The Holy Rosary: A Step-by-Step Guide
What is the Rosary?
A beloved Catholic prayer, the Rosary opens with the Creed and closes with the Salve Regina.
The main body of the Rosary involves meditating upon five mysteries of Jesus’ life while praying five decades (comprising the Our Father, ten Hail Marys, and the Glory Be).
The Rosary is meant to be a contemplative and intercessory prayer, wherein we bring to mind the life of Christ through the mysteries and ask Mary to join us in interceding for ourselves and others.
Before You Begin
Having a set of rosary beads to pray helps keep track of the decades and guides you through each step of the Rosary. But if you don’t have a set, simple use your fingers to count or count mentally.
If you’re new to praying the Rosary, try using a prayer card (like the one below) or a prayer booklet that can guide you through the prayers.
The Mysteries of the Rosary
The twenty mysteries recount significant events from the life of Christ as recorded in the Gospels. Each set is assigned to specific days of the week and invites us to reflect on the mystery as we pray the decade.
The Joyful Mysteries (Mondays &Saturdays)
- The Annunciation
- The Visitation
- The Birth of Jesus in Bethlehem
- The Presentation of Jesus
- The Finding of Jesus in the Temple
The Sorrowful Mysteries (Tuesdays & Fridays)
- The Agony of Our Lord in the Garden
- The Scourging at the Pillar
- The Crowning with Thorns
- The Carrying of the Cross
- The Crucifixion & Death of Our Lord
The Luminous Mysteries (Thursdays)
- The Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan
- The Wedding at Cana
- The Proclamation of the Kingdom of God
- The Transfiguration
- The Institution of the Holy Eucharist
The Glorious Mysteries (Wednesdays & Sundays)
- The Resurrection of Our Lord
- The Ascension of Our Lord
- The Descent of the Holy Spirit
- The Assumption of Mary
- The Coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven & Earth
How to Pray the Rosary: Step-by-Step
An Intercessory Prayer
While the Rosary is a contemplative prayer, it is also a great weapon of intercession. As a family, we have received the grace of many answered prayers for ourselves and for others through the praying of the Rosary and the intercession of Mary joined to ours.
A wonderful way to begin the Rosary, then, is to offer it to the Father for any intentions we may have, as we join in prayer with Mary.

