How to pray the Holy Rosary: a step-by-step guide

Praying the Holy Rosary is a meditative prayer practice that consists of contemplating key events in the life of Jesus and the Virgin Mary, called "mysteries".

Step-by-step structure

1. Sign of the Cross: Begin by making the sign of the cross.
2. Act of Contrition / Creed: The Apostles' Creed is prayed while holding the crucifix.
3. Initial prayers: Pray one Our Father, three Hail Marys (for faith, hope, and charity), and one Glory Be.
4. The five mysteries: For each mystery, announce the theme, and then pray 1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, and 1 Glory Be (adding the Fatima prayer at the end).
5. Conclusion: Upon finishing, it is customary to pray the Hail Holy Queen and the Litany of Loreto.

Distribution of Mysteries by Day

The Church proposes the following mysteries to contemplate each day of the week:

• Joyful (Monday and Saturday): Centered on the childhood of Jesus (The Annunciation, The Visitation, The Nativity).
• Sorrowful (Tuesday and Friday): Centered on the passion and death (Agony in the Garden, Scourging, Crucifixion).
• Glorious (Wednesday and Sunday): Centered on the victory over death (Resurrection, Ascension, Descent of the Holy Spirit).
• Luminous (Thursday): Centered on the public life of Jesus (Baptism in the Jordan, Transfiguration, Institution of the Eucharist).