Praying the Rosary
The Rosary is a Scripture-based prayer. It begins with the Apostles' Creed, which summarizes the great mysteries of the Catholic faith. The Our Father, which introduces each mystery, is from the Gospels. The first part of the Hail Mary is the angel's words announcing Christ's birth and Elizabeth's greeting to Mary. Saint Pius V officially added the second part of the Hail Mary.
The repetition in the Rosary is meant to lead one into restful and contemplative prayer related to each Mystery. The gentle repetition of the words helps us to enter into the silence of our hearts, where Christ's spirit dwells. The Rosary can be said privately or with a group.
The Mysteries of the Rosary
The Mysteries of the Rosary center on the events of Christ's life. There are four sets of Mysteries and within each set there are five different Mysteries.
- Joyful Mysteries: The five Joyful Mysteries are traditionally prayed on Mondays, Saturdays on the Sundays during the Season of Advent.
- Sorrowful Mysteries: The five Sorrowful Mysteries are traditionally prayed on Tuesdays and Fridays and on the Sundays during the Season of Lent.
- Glorious Mysteries: The five Glorious Mysteries are traditionally prayed on Wednesdays and Sundays.
- Luminous Mysteries: The five Luminous Mysteries are traditionally prayed on Thursdays.
The mysteries of the Rosary are based on the incidents in the life of Our Lord and His Mother that are celebrated in the Liturgy.
Significance of the Rosary
The importance of the Rosary cannot be understated. The story of the Rosary begins in the year 1214 when the Holy Mother Church received the Rosary in its present form, was given to the Church by Saint Dominic, who had received it from the Blessed Mother during an apparition.
Since that beginning, the Rosary has blossomed and flourished worldwide. It has been credited with many healings, conversions, and other miracles of faith down through the succeeding years.
Time after time in apparitions to the faithful, the Blessed Mother has implored us to “Pray the Rosary.”
The word “Rosary” traces its beginning to the Latin “rosarium” meaning “rose garden.” Like a beautiful garden, the Rosary is designed as a special space; a space in which we can pray and meditate on the life of Jesus Christ. Through the Rosary, we unite ourselves with Our Blessed Mother and Her Son through prayer each and every time we recite it.
The Rosary is important not only because it encompasses many important prayers in our faith tradition, it also invites us to meditate on the various events in salvation history and also to ask of God “How does this apply to my life?”
"The Rosary is a powerful weapon to put the demons to flight and to keep oneself from sin…If you desire peace in your hearts, in your homes, and in your country, assemble each evening to recite the Rosary. Let not even one day pass without saying it, no matter how burdened you may be with many cares and labors."
-Pope Pius XI
"With the Rosary, we allow ourselves to be guided by Mary, model of faith, in meditating on the mysteries of Christ, and day after day we are helped to assimilate the Gospel, so that it shapes all our lives."
-Pope Benedict XVI
How to Pray the Rosary?
Get this excellent guide for how to pray the Rosary
The Mysteries of Christ's Life in the Rosary
The Mysteries of Christ's life are reflected in the Rosary. These Mysteries are revealed to us in Sacred Scripture. VISIT the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) website for detailed descriptions of the Mysteries of Christ Life.
