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Begin the Rosary by crossing yourself with the Sign of the Cross and then recite the Creed Apostolic.
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Proceed with the Our Father , 3 Hail Marys for an increase of faith, hope, and charity, and also a Glory to the Father in the spaces between the rosary beads indicated in the diagram above.
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Say the first mystery, for example, “The first joyful mystery is the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary.” Pray the Our Father , 10 Hail Marys , the Glory to the Father and the Fatima Prayer (“O My Jesus”) while meditating on the mystery.
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Do the same for each subsequent mystery.
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At the end of each rosary of the day, recite a Hail Holy Queen and the last concluding prayers .
We strongly recommend that all 15 decades of the Rosary be prayed daily. Our Lady repeatedly emphasized in her Fatima messages the importance of praying the Rosary daily. She even said that in order to enter heaven, Francis would have to pray “many rosaries.” Praying all 15 decades of the Rosary daily can be done in a variety of ways. However, for many it is easier to pray it at different times of the day, for example, praying the Joyful Mysteries in the morning, the Sorrowful Mysteries at noon, and the Glorious Mysteries in the afternoon. The Hail Holy Queen prayer only needs to be prayed at the end of the daily Rosary.
An essential part of the Rosary is meditation on the mysteries, on episodes in the lives of Our Lord and Our Lady. This means contemplating them, visualizing them, considering the graces and merits that are manifested in them, and using them as inspiration to know and love God better. It is also common to focus on a particular virtue in each mystery; the virtues recommended by St. Louis de Montfort are given in the following tables.
| The Joyful Mysteries | Virtues (Saint Louis de Montfort) |
|---|---|
| 1. The Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary | Humility |
| 2. The Visitation of Mary to her cousin Saint Elizabeth | True charity towards others |
| 3. The Birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ | Detachment from worldly things, contempt for riches, and love of poverty |
| 4. The Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple, and the Purification of His Holy Mother | The purity of body and soul |
| 5. The Reunion of Our Lord in the Temple | Divine wisdom |
| The Sorrowful Mysteries | Virtues (Saint Louis de Montfort) |
|---|---|
| 1. The Agony in the Garden of Olives | Contrition for our sins |
| 2. The Scourging of Jesus Tied to the Pillar | The mortification of our senses |
| 3. The Crowning with Thorns | Aversion to human respect |
| 4. The Carrying of the Cross | Patience in carrying our crosses |
| 5. The Crucifixion | The Conversion of Sinners, the Perseverance of the Just, and the Relief of Souls in Purgatory |
| The Glorious Mysteries | Virtues (Saint Louis de Montfort) |
|---|---|
| 1. The Resurrection | The Love of God and fervor in his service |
| 2. The Ascension of Our Lord into Heaven | Burning desire for Heaven, our true home |
| 3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost | The coming of the Holy Spirit upon our souls |
| 4. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven | Devotion to Our Holy Mother |
| 5. The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Heaven and Earth | Perseverance in grace and the attainment of the crown of glory in the next life |
Rosary Prayers
The Sign of the Cross
With your right hand, make a cross by touching your forehead, then your chest, your left shoulder and your right shoulder in succession while saying the words: “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”
The Apostles' Creed
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; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
Our Father
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 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
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 now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Glory to the Father
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Fatima Prayer
Oh my Jesus, forgive us and save us from the fires of hell; take all souls to Heaven, especially those who are most in need.
(William Thomas Walsh, Our Lady of Fatima, Melhoramentos Editions, 2nd Edition, p. 197)
Hail Holy Queen and concluding prayers
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope, hail! To thee do we cry, we who are the degraded children of Eve. To thee do we sigh, groaning and weeping in this vale of tears. Come, then, our Advocate, turn your merciful eyes upon us; and after this exile show us Jesus, the blessed fruit of your womb, O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
Pray for us, Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray. O God, who by the life, death, and resurrection of your only-begotten Son have purchased eternal life for us, grant, we beseech you, that by venerating the mysteries of the most holy Rosary of the Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise. Through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
