10/9/2018 How To Pray The Rosary – Rosary Center

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(HTTPS://WWW.ROSARYCENTER.ORG/HOMEPAGE-2/ROSARY/) > HOW TO PRAY THE ROSARY

HOW TO PRAY THE ROSARY

The purpose of the Rosary is to help keep in memory certain principal events in the history
of our salvation. There are twenty mysteries re ected upon in the Rosary, and these are
divided into the ve Joyful Mysteries (said on Monday and Saturday), the ve Luminous
Mysteries (said on Thursday), the ve Sorrowful Mysteries (said on Tuesday and Friday), and
the ve Glorious Mysteries (said on Wednesday and Sunday). As an exception, the Joyful
Mysteries are said on Sundays during Christmas, while the Sorrowful Mysteries are said on
the Sundays of Lent.

The question is sometimes asked, why, of all the incidents in our Lord’s life, the Rosary only
considers these particular twenty. The mysteries of the Rosary are based on the incidents in
the life of Our Lord and His Mother that are celebrated in the Liturgy. There is a parallel
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10/9/2018 How To Pray The Rosary – Rosary Center

between the main feasts honoring our Lord and his Mother in the liturgical year, and the
twenty mysteries of the Rosary. Consequently, one who recites the twenty mysteries of the
Rosary in one day re ects on the whole liturgical cycle that the Church commemorates
during the course of each year. That is why some of the Popes have referred to the Rosary
as a compendium of the Gospel. One cannot change the mysteries of the Rosary without
losing the indulgences that the Church grants for the recitation of the Rosary.

All the prayers of the Rosary are available (in multiple languages).

ROSARY PRAYERS (/HOMEPAGE-2/ROSARY/PRAYERS-OF-THE-

ROSARY/)

The steps to praying the Rosary are:

1. Make the Sign of the Cross and say the “Apostles’ Creed”

2. Say the “Our Father”

3. Say three “Hail Marys” for Faith, Hope, and Charity

4. Say the “Glory Be”

5. Announce the First Mystery and then say the “Our Father”

6. Say ten “Hail Marys” while meditating on the Mystery

7. Say the “Glory Be” (Optional: Say the “O My Jesus” prayer requested by Mary at
Fatima)

8. Announce the Second Mystery; then say the “Our Father” and repeat these steps as
you continue through the remaining Mysteries.

9. Say the “Hail Holy Queen” and verse

10. Say the “Final Prayer”

11. Make the “Sign of the Cross”

We o er several di erent modes of praying the Rosary, listed here.

Praying the Rosary

Without Distractions

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10/9/2018 How To Pray The Rosary – Rosary Center

JOYFUL MYSTERIES
(HTTPS://WWW.ROSARYCENTER.ORG/HOMEPAGE-
2/ROSARY/HOW-TO-PRAY-THE-ROSARY/JOYFUL-
MYSTERIES/JOYFUL-MYSTERIES-WITHOUT-DISTRACTIONS/)

LUMINOUS MYSTERIES
(HTTPS://WWW.ROSARYCENTER.ORG/HOMEPAGE-
2/ROSARY/HOW-TO-PRAY-THE-ROSARY/LUMINOUS-
MYSTERIES/LUMINOUS-MYSTERIES-WITHOUT-DISTRACTIONS/)

SORROWFUL MYSTERIES
(HTTPS://WWW.ROSARYCENTER.ORG/HOMEPAGE-
2/ROSARY/HOW-TO-PRAY-THE-ROSARY/SORROWFUL-
MYSTERIES/SORROWFUL-MYSTERIES-WITHOUT-DISTRACTIONS/)

GLORIOUS MYSTERIES
(HTTPS://WWW.ROSARYCENTER.ORG/HOMEPAGE-
2/ROSARY/HOW-TO-PRAY-THE-ROSARY/GLORIOUS-
MYSTERIES/GLORIOUS-MYSTERIES-WITHOUT-DISTRACTIONS/)

Scripturally Based Rosary

JOYFUL MYSTERIES
(HTTPS://WWW.ROSARYCENTER.ORG/HOMEPAGE-
2/ROSARY/HOW-TO-PRAY-THE-ROSARY/JOYFUL-
MYSTERIES/JOYFUL-MYSTERIES-SCRIPTURALLY-BASED/)

LUMINOUS MYSTERIES
(HTTPS://WWW.ROSARYCENTER.ORG/HOMEPAGE-
2/ROSARY/HOW-TO-PRAY-THE-ROSARY/LUMINOUS-
MYSTERIES/LUMINOUS-MYSTERIES-SCRIPTURALLY-BASED/)

SORROWFUL MYSTERIES
(HTTPS://WWW.ROSARYCENTER.ORG/HOMEPAGE-
2/ROSARY/HOW-TO-PRAY-THE-ROSARY/SORROWFUL-
MYSTERIES/SORROWFUL-MYSTERIES-SCRIPTURALLY-BASED/)

GLORIOUS MYSTERIES
(HTTPS://WWW.ROSARYCENTER.ORG/HOMEPAGE-
2/ROSARY/HOW-TO-PRAY-THE-ROSARY/GLORIOUS-
MYSTERIES/GLORIOUS-MYSTERIES-SCRIPTURALLY-BASED/)

Stained Glass

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10/9/2018 How To Pray The Rosary – Rosary Center

JOYFUL MYSTERIES
(HTTPS://WWW.ROSARYCENTER.ORG/HOMEPAGE-
2/ROSARY/HOW-TO-PRAY-THE-ROSARY/JOYFUL-MYSTERIES/)

LUMINOUS MYSTERIES
(HTTPS://WWW.ROSARYCENTER.ORG/HOMEPAGE-
2/ROSARY/HOW-TO-PRAY-THE-ROSARY/LUMINOUS-MYSTERIES/)

SORROWFUL MYSTERIES
(HTTPS://WWW.ROSARYCENTER.ORG/HOMEPAGE-
2/ROSARY/HOW-TO-PRAY-THE-ROSARY/SORROWFUL-MYSTERIES/)

GLORIOUS MYSTERIES
(HTTPS://WWW.ROSARYCENTER.ORG/HOMEPAGE-
2/ROSARY/HOW-TO-PRAY-THE-ROSARY/GLORIOUS-MYSTERIES/)

There is also a manner of praying the Rosary according to the Order of Preachers. It is
identical to the normal Roman Catholic manner, except the introductory prayers are based
on the opening prayers from the Liturgy of the Hours.

1. Make the Sign of the Cross

2. V: Hail Mary full of grace the Lord is with thee.

R: Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

3. V: O Lord, open my lips.

R: And my mouth shall declare Your praise.
V: O God, come to my assistance.
R: O Lord, make haste to help me.

4. Say the “Glory Be”

5. Announce the First Mystery and then say the “Our Father”

6. Say ten “Hail Marys” while meditating on the Mystery

7. Say the “Glory Be” and the “O My Jesus” prayer requested by Mary at Fatima
(optional)

8. Announce the Second Mystery; then say the “Our Father” and repeat steps six, seven
and eight as you continue through the remaining Mysteries.

9. Say the “Hail Holy Queen” and verse

10. Say the “Final Prayer”

11. V. May the Divine Assistance remain always with us.

R. And may the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace.

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12. Make the Sign of the Cross

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