The Rosary

The Rosary

The Rosary (Latin: rosarium, meaning “crown of roses” or “garland of roses”), formally called the Psalter of Jesus and Mary (Latin: Psalterium Jesu et Mariae) and also known as the Dominican Rosary, is a set of prayers used primarily in the Catholic Church as well as the physical cord of knots or beads used to count those prayers.

Knotted prayer ropes were used in early Christianity. The Desert Fathers are traditionally credited with making early forms, using knots to keep track of repetitions of the Jesus Prayer or the one hundred fifty psalms.

Mysteries of the Rosary

The Mysteries of the Rosary are meditations on events in the life of Jesus, from the Annunciation through the Ascension and beyond. They are grouped in sets of five: the Joyful (or Joyous) Mysteries, the Sorrowful Mysteries, and the Glorious Mysteries. In 2002, Pope John Paul II recommended an additional set, the Luminous Mysteries (also called the Mysteries of Light), in the apostolic letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae. The original outline of the Mysteries of Light was prepared by George Preca of Malta and later taken up and promulgated by the pope.

A traditional “fruit” or spiritual intention is associated with each mystery. The following fruits come from the appendix to Louis Marie de Montfort’s Secret of the Rosary for the original fifteen mysteries. Other pamphlets sometimes list alternative or additional fruits.

Joyful Mysteries

1. The Annunciation. Fruit of the Mystery: Humility.
2. The Visitation. Fruit of the Mystery: Love of Neighbor.
3. The Birth of Jesus. Fruit of the Mystery: Poverty, Detachment from the things of the world, Contempt of Riches, Love of the Poor.
4. The Presentation of Jesus at the Temple. Fruit of the Mystery: Gift of Wisdom and Purity of mind and body (Obedience).
5. The Finding of Jesus in the Temple. Fruit of the Mystery: True Conversion (Piety, Joy of Finding Jesus).

Luminous Mysteries

1. The Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan. Fruit of the Mystery: Openness to the Holy Spirit, the Healer.
2. The Wedding at Cana. Fruit of the Mystery: To Jesus through Mary, Understanding of the ability to manifest through faith.
3. Jesus’ Proclamation of the Kingdom of God. Fruit of the Mystery: Trust in God (Call of Conversion to God).
4. The Transfiguration. Fruit of the Mystery: Desire for Holiness.
5. The Institution of the Eucharist. Fruit of the Mystery: Adoration.

Sorrowful Mysteries

1. The Agony in the Garden. Fruit of the Mystery: Sorrow for Sin, Uniformity with the Will of God.
2. The Scourging at the Pillar. Fruit of the Mystery: Mortification (Purity).
3. The Crowning with Thorns. Fruit of the Mystery: Contempt of the World (Moral Courage).
4. The Carrying of the Cross. Fruit of the Mystery: Patience.
5. The Crucifixion and Death of our Lord. Fruit of the Mystery: Perseverance in Faith, Grace for a Holy Death, Forgiveness.

Glorious Mysteries

1. The Resurrection. Fruit of the Mystery: Faith.
2. The Ascension. Fruit of the Mystery: Hope, Desire to Ascend to Heaven.
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit. Fruit of the Mystery: Love of God, Holy Wisdom to know the truth and share it with everyone, Divine Charity, Worship of the Holy Spirit.
4. The Assumption of Mary. Fruit of the Mystery: Union with Mary and True Devotion to Mary.
5. The Coronation of the Virgin. Fruit of the Mystery: Perseverance and an Increase in Virtue (Trust in Mary’s Intercession).

Introductory Prayersc

1. Sign of the Cross In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
2. Apostles’ 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; 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 life everlasting. Amen.
3. 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.
4. Three Hail Marys (for an increase in faith, hope, and charity) 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. (Repeat three times.)
5. 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.

The Decades (Repeated Five Times)

For each decade:

1. Announce the Mystery (e.g., “The First Joyful Mystery: The Annunciation”) and silently or aloud meditate on it.
2. Our Father (prayer above)
3. Ten Hail Marys (prayer above, repeated ten times) while meditating on the Mystery.
4. Glory Be (prayer above)
5. Fatima Prayer (optional but traditional) O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell; lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of thy mercy. Amen.

Concluding Prayers (After Five Decades)

1. Hail, Holy Queen (Salve Regina) 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.
2. Rosary Prayer Let us pray: O God, whose only-begotten Son, by his life, death and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life; 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.
3. Sign of the Cross (as above)

The Mysteries and Their Meditations

Joyful Mysteries

1. The Annunciation – The angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will conceive Jesus (Luke 1:26–38).
2. The Visitation – Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth, who is pregnant with John the Baptist (Luke 1:39–45).
3. The Nativity – Jesus is born in Bethlehem (Luke 2:1–20).
4. The Presentation in the Temple – Mary and Joseph present Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:22–38).
5. The Finding in the Temple – Mary and Joseph find the twelve-year-old Jesus teaching in the Temple (Luke 2:41–52).

Luminous Mysteries (Mysteries of Light)

1. The Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan – The heavens open and the Father’s voice is heard (Matthew 3:13–17).
2. The Wedding Feast at Cana – Jesus performs his first miracle at Mary’s request (John 2:1–11).
3. The Proclamation of the Kingdom – Jesus calls for repentance and announces the Kingdom (Mark 1:14–15).
4. The Transfiguration – Jesus is transfigured on the mountain (Matthew 17:1–8).
5. The Institution of the Eucharist – Jesus gives us his Body and Blood at the Last Supper (Matthew 26).

Sorrowful Mysteries

1. The Agony in the Garden – Jesus prays in Gethsemane before his arrest (Luke 22:39–46).
2. The Scourging at the Pillar – Jesus is whipped by Roman soldiers (John 19:1).
3. The Crowning with Thorns – Soldiers mock Jesus by placing a crown of thorns on his head (Matthew 27:29).
4. The Carrying of the Cross – Jesus carries his cross to Calvary (John 19:17).
5. The Crucifixion and Death – Jesus dies on the cross (John 19:18–30).

Glorious Mysteries

1. The Resurrection – Jesus rises from the dead on Easter Sunday (Matthew 28:1–10).
2. The Ascension – Jesus ascends into heaven forty days after the Resurrection (Acts 1:6–11).
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit – The Holy Spirit comes upon the Apostles at Pentecost (Acts 2:1–41).
4. The Assumption of Mary – Mary is taken body and soul into heaven.
5. The Coronation of Mary – Mary is crowned Queen of Heaven and Earth.