Holy Mary

Pray for us.

Holy Mary, mother of Jesus

Pray the rosary

The rosary is a devotion in honor of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the faithful witness of his mother, the Virgin Mary. Mary gave St. Dominic the rosary in the same form we know today. Years later, Mary has come back again to ask that we continue to pray the rosary.

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How do you pray the rosary

For each bead, including the cross where you begin the rosary, a prayer or multiple prayers is said. Once you finish saying the prayers for the bead marked [4], you continue around the rosary, ending at the yellow center bead marked [5].

How to pray the rosary

The prayers of the rosary

Following the diagram on the page, these are the prayers that are said while praying the rosary. Words in bold are said by the leader; words that are italicized are notes and are not said. Words that are not bolded or italicized are said by the congregation.

The sign of the cross is made, and then the Apostles' Creed is said:

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 the life everlasting. Amen.
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.
Three Hail Mary's are said, and for any successive blue bead.

Hail Mary full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed are 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 sequence is repeated for every red bead, and the yellow bead after the 4 red beads).
We begin by saying 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.

(On the four red beads after the yellow bead, and the yellow bead after the 4 red beads) We then say the prayer Mary asked us at Fatima.

All say:
O 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.

We then announce the Mystery, and meditate on this Mystery until we announce the next Mystery. (The Mysteries are listed below). Lastly, we say another 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.
The Hail Holy Queen is said once we are finished saying the last 10 Hail Mary's, and are at the yellow marker / center bead in the diagram.

All say:
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 Final Prayer is then said.

All say:
O God, whose only-begotten Son, by His life, death, and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal salvation; grant we beseech Thee, that 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.
May the divine assistance remain always with us. And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

The Memorare may then be said after.

All say:
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly to thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother; to thee do I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

The prayer to Saint Michael the archangel is now said.

All say:
St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

You may offer that the intentions of the holy father (Pope) be heard by our Lord. (This is one of the requirements for an indulgence. Saying the rosary does not give you an automatic indulgence though).

What are the Mysteries

The Mysteries are events that center around the life of our Lord Jesus Christ. Certain Mysteries are used depending on the day that you are praying the rosary.

While praying the rosary, it is customary to say the order and fruit of the Mystery as you say the given Mystery. For example, when we reach the bead marked [4], we would say; "The 1st joyful mystery, the annunciation of the Lord to Mary. The fruit of this mystery is humility." The next red bead where we say a Mystery, we would say; "The 2nd joyful mystery, the visitation of Mary to Elizabeth. The fruit of this mystery is love of neighbor." and so on.

The Joyful Mysteries (Monday and Saturday)
  1. The Annunciation of the Lord to Mary (Humility)
  2. The Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth (Love of neighbor)
  3. The Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ (Poverty of spirit; detachment from the things of the world)
  4. The Presentation of our Lord (Obedience)
  5. Finding Jesus in the Temple (Piety; devotion to Jesus)
The Sorrowful Mysteries (Tuesday and Friday)
  1. The Agony of Jesus in the Garden (Trust in God)
  2. The Scourging at the Pillar (Purity)
  3. Jesus is Crowned with Thorns (Fortitude)
  4. Jesus Carried the Cross (Perseverance in trials)
  5. The Crucifixion of our Lord (Forgiveness for others)
The Glorious Mysteries (Wednesday and Sunday)
  1. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ (Faith)
  2. The Ascension of Jesus to Heaven (Hope)
  3. The Descent of the Holy Ghost (Gifts of the Holy Spirit)
  4. The Assumption of Mary into Heaven (To Jesus through Mary)
  5. Mary is Crowned as Queen of Heaven and Earth (Final perseverance)
The Luminous Mysteries (Thursday)
  1. The Baptism in the Jordan (Openness to the Holy Spirit)
  2. The Wedding at Cana (Mary's intercession)
  3. The Proclamation of the Kingdom (Repentance; trust in God)
  4. The Transfiguration (Desire for holiness)
  5. The Institution of the Eucharist (Greater love for the Holy Eucharist)

What has Mary told us about the rosary

Mary has come to us in different times telling us these things about the rosary:

To Saint Dominic (13th century)
  • Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the rosary, shall receive signal graces.
  • I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the rosary.
  • The rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies.
  • The rosary will cause virtue and good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the hearts of men from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire for eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means.
  • The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the rosary, shall not perish.
  • Whoever shall recite the rosary devoutly, applying himself to the consideration of its sacred mysteries shall never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise him in His justice, he shall not perish by an unprovided death; if he be just he shall remain in the grace of God, and become worthy of eternal life.
  • Whoever shall have a true devotion for the rosary shall not die without the sacraments of the Church.
  • Those who are faithful to recite the rosary shall have during their life and at their death the light of God and the plentitude of His graces; at the moment of death they shall participate in the merits of the saints in paradise.
  • I shall deliver from Purgatory those who have been devoted to the rosary.
  • The faithful children of the rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in Heaven.
  • You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the rosary.
  • All those who propagate the Holy rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities.
  • I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the rosary shall have for intercessors the entire celestial court during their life and at the hour of death.
  • All who recite the rosary are my sons and daughters, and brothers and sisters of my only Son Jesus Christ.
  • Devotion of my rosary is a great sign of predestination.
To Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta in Fatima (1917)
  • Pray the rosary every day in honor of Our Lady of the rosary to obtain peace in the world . . . for she alone can save it.
  • When you pray the rosary, say after each mystery: "O 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."