The rosary is one of the best-known prayers of the Catholic Church, and yet many people no longer remember exactly how it is prayed. That is no problem: you can learn it in a few minutes. In this guide we explain step by step how to pray the rosary, which mysteries belong to which day of the week and why October is regarded as the month of the rosary.
What is the rosary?
The rosary is a prayer and also the string of beads on which it is prayed. The beads help with counting, so that the mind is free for what matters: the life of Jesus, contemplated through the eyes of Mary. You repeat familiar prayers such as the Our Father and the Hail Mary while thinking of scenes from the life of Jesus. These scenes are called “mysteries”.
The name comes from the image of a garland of roses that you “weave” for Mary in prayer. The rosary took its present form in the late Middle Ages.
How the rosary beads are structured
A full rosary has 59 beads. A cross hangs at the end, followed by a single bead, three beads and another single bead. Then the circle itself begins, with five sections. Each section, also called a decade, consists of ten small beads. Between the decades lies a single, often larger, bead.
- Cross: Apostles’ Creed
- Single large beads: Our Father
- Small beads: Hail Mary
- After each decade: Glory Be
Praying the rosary: step by step
- Begin at the cross: Make the Sign of the Cross and pray the Apostles’ Creed.
- First large bead: Pray an Our Father.
- Three small beads: Pray three Hail Marys. After the name “Jesus” you add a petition each time: “who may increase our faith”, “who may strengthen our hope” and “who may enkindle our love”.
- Then: Glory Be.
- First decade: On the large bead you pray an Our Father. On the ten small beads follow ten Hail Marys. After the word “Jesus” you insert the mystery, for example: “… and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus, whom thou, O Virgin, didst conceive of the Holy Spirit.” Finish with Glory Be.
- Four more decades: In the same way, each with the next mystery.
- Conclusion: Many people end with the “Hail, Holy Queen” (Salve Regina) or a prayer in their own words, and close with the Sign of the Cross.
A whole rosary of five decades takes about 15 to 20 minutes. If that is too much, start by praying a single decade. That, too, is a complete prayer.
The mysteries of the rosary
There are four sets of five mysteries each. Each mystery is inserted in the Hail Mary after the name of Jesus.
The Joyful Mysteries
- whom thou, O Virgin, didst conceive of the Holy Spirit
- whom thou, O Virgin, didst carry to Elizabeth
- whom thou, O Virgin, didst bring forth
- whom thou, O Virgin, didst present in the temple
- whom thou, O Virgin, didst find in the temple
The Luminous Mysteries
- who was baptised by John
- who revealed himself at the wedding at Cana
- who proclaimed the Kingdom of God to us
- who was transfigured on the mountain
- who gave us the Eucharist
The Sorrowful Mysteries
- who sweated blood for us
- who was scourged for us
- who was crowned with thorns for us
- who carried the heavy cross for us
- who was crucified for us
The Glorious Mysteries
- who rose from the dead
- who ascended into heaven
- who sent us the Holy Spirit
- who took thee, O Virgin, up into heaven
- who crowned thee, O Virgin, in heaven
The Luminous Mysteries were added by Pope John Paul II in 2002.
Which mysteries on which day?
- Monday and Saturday: Joyful Mysteries
- Tuesday and Friday: Sorrowful Mysteries
- Wednesday and Sunday: Glorious Mysteries
- Thursday: Luminous Mysteries
In Advent and the Christmas season, many also pray the Joyful Mysteries on Sundays, and in Lent the Sorrowful Mysteries.
October: the month of the rosary
On 7 October the Church celebrates the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. It recalls the naval battle of Lepanto in 1571, after which Pope Pius V honoured the prayer of the faithful. From 1883, Pope Leo XIII recommended in several encyclicals that the rosary be prayed daily throughout October. Since then October has been regarded as the month of the rosary. In these weeks many parishes invite people to rosary devotions, often before the evening Mass.
If you want to rediscover the rosary for yourself, October is a good time to begin: one decade each day, and by the end of the month you will know all the mysteries.
Choosing a rosary
A rosary should sit comfortably in the hand. Wooden beads are light and warm, glass beads somewhat heavier and shinier. In our Rosaries collection you will find, for example:
- the rosary in light wood with Miraculous Medal (approx. 50 cm),
- the rosary with red glass beads and Madonna medal,
- the rosary in dark wood with St Benedict cross,
- and the haematite rosary with St Benedict cross.
These rosaries are blessed: a Catholic priest from the Diocese of Fulda blesses them in our own warehouse, and a certificate card showing the date of the blessing is included. A rosary also makes a lovely gift for First Holy Communion or Confirmation. We explain what the medals on a rosary mean in Christian Medals and Their Meaning.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a rosary take?
A rosary of five decades takes about 15 to 20 minutes. A single decade can be prayed in three to four minutes.
Do you always have to pray all five decades?
No. A single decade is also a complete prayer. Many people pray just one decade while travelling or before going to sleep.
Which mysteries do you pray today?
On Monday and Saturday the Joyful, on Tuesday and Friday the Sorrowful, on Wednesday and Sunday the Glorious and on Thursday the Luminous Mysteries.
Why is October the month of the rosary?
On 7 October it is the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. From 1883, Pope Leo XIII recommended praying the rosary daily throughout October.
Can Protestant Christians pray the rosary too?
Yes. The rosary is shaped above all by Catholic tradition, but anyone can pray it. There are also Protestant prayer beads, such as the “Pearls of Faith”.
Written by Denis & Belinda. We run LUNEXUS and are happy to answer your questions personally on +49 30 2178 2502 (German and English) or at hallo@lunexus.world.
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