The rosary

How to pray the rosary

A step-by-step guide, with every prayer

The rosary is a prayer of the Gospel. On a string of beads, Catholics pray the Our Father, the Hail Mary, and the Glory Be, while they think on the mysteries of the life of Christ and his Mother. It takes about twenty minutes, and anyone can learn it.

The steps

1. On the crucifix, make the Sign of the Cross and pray the Apostles' Creed.
2. On the first large bead, pray the Our Father.
3. On the next three small beads, pray three Hail Marys, for faith, hope, and charity.
4. Pray the Glory Be.
5. Announce the first mystery. On the large bead, pray the Our Father.
6. On the ten small beads, pray ten Hail Marys while you think on the mystery. This is a decade.
7. End the decade with the Glory Be and, if you wish, the Fatima Prayer.
8. Pray the second to fifth decades the same way, one for each mystery.
9. Close with Hail, Holy Queen and the closing prayer, and make the Sign of the Cross.

The prayers

The Sign of the Cross

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The 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; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth 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 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.

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.

The 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 Fatima Prayer

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.

Hail, Holy Queen

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.

The closing 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.

Which mysteries today

There are four sets of mysteries, each prayed on its own days of the week:

Anglicans also pray with beads. See the Anglican rosary.

The rosary: Joyful MysteriesSorrowful MysteriesGlorious MysteriesLuminous MysteriesThe Anglican rosary

Traditional Catholic prayers in their public-domain forms.

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