The Rosary

A Quick Tutorial

There are a thousand books, pamphlets, and websites explaining how to pray the Rosary, each offering advice on how to make this devotion more spiritually effective. Consequently, there isn’t much need here to elaborate on how the Rosary is prayed. Nevertheless, for those unfamiliar with the Rosary we will offer a summary of the mechanics of praying the Rosary and the prayers used.

Before we get into the specifics you must see the big picture. To pray the Rosary is to join with Mary and contemplate her Son and Savior and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We re-live with Mary 20 of the principal events in his life, death and resurrection, and how we can participate with Jesus in the resurrection. When we pray the Rosary, we pray the gospel and each time we do so we experience the limitless love of the Father. Once the Rosary becomes part of your life you will have no choice but to experience the love of Jesus.

Now, let’s go the Rosary’s physical features – its “hardware,” so to speak.

The physical rosary (beads, crucifix, etc.) can differ from region to region, but in North America it would almost always look like the picture below. Nevertheless, the physical rosary is just a tool to keep us focused. In fact, the prayer of the Rosary does not require beads and the crucifix; they are simply to help you retrieve and relive the gospel story.

There are also different customs and variations associated with the Rosary. For example, in the United States it is common to introduce and prepare for the Rosary by reciting the Apostles’ Creed, but that’s not the case in other parts of the world. Pope John Paul II said:

 “In some places, it is customary to begin with the opening words of Psalm 70: “O God, come to my aid; O Lord, make haste to help me”, as if to nourish in those who are praying a humble awareness of their own insufficiency. In other places, the Rosary begins with the recitation of the Creed [as in the United States], as if to make the profession of faith the basis of the contemplative journey about to be undertaken. These and similar customs, to the extent that they prepare the mind for contemplation, are all equally legitimate.”

The objective of the Rosary is to recall 20 key events (Mysteries) within the gospel, to meditate upon them and to give glory and thanks to God for his mercy and love. During the process his incredible and incomprehensible majesty and power become increasingly apparent and we come to understand our complete and utter dependence upon him. Even though by all outward appearances the Rosary may seem repetitive, it is not. Every time we pray the Hail Mary, the Lord’s Prayer, the Glory Be or the Fatima Prayer our mind is given the opportunity to reflect the meaning of those prayers and the particular Mystery which we are contemplating. The Rosary is a means to a perfect union with Christ.

The next two sections, “Mechanics of the Rosary” and “Prayers of the Rosary” have been included for readers who may not know how to pray the Rosary. If you already pray the Rosary, you may want to go ahead and skip to the section entitled, “The 20 Gospel Mysteries (Steps 6, 8 and 11).”

Mechanics of the Rosary

Our picture of the Rosary also includes the steps in praying the Rosary. Here is a more detailed breakdown:

1.  First, recite the Prayer before the Rosary. In this prayer we ask Mary to help us meditate upon the mysteries of our redemption recalled in the rosary and obtain peace for the world, the conversion of sinners and of Russia, and a special favor we are seeking.

2.  The Rosary begins by making the sign of the cross and, while holding the crucifix, reciting the Apostles’ Creed, which is an ancient summary of our Christian beliefs.

3.  The large bead next to the Crucifix reminds us to recite the Lord’s Prayer (the Our Father). This is the prayer taught by Jesus himself.

4.  There is then a gap, followed by three small beads. Say a Hail Mary upon each of them and, at the same time, (if possible) recall the three principle virtues of our Christian faith:

a.  Faith

b.  Hope

c.  Charity

The Hail Mary is in two parts. The first part honors Mary and repeats the language of the Angel Gabriel at the Annunciation (Luke 1:28) and Elizabeth when Mary visited her shortly thereafter (Luke 1:42). The second part asks Mary to pray for us, now and at the hour of her death.

5.  After finishing the third Hail Mary, pray the Glory Be. In this prayer we venerate and praise the Eternal Trinity who is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Recalling and meditating upon the Mysteries

6.  Moving to the large bead next to the Hail Holy Queen medal, announce the First Mystery. The First Mystery to be meditated upon depends upon the day of the week and is selected from the five Joyful Mysteries, the five Luminous Mysteries, the five Sorrowful Mysteries, or the five Glorious Mysteries.

7.  Pray the Lord’s Prayer (the Our Father).

8.  Then move to the first series of ten beads (decade) on the other side of the Hail Holy Queen medal and recite a Hail Mary upon each of the ten beads, while reflecting upon the given Mystery. Some suggestions are given in the articles describing each Mystery. See, for example, The Joyful Mysteries: The Birth and Childhood of Jesus – The Annunciation.”

9.  Between the tenth bead and the large bead pray the Glory Be . . .

10. followed by the Fatima Prayer. This is the prayer that Our Lady of Fatima told the children to pray following each decade of Hail Mary’s.

11. Repeat this cycle with the Second Mystery, then the Third, Fourth and Fifth.

12. After we have prayed the Fatima Prayer following the final decade, we recite the Hail Holy Queen of Mercy Prayer on the Hail Holy Queen medal. We therefore conclude the Rosary itself by asking Mary to show us the Blessed Fruit of her womb, Jesus.

13. Although the Prayer after the Rosary is not part of the Rosary, it is commonly prayed in North America. The Prayer after the Rosary is a direct prayer to God the Father asking for the promises of the Gospel through Jesus Christ, our Lord. After finishing the Hail Holy Queen of Mercy Prayer, we pray the Prayer after the Rosary. We will then be back to where the Rosary began. We start the Rosarian journey with the cross and, at the end, we will be back home. The Rosary always begins and ends with the cross.

It is evident that the Rosary requires active participation, thought, humility and receptiveness; there is no mindless babble involved here.

Prayers of the Rosary

Prayer before the Rosary (Step 1)

The Queen of the Holy Rosary Prayer can be prayed prior to the actual Rosary but is not part of the Rosary itself.

 Queen of the Holy Rosary, you deigned to come to Fatima to reveal to the three shepherd children the treasures of grace hidden in the Rosary. Inspire my heart with a sincere love of this devotion, in order that by meditating upon the Mysteries of our Redemption which are recalled in it, I may be enriched by its fruits and obtain peace for the world, the conversion of sinners and of Russia, and the special favor which I ask of you in this Rosary. (Here mention your request.) I ask this for the greater glory of God, for your own honor, and for the good of all souls, especially my own. Amen.

 Sign of the Cross and Apostles Creed (Step 2)

The Apostles Creed is recited over the crucifix and is universally used in the United States as part of our Rosary.

 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; the third day He arose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence He shall 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.

 The Lord’s Prayer (Our Father) (Steps 3, 7 and 11)

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.

 Hail Mary (Steps 4, 8 and 11)

Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst 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.

 Glory be to the Father (Steps 5, 9 and 11)

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 Fatima Prayer (Steps 10 and 11)

The Fatima Prayer is optional but generally used in the USA.

 O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fire of hell, and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those in most need of Your Mercy.

 Hail Holy Queen of Mercy (Step 12)

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.

 Prayer after the Rosary (Step 13)

This is commonly prayed in the USA but other traditions and cultures may use a different prayer.

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.

 The 20 Gospel Mysteries (Steps 6, 8 and 11)

The Rosary carries 20 gospel events that transcend and encompass all Christian faith traditions. Whether your background is Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Protestant, Mormon, or something else, you will recognize each Mystery (with the possible exception of two of them) as an essential part of your underlying Christian sub-faith. The vehicle may be Catholic, but the message transcends.

There is another important point to be made. We need to understand that when we talk about a “Mystery” we are not referring to something that fits within the daily definition of mystery. One normally thinks of a mystery as something which is a problem, a puzzle or something unsolvable. In the case of the Rosary, “Mystery” refers to the reality of God made manifest for us in the life of Christ and his mother. Mystery is not something unknowable, but rather it is the truth about God, a truth which God is revealing to us and intends us to know – something that we need prayerfully to reflect upon to understand. This is a process similar to the one used by Jesus in describing the Kingdom of Heaven in parables so that those who heard him and desired to hear and understand his message had to reflect upon them. Consequently, we can really substitute the term “Gospel Revelation” (which may actually be more accurate) for “Mystery” and be saying the same thing.

Be sure to visit the following pages:

The Joyful Mysteries: The Birth and Childhood of Jesus (Monday and Saturday):

1. The Annunciation. The Archangel Gabriel appears to Mary and tells her that with her consent she shall virginally conceive the Son of God.
2. The Visitation. Mary visits her elderly cousin Elizabeth who, because nothing is impossible with God, is pregnant with John the Baptist.
3. The Birth of Jesus. Jesus is born in the humblest of circumstances.
4. The Presentation. In accordance with the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph go the Jerusalem Temple and there consecrate Jesus to the Lord.
5. Finding Jesus in the Temple. After three days Mary and Joseph find the twelve-year-old Jesus in the temple, questioning and listening to the Rabbis.

The Luminous Mysteries- Jesus Proclaims the Gospel (Thursday):

1. The Baptism of Jesus. At his request, Jesus is baptized by John.
2. The Wedding at Cana. At the request of his mother, Jesus turns the water into wine.
3. Jesus Proclaims his Kingdom. Jesus proclaims the coming of the Kingdom of God.
4. The Transfiguration. Jesus is transfigured in glory and his divinity and saving power is revealed.
5. The Institution of the Eucharist. At the Last Supper Jesus gives us his body and blood.

The Sorrowful Mysteries – Christ Crucified (Tuesday and Friday):

1. The Agony in the Garden. In great anguish and knowing the indescribable physical torture and spiritual pain he was soon to suffer Jesus confronts all the sins of humanity and says to the Father: “Not my will but yours be done.”
2. The Scourging at the Pillar. Jesus is brutally whipped and lashed.
3. The Crowning with Thorns. Jesus was stripped naked, his face and eyes veiled, buffeted, sturdy thorns skewered into his head, a reed placed in his hands and crushed with blows and outrages.
4. The Way of the Cross. Bearing the cross for himself, and with Simon to help him, Jesus tortuously struggled to Golgotha.
5. The Crucifixion. Christ is crucified.

The Glorious Mysteries – Resurrection and Promise of Eternal Life (Wednesday and Sunday):

1. The Resurrection. Jesus rises from the dead and appears to his disciples.
2. The Ascension. After he promises to send them the Holy Spirit, Jesus leaves the Apostles and bodily ascends to heaven.
3. The Gift of the Holy Spirit. At Pentecost, the Apostles receive the Holy Spirit.
4. The Assumption of Our Blessed Mother. When the course of her earthly life was finished, Mary was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory.
5. The Coronation of Our Blessed Mother. The Holy Mother of God, the new Eve, Mother of the Church, continues in heaven to exercise her maternal role on behalf of the members of Christ.

Our daily Rosary

Mary found grace with the Lord as none other did. The Rosary enables us to participate in this grace by recalling and meditating upon her Son. Each time we pray the Rosary we demonstrate our gratitude for the Redeemer. We turn our hearts toward Mary and she augments our love with hers and directs our prayers to Jesus. We share with Mary, once again, his life, death and resurrection. How great is this that we ask the mother of our Savior to join with our prayers?!

If you pray the Rosary daily, the gospel will become part of your life and you will become part of the gospel. Your time investment will be about 25 minutes daily. Once you start thinking deeply about the Mysteries contained in the Rosary, you will find that during the day (and sometimes unexpectedly) your thoughts will turn to the gospel.

After all, this is what God wants from us – love, prayer, worship and our attention.

It’s pretty hard to ignore Jesus or struggle with your faith when you’ve got the Rosary.

Some related pages, websites, and references

• Understanding the Rosary

Last modified June 17, 2019