary answered, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord: be it done to me according to your word." (Lk 1:28, 31, 38)
	Second Joyful Mystery - The Visitation: Mary Visits Elizabeth Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and cried out in a loud voice: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb....The moment your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe in my womb leapt for joy." (Lk. 1:42-44)
	Third Joyful Mystery - The Nativity: And it came to pass while they were there, that the days for Mary to be delivered were fulfilled. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." (Lk. 2:6-7)
	Fourth Joyful Mystery - The Presentation: When the days of her purification were fulfilled they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord......Simeon blessed them and said to his Mother, "Behold, this child is destined for the fall and for the rise of many in Israel, and for a sign that shall be contradicted; and thy own soul a sword shall pierce." (Lk. 2:22, 34, 35)
	Fifth Joyful Mystery - The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple: After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.....And he returned with his parents to Nazareth, and was obedient to them." (Lk. 2:46,51)

The Sorrowful Mysteries are said on Tuesday and Friday: The Gospels give great prominence to the Sorrowful Mysteries of Christ. From the beginning, Christian piety, especially during the Lenten devotion of the Way of the Cross, has focused on the individual moments of the Passion, realizing that here is found the culmination of the revelation of God's love and the source of our salvation.

	First Sorrowful Mystery - The Agony in the Garden: Kneeling down, he began to pray, "Father if it be your will, take this cup from me, yet not my will but yours be done ..... In his anguish he prayed even more intensely, and his sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground. (Lk. 22:42,44)
	Second Sorrowful Mystery - The Scourging at the Pillar: Pilate released Barabbas to them. Jesus, however, he first had scourged; then he handed him over to be crucified. (Mt. 27:26)
	Third Sorrowful Mystery - The Crowning with Thorns: Weaving a crown of thorns they fixed it on his head, and placed a reed in his right hand. To make fun of him they knelt before him saying: "Hail King of the Jews." They spat on him, and took the reed and kept striking him on the head. (Mt. 27:29,30)
	Fourth Sorrowful Mystery - The Carrying of the Cross: When the soldiers had finished mocking him,...they led him away to crucify him. On the way they laid hold of a certain Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country, and upon him they laid the cross to bear it after Jesus. (Mt. 27:31; Lk. 23:26)
	Fifth Sorrowful Mystery - The Crucifixion: When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him ... Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing" ... There was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour ... and Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit." (Lk. 23:33,34,44,46)

The Glorious Mysteries are said on Wednesday and Sunday (with this exception: Sundays of Christmas season - the Joyful; Sundays of Lent - the Sorrowful). "The contemplation of Christ's face cannot stop at the image of the Crucified One. He is the Risen On!" The Rosary has always expressed this knowledge born of faith and invited the believer to pass beyond the darkness of the Passion in order to gaze upon Christ's glory in the Resurrection and Ascension...Mary herself would be raised to that same glory in the Assumption.

	First Glorious Mystery - The Resurrection: And looking up they saw that the stone had been rolled back, for it was very large ... On entering the tomb they saw a young man sitting at the right side ... who said to them, "Do not be afraid. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified. He is risen, he is not here. Behold the place where they laid him." (Mk. 16: 4-6)
	Second Glorious Mystery - The Ascension: Then, after speaking to them, the Lord Jesus was taken up into heaven and took his seat at God's right hand." (Mk. 16:19)
	Third Glorious Mystery - The Descent of the Holy Spirit: And there appeared to them parted tongues as of fire, which settled upon each of them. And they were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in foreign tongues, even as the Holy Spirit prompted them to speak." (Acts 2:3,4)
	Fourth Glorious Mystery - The Assumption: Arise, my beloved, my beautiful one, and come! ... You are all beautiful, my beloved, and there is no blemish in you. (Sg. 2:10; 4:7) You are the glory of Jerusalem ... you are the splendid boast of our people. (Jdt 15:9)
	Fifth Glorious Mystery - The Coronation: A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. (Rev. 12:1)

The Luminous Mysteries are said on Thurdsay: Moving on from the infancy and the hidden live in Nazareth to the public life of Jesus, our contemplation brings us to those mysteries which may be called in a special way "mysteries of light." Certainly, the whole mystery of Christ is a mystery of light. He is the "Light of the world" (John 8:12). Yet this truth emerges in a special way during the years of His public life.

	First Luminous Mystery - Baptism of Jesus: And when Jesus was baptized,...the heavens were opened and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on Him, and lo, a voice from heaven, saying "this is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:16-17)
	Second Luminous Mystery - Wedding at Cana: His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever He tells you."...Jesus said to them, "Fill the jars with water." And they filled them up to the brim. (John 2:5-7)
	Third Luminous Mystery - Proclaiming the Kingdom: "And preach as you go, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without pay, give without pay." (Matthew 10:7-8)
	Fourth Luminous Mystery - Transfiguration: And as He wasy praying, the appearance of His contenance was altered and His raiment became dazzling white. And a voice came out of the cloud saying, "This is My Son, My chosen; listen to Him!" (Luke 9:29, 35)
	Fifth Luminous Mystery - Institution of the Eucharist: And He took bread, and when He has given thanks He broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you."...And likewise the cup after supper, saying, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood." (Luke 22: 19-20)

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