What is the Rosary, exactly?
The Rosary is a traditional Catholic prayer to honour the Virgin Mary. It consists of 20 “mysteries” that recall joyful, luminous, sorrowful, and glorious episodes in Jesus and Mary’s lives.
We use the same name for the string of beads used to count the prayers of the Rosary.
How do you pray the Rosary?
The Rosary starts with the sign of the Cross. It is divided into 5 decades. Begin each by announcing the mystery, and use the beads of the rosary (1 large and 10 small) to count the prayers: 1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, a Glory Be, and the Fatima prayer.
- Glorious mysteries (Sundays and Wednesdays)
- Joyful mysteries (Mondays and Saturdays)
- Sorrowful mysteries (Tuesdays and Fridays)
- Luminous mysteries (Thursdays)
The Rosary can be concluded with the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary and prayers for the Church and for your country, the bishop of the diocese, and the souls in Purgatory.
Different parts of the world add different prayers and aspirations, showing the richness of popular piety in the Church.
Where does the Rosary come from?
The origin of the Rosary goes back to the birth of the “Hail Mary,” a prayer to honour Mary with words addressed to her in Scripture, in the 9th century. The Rosary seems to have originated in the Order of St. Benedict and spread through the action of the Dominicans.
Okay, but why pray this prayer?
The Rosary is a prayer especially recommended by the Popes and the Magisterium of the Catholic Church; it is simple but very deep summary of Gospel message. And our Lady herself has encouraged us to pray the Rosary in her apparitions on Earth.
From Heaven, Mary continues acting as Mother to all of us. That’s why we turn to her for help in all our needs, to entrust our joys and concerns to her.