Catholic Prayer Collection

12 Mei 2025

The Rosary is a meditation prayer that commemorates important events in the lives of Jesus and Mary. The word "Rosary" means "crown of roses," and this prayer is like offering a garland of flowers to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

History of the Rosary

Tradition states that the Rosary was given to St. Dominic by the Blessed Virgin Mary through an apparition in 1214. However, some forms of prayer using a string of beads to count prayers existed before that. St. Dominic popularized the rosary as a tool to combat heretical teachings of his time.

"The Rosary is a prayer both so humble and simple and a theologically rich in Biblical content. I beg you to pray it." - St. John Paul II

How to Pray the Rosary

The Rosary consists of a series of meditations called "Mysteries," which are divided into four groups: the Joyful Mysteries, the Luminous Mysteries, the Sorrowful Mysteries, and the Glorious Mysteries. Each group consists of five mysteries.

Structure of the Rosary

Begin with the Sign of the Cross
Recite the Apostles' Creed
Pray one Our Father
Pray three Hail Marys for an increase in faith, hope, and charity
Pray one Glory Be
Announce the first Mystery, then pray one Our Father
Pray ten Hail Marys while meditating on the Mystery
Pray one Glory Be and the Fatima Prayer (O my Jesus...)
Repeat steps 6-8 for each Mystery
After completing the five Mysteries, pray the Hail Holy Queen and the closing prayer

Prayers of the Rosary

The Apostles' Creed:

"I 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 thence 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 art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy 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 thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy 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."

Fatima Prayer:

"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."

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 valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, 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 made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen."

The Mysteries of the Rosary

The Joyful Mysteries (Monday and Saturday)

The Annunciation
The Visitation
The Nativity
The Presentation in the Temple
The Finding in the Temple

The Luminous Mysteries (Thursday)

The Baptism of Christ in the Jordan
The Wedding Feast at Cana
Jesus' Proclamation of the Kingdom of God
The Transfiguration
The Institution of the Eucharist

The Sorrowful Mysteries (Tuesday and Friday)

The Agony in the Garden
The Scourging at the Pillar
The Crowning with Thorns
The Carrying of the Cross
The Crucifixion and Death

The Glorious Mysteries (Wednesday and Sunday)

The Resurrection
The Ascension
The Descent of the Holy Spirit
The Assumption
The Coronation of Mary

Benefits of Praying the Rosary

The Church has recognized many spiritual benefits that come from the devotion of the Rosary:

Enhanced prayer life and meditation
Growth in virtues
Strengthened faith and protection against evil
Peace for families and communities
Special graces through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Promises of the Rosary

According to tradition, Mary gave 15 promises to those who faithfully pray the Rosary:

Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall receive signal graces.
I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary.
The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell.
The Rosary will cause virtue and good works to flourish.
The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary shall not perish.

The Rosary Prayer