The Rosary is a form of vocal and mental prayer on the Mysteries of our Redemption , divided into twenty decades. The recitation of each decade is accompanied by meditation on one of the twenty events or “mysteries” in the life of Christ and his Blessed Mother.
How To pray the Rosary:
1. Make the Sign of the Cross
2. Say the “Apostles’ Creed”
3. Say the “Our Father”
4. Say three “Hail Marys” and the “Glory Be.”
5. Begin each Mystery with one Our Father followed by ten “Hail Marys”.
6. End each mystery with the “Glory Be” followed by the “Fatima Prayer”
7. After concluding all five mysteries, pray the “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 vale of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.”
followed by the “Fatima Prayer:”
“O God, whose only begotten Son, by His life, death, and resurrection has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life, grant, we bessech Thee, that meditating upon these mysteries in 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.”
It is customary to offer prayers for the Holy Father (Our Father, Hail Mary & Glory Be) the local Bishop (Our Father, Hail Mary & Glory Be) and the holy Souls in Purgatory (Our Father & Hail Mary) before closing the Rosary with the sign of the Cross.
The Rosary Mysteries consist of 4 groups as follows:
Joyful Mysteries
I. The Annunciation
II. The Visitation
III. The Nativity
IV. The Presentation of our Lord
V. The Finding of our Lord in the Temple
Sorrowful Mysteries
I. The Agony in the Garden
II. The Scourging at the Pillar
III. The Crowning with Thorns
IV. The Carrying of the Cross
V. The Crucifixion and Death of our Lord
Glorious Mysteries
I. The Resurrection
II. The Ascension
III. The Descent of the Holy Spirit
IV. The Assumption of our Blessed Mother into Heaven
V. The Coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth
Luminous Mysteries
I. The Baptism of Christ in the Jordan
II. The Manifestation of Christ at the Wedding of Cana
III. The Proclamation of the Kingdom of God with His Call to Conversion.
IV. The Transfiguration
V. The Institution of the Eucharist