The Rosary

PDF: The Rosary
Videos: The Rosary Playlist
Text and Videos: About the Rosary icon or button linking to more information on this prayer
Text: About Mary icon or button linking to more information on this prayer

The following is a common Rosary format. Instructions are at the bottom of this page and the links above. You can meditate on any set of Mysteries on any day. Some meditate as follows:

Joyful – Monday and Saturday
Luminous – Thursday
Sorrowful – Tuesday and Friday
Glorious – Wednesday and Sunday

Pray The Rosary

When praying in a group, the leader will read what is in black (V). Everyone will say what is in red (All or R).

Sign of the Cross

All. In the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Apostles’ Creed

V. 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,
and on the third day 
he rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God,
the Father almighty.
From there he will come to judge
the living and the dead.
R. 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

V. Our Father,
who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
R. 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 (3x)

V. Hail Mary, full of grace, 
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit 
of thy womb, Jesus.
R. Holy Mary, Mother of God, 
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death. 
Amen.

Glory Be

V. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit.
R. As it was in the beginning,
is now and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

The First Mystery

Joyful – The Annunciation
Luminous – The Baptism of Jesus
Sorrowful – The Agony in the Garden
Glorious – The Resurrection

Our Father

V. Our Father,
who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
R. 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 (10x)

V. Hail Mary, full of grace, 
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit 
of thy womb, Jesus.
R. Holy Mary, Mother of God, 
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death. 
Amen.

Glory Be

V. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit.
R. As it was in the beginning,
is now and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

O My Jesus

V. O my Jesus,
R. forgive us our sins.
Save us from the fires of hell.
Lead all souls to heaven,
especially those in most need of thy mercy.

The Second Mystery

Joyful – The Visitation
Luminous – The Wedding at Cana
Sorrowful – The Crowning of Thorns
Glorious – The Ascension

Our Father

V. Our Father,
who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
R. 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 (10x)

V. Hail Mary, full of grace, 
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit 
of thy womb, Jesus.
R. Holy Mary, Mother of God, 
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death. 
Amen.

Glory Be

V. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit.
R. As it was in the beginning,
is now and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

O My Jesus

V. O my Jesus,
R. forgive us our sins.
Save us from the fires of hell.
Lead all souls to heaven,
especially those in most need of thy mercy.

The Third Mystery

Joyful – The Birth of Jesus
Luminous – The Proclamation of the Kingdom
Sorrowful – The Scourging at the Pillar
Glorious – The Descent of the Holy Spirit

Our Father

V. Our Father,
who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
R. 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 (10x)

V. Hail Mary, full of grace, 
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit 
of thy womb, Jesus.
R. Holy Mary, Mother of God, 
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death. 
Amen.

Glory Be

V. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit.
R. As it was in the beginning,
is now and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

O My Jesus

V. O my Jesus,
R. forgive us our sins.
Save us from the fires of hell.
Lead all souls to heaven,
especially those in most need of thy mercy.

The Forth Mystery

Joyful – The Presentation
Luminous – The Transfiguration
Sorrowful – The Carrying of the Cross
Glorious – The Assumption

Our Father

V. Our Father,
who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
R. 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 (10x)

V. Hail Mary, full of grace, 
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit 
of thy womb, Jesus.
R. Holy Mary, Mother of God, 
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death. 
Amen.

Glory Be

V. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit.
R. As it was in the beginning,
is now and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

O My Jesus

V. O my Jesus,
R. forgive us our sins.
Save us from the fires of hell.
Lead all souls to heaven,
especially those in most need of thy mercy.

The Fifth Mystery

Joyful – The Finding in the Temple
Luminous – The Institution of the Eucharist
Sorrowful – The Crucifixion
Glorious – The Coronation

Our Father

V. Our Father,
who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
R. 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 (10x)

V. Hail Mary, full of grace, 
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit 
of thy womb, Jesus.
R. Holy Mary, Mother of God, 
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death. 
Amen.

Glory Be

V. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit.
R. As it was in the beginning,
is now and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

O My Jesus

V. O my Jesus,
R. forgive us our sins.
Save us from the fires of hell.
Lead all souls to heaven,
especially those in most need of thy mercy.

Hail Holy Queen

V. Hail,
R. 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.

V. Pray for us O holy Mother of God,
R. that we may be worthy
of the promises of Christ.

Rosary Closing Prayer

V. Let us pray:
R.
O God, whose Only Begotten Son,
by his life, death, and resurrection,
has purchased for us
the rewards of eternal life,
grant, we beseech thee,
that while meditating on these mysteries
of the most holy Rosary,
of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
we may imitate what they contain
and obtain what they promise,
through the same Christ, our Lord.
Amen.

Sign of the Cross

All. In the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

A Simple Rosary for Children

  1. Make and say the Sign of the Cross.
  2. Say the Our Father.
  3. Say the Hail Mary 10 times.
    They can use their fingers to keep track, pebbles or other objects, or have them make a string with 10 beads.
  4. Make and say the Sign of the Cross.

A Personal Rosary

A variation of the Rosary that we like to pray is where we focus on a different person, group, or cause, for each Hail Mary prayer, instead of focusing on a Mystery. For example:

For my mom,
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,
and pray for my mom,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

How to Pray the Rosary

1. Make and say the Sign of the Cross.

2. Say the Apostles’ Creed holding the Crucifix.

3. Say the Our Father on the first bead.

4. Say the Hail Mary on the next three beads.

5. Say the Glory Be, no bead.
Next are the five decades. These decades focus on a set of events, mysteries, of the life of Jesus. Choose any set of mysteries, or follow the pattern outlined.

6. Announce the first mystery then say the Our Father on the next bead, before the medallion.
Next, skip over the medallion to the first set of 10 beads.

7. While saying 10 Hail Mary prayers, one on each bead, meditate on the first mystery.

8. Say the Glory Be and the O My Jesus, no bead.

9. thru 12. Repeat 6, 7, and 8 for the next four mysteries.

13. Say the Hail Holy Queen and the Rosary Closing Prayer on the medallion.

14. Make and say the Sign of the Cross.