The Rosary is a powerful scriptural prayer that helps us meditate on the key events in the life of Jesus Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary. It consists of a sequence of prayers recited using a string of beads to help keep track of our progress through the mysteries.

The Four Sets of Mysteries

The Rosary is divided into twenty mysteries, organized into four distinct groups. It is a traditional devotion to pray one set of mysteries each day, reflecting on the designated themes:

• Mondays and Saturdays: The Joyful Mysteries
• Tuesdays and Fridays: The Sorrowful Mysteries
• Wednesdays and Sundays: The Glorious Mysteries
• Thursdays: The Luminous Mysteries (Mysteries of Light)

How to Pray the Rosary

Follow these step-by-step instructions to pray a decade or full set of mysteries:

1. Sign of the Cross & Apostles’ Creed: Begin by making the Sign of the Cross, then recite the Apostles’ Creed.
2. Our Father: On the first large bead, pray the Our Father.
3. Three Hail Marys: On the next three small beads, pray three Hail Marys for an increase in the virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity.
4. Glory Be: On the chain or space before the next bead, pray the Glory Be.
5. First Mystery & Our Father: Announce the First Mystery, reflect briefly on it, and pray one Our Father on the large bead.
6. Ten Hail Marys (The Decade): On the next ten small beads, pray ten Hail Marys while meditating on the mystery.
7. Glory Be & Fatima Prayer: Pray the Glory Be. You may also add the optional Fatima Prayer (“O My Jesus, forgive us our sins…”).
8. Repeat for Remaining Mysteries: Announce the Second Mystery, pray the Our Father, followed by ten Hail Marys, and the Glory Be. Repeat this sequence for the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Mysteries.
9. Closing Prayers: Conclude by praying the Hail, Holy Queen (Salve Regina) followed by the Concluding Prayer.
10. Sign of the Cross: End by making the Sign of the Cross.