HOW TO PRAY THE ROSARY
SHORT INTRODUCTION
The word Rosary means “Crown of Roses”. In different revelations, Our Lady confirmed that every time we say a Hail Mary it is the same as we give her a beautiful rose and with each complete Rosary we give her a crown of roses. The rose is the queen of flowers as the Holy Rosary is the queen of all devotions, the most beautiful and most important one.
The Holy Rosary is always considered a “complete” prayer because it represents a summary of our history of salvation. With the Rosary we meditate the five “mysteries”: the joyful mysteries, the mysteries of light, the sorrowful mysteries and the glorious mysteries of Jesus and Mary.
When we invite our Heavenly Mother to pray for us with the Hail Mary, the Virgin Mary herself joins us to our prayer raising it and making it more perfect to our Father’s eyes. Praying the Rosary is never vain, because when the Virgin Mary asks for something, she always obtains it since she is the Omnipotent by Grace!
In all the apparitions, our Heavenly Mother always encouraged us to pray the daily Rosary as a powerful weapon against Evil, for the sinners’ conversion and for ours and our neighbor’s sanctification.
⇒ For more information on the origins of the Rosary, click HERE.
PRAYING THE HOLY ROSARY
Make the Sign of the Cross (1) saying: “In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen”.
O God come to my aid;
O Lord, make haste to help me.
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.
Say the Apostles’ Creed (1):
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. From there he will 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 the life everlasting. Amen.
Then say one Our Father (2), three Hail Marys (3) (one for Faith, one for Hope and one for Charity) one Glory be to the Father (4). Now say the Mistery and pray the Our Father (5); say ten Hail Marys (6); at the end of the decade say the Glory be to the Father followed by the Fatima Prayer (7) as follows:
“O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those in most need of Thy mercy” (Our Lady in Fatima, July 13 1917).
Repeat this sequence 5 times. Let’s recap:
• Say the Mystery at the beginning of each decade
• One Our Father
• Ten Hail Marys
• One Glory be to the Father
• Fatima Prayer
At the end of the five decades we pray the Hail, Holy Queen. At the end of the Rosary, the Loreto Litany prayer is recited.
HOLY ROSARY PRAYERS MYSTERIES
JOYFUL MYSTERIES (Monday and Saturday)
1) The Annunciation
2) The Visitation
3) The Birth of Our Lord
4) The Presentation in the Temple
5) The finding of Jesus in the temple
MYSTERIES OF LIGHT (Thursday)
1) The Baptism in the Jordan
2) The wedding feast of Cana
3) The proclamation of the kingdom of God
4) The Transfiguration
5) The institution of the Eucharist
SORROWFUL MYSTERIES (Tuesday and Friday)
1) The agony in the Garden
2) The scourging at the pillar
3) The crowning with thorns
4) The carrying of the cross
5) The crucifixion
GLORIOUS MYSTERIES (Wednesday and Sunday)
1) The Resurrection
2) The Ascension
3) The descent of the Holy Spirit
4) The Assumption
5) The crowning of Our Lady Queen of Heaven
HAIL, HOLY QUEEN
Hail, holy Queen, mother of mercy; hail, 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 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. Amen.
THE LORETO LITANIES
Lord have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy.
Christ hear us.
Christ graciously hear us.
God, the Father of heaven,
have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
God the Holy Spirit,
Holy Trinity, one God.
Holy Mary,
pray for us.
Holy Mother of God,
Holy Virgin of virgins,
Mother of Christ,
Mother of the Church,
Mother of divine grace,
Mother most pure,
Mother most chaste,
Mother inviolate,
Mother undefiled,
Mother most amiable,
Mother admirable,
Mother of good counsel,
Mother of our Creator,
Mother of our Saviour,
Mother of mercy,
Virgin most prudent,
Virgin most venerable,
Virgin most renowned,
Virgin most powerful,
Virgin most merciful,
Virgin most faithful,
Mirror of justice,
Seat of wisdom,
Cause of our joy,
Spiritual vessel,
Vessel of honour,
Singular vessel of devotion,
Mystical rose,
Tower of David,
Tower if ivory,
House of gold,
Ark of the covenant,
Gate of heaven,
Morning star,
Health of the sick,
Refuge of sinners,
Comfort of the afflicted,
Help of Christians,
Queen of Angels,
Queen of Patriarchs,
Queen of Prophets,
Queen of Apostles,
Queen of Martyrs,
Queen of Confessors,
Queen of Virgins,
Queen of all Saints,
Queen conceived without original sin,
Queen assumed into heaven,
Queen of the most holy Rosary,
Queen of families,
Queen of peace.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
LET US PRAY
Grant, we beseech thee, O Lord God, that we, your servants, may enjoy perpetual health of mind and body; and by the intercession of the Blessed Mary, ever Virgin, may be delivered from present sorrow, and obtain eternal joy. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
External links:
• How to pray the Rosary (Dummies)
• Rosary (Wikipedia)
• Vendita Corone del Rosario