How to Pray the Rosary

In honor of the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary (October 7), I am posting how to pray the rosary. I'm sure many of you are already very familiar with this prayer, but if not, I invite you to try it and discover its beauty and power for yourself.

The Rosary is a beautiful meditative prayer which invites us to meditate on the lives of Jesus and Mary.

These are the prayers used in saying the Rosary:

Sign of the Cross:
In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

The Apostles Creed
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 sits at the right hand of God, the Father almighty; from there 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.

Our Father
Our Father, who are in heaven, hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come, they 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
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

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.

Hail Holy Queen
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 Virgin Mary,
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 worthy of the promises of Christ.

1. Make the Sign of the Cross and pray the Apostles' Creed on the crucifix
2. Pray the Our Father on the first large bead.
3. Pray the Hail Mary on each of the three small beads.
4. Pray the Glory Be to the Father and announce the first Mystery
5. Pray the Our Father on the next large bead.
6. Pray one Hail Mary on each of the next ten small beads while meditating on the first Mystery.
7. Pray the Glory Be and announce the second Mystery.
8. Pray the Our Father.
9. Repeat steps 6,7, and 8, continuing with the third, fourth, and fifth Mysteries.
10. conclude with the Hail Holy Queen.

The Mysteries of the Rosary
Generally speaking, each day, one set of five Mysteries is meditated upon.
Joyful Mysteries

1. The Annunciation (the angel appears to Mary)
2. The Visitation (Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth)
3. The Nativity (Jesus is born)
4. The Presentation (Mary and Joseph bring Jesus to the Temple)
5. The Finding of Jesus in the Temple

Luminous Mysteries

1. Jesus is Baptized
2. The Miracle at Cana
3. Jesus tells us of God's Kingdom
4. Jesus shows us His Glory
5. Jesus gives us the Eucharist

Sorrowful Mysteries

1. The Agony in the Garden
2. The Scourging at the Pillar
3. The Crowning with Thorns
4. Jesus carries his Cross
5. The Crucifixion (Jesus dies on the cross)

Glorious Mysteries

1. The Resurrection (Jesus rises from the dead)
2. The Ascension (Jesus returns to his Father in heaven)
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles
4. The Assumption of Mary into Heaven
5. The Crowning of Mary as Queen of Heaven