The use of beads or knotted ropes to count large numbers of prayers comes from the earliest days of Christianity, but the rosary as we know it today emerged in the second thousand years of Church history. The full rosary consists of 150 Hail Marys, divided into three sets of 50, which are further divided into five sets of 10 (a decade).
Traditionally, the rosary is divided into three sets of mysteries: Joyful (recited on Monday and Thursday, and Sunday from Advent until Lent); Sorrowful (Tuesday and Friday, and Sunday during Lent); and Glorious (Wednesday and Saturday, and Sunday from Easter until Advent).
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: 20 minutes
Here's How:
Make the Sign of the Cross
Recite the Apostles' Creed
On the crucifix, recite The Apostles' Creed.Pray the Our Father
On the first bead above the crucifix, recite The Our Father.Pray the Hail Mary Three Times
On the next three beads, recite The Hail Mary.Pray the Glory Be
Announce the First Mystery of the Rosary
Announce the appropriate Joyful, Sorrowful, or Glorious mystery for that decade of the rosary.Pray the Our Father
On the single bead, pray The Our Father.Pray the Hail Mary Ten Times
On the next ten beads, pray The Hail Mary.Optional: Pray the Glory Be
Optional: Pray the Fatima Prayer
The Fatima Prayer was given to the three shepherd children at Fatima by Our Lady, who asked that they recite it at the end of each decade of the rosary.Repeat Steps 5-9 for the Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Decades
Optional: Pray the Hail Holy Queen
Optional: Pray for the Intentions of the Holy Father
Pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be for the intentions of the Holy Father.Conclude With the Sign of the Cross
Tips:
- For public or communal recitation, a leader should announce each mystery and pray the first half of each prayer. The others praying the rosary should respond with the second half of each prayer.
What You Need:
- A standard rosary (five decades) or a rosary bracelet (one decade)
