If you want to pray the rosary

To pray the Rosary, hold your rosary and make the Sign of the Cross.

Then hold the crucifix and say the Apostles Creed:

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth...

I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, Our Lord. He 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 to the dead. On the third day, He arose again. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sin and the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. Amen.

  • On the first bead after the crucifix, say 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.

  • On each of the next three rosary beads, say the 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.

  • On the last bead, say the Glory be to the Father:

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.

Saying part of the rosary is better than not saying any of it 

  • Each day of the week has a group of mysteries associated with it -- they are listed below. Hold the first bead and say the first mystery of the day's group (for example, on Thursday: The Baptism of Our Lord in the River Jordan). Reflect on the words. Say the Our Father and a Hail Mary on the same bead.

  • Move to the next bead and say a Hail Mary; continue to say a Hail Mary on the following 8 beads. Saying a Hail Mary on each of the ten beads ends the mystery.

  • On the next bead (a dividing bead) say Glory be to the Father... also the Fatima Prayer:

O my Jesus forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell and lead all souls to heaven, especially those who have most need of your mercy.

  • Announce the second mystery and continue as above. Repeat these steps for the 3rd, 4th and 5th mystery.

  • After the 5th mystery say:

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope, to you do we cry, poor banished children of Eve: to you do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears; turn then most gracious advocate, your eyes of mercy towards 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 made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen.

Here is help for you to pray the Rosary
and help with the Mysteries

Rosary prayers

A scriptural rosary

Help with the Mysteries

Joyful Mysteries (said on Monday and Saturday)

  1. The Annunciation—the angel asks Mary to be the Mother of God
    (Luke 1: 28)
  2. The Visitation—Mary, who is with Child, visits her cousin Elizabeth
    (Luke 1: 39-41)
  3. The Birth of Jesus (Luke 2: 7)
  4. The Presentation of the Child Jesus in the temple (Luke 2: 22-23)
  5. The Finding of Jesus in the temple talking to the Doctors of the Law (Luke 2: 46)

Sorrowful Mysteries (Tuesday and Friday)

  1. The Agony in the Garden (Luke 22: 44-45)
  2. The Scourging at the Pillar (John 19: 1)
  3. The Crowning with Thorns (Mat. 27:28-29)
  4. The Carrying of the Cross (John 19: 17)
  5. The Crucifixion of Jesus (Luke 23 46)

Glorious Mysteries (Wednesday and Sunday)

  1. The Resurrection of Jesus from the dead (Mark 16:6)
  2. The Ascension of Jesus into Heaven (Mark 16:19)
  3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles (Acts 2:4)
  4. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven (Revelations 2:1)
  5. The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin as Queen of heaven and earth (Judith 15: 9-10)

Mysteries of Light (said on Thursday)

  1. The Baptism of Our Lord in the River Jordan (Matthew 3:13-16)
  2. The Wedding at Cana, where Christ manifested Himself (John 2:1-11)
  3. The Proclamation of the Coming of God’s Kingdom (Mark 1:14-15)
  4. The Transfiguration of Our Lord (Matthew 17:1-8)
  5. The Last Supper where Our Lord gave us the Eucharist (Matthew 26:17)

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