How to pray the rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The use of beads or knotted ropes to count a large number of prayers comes from the early days of Christianity, but the rosary as we know it today emerged in the second millennium of the history of the Church. The complete rosary is made up of 150 Ave Maria, divided into three series of 50, which are further divided into five series of 10 (a decade).

Traditionally, the rosary is divided into three series of mysteries: joyful (recited on Mondays and Thursdays and Sundays from advent until Lent); Addolorata (Tuesday and Friday and Sunday during Lent); and Glorioso (Wednesday and Saturday and Sunday from Easter until advent). (When Pope John Paul II introduced the optional Bright Mysteries in 2002, he recommended praying the Joyful Mysteries on Mondays and Saturdays and the Glorious Mysteries on Wednesdays and Sundays all year round, leaving Thursday open for meditation on the Bright Mysteries. )

First step
Create the sign of the cross.

Step two
On the crucifix, read The Apostles' Creed.

Third step
On the first heel above the crucifix, recite the Our Father.

Phase four
On the next three pearls, read The Hail Mary.

Phase five
Pray for glory.

Glory to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, as it was at the beginning, it is now and always will be the world without end. Amen.

Step six 
Announce the joyful, painful, glorious or luminous mystery appropriate for that decade of the rosary.

Step seven 
On the one pearl, pray to the Our Father.

Step eight
On the next ten pearls, pray The Hail Mary.

Step Nine optional
Pray the glory Be or pray the prayer of Fatima. The Fatima prayer was given to the three shepherd children of Fatima by the Madonna, who asked to recite it at the end of each decade of the rosary.

So repeat
Repeat steps 5 through 9 for the second, third, fourth and fifth decades.

Optional step 10
Pray to the Ave Regina.

And you can also pray for the intentions of the Holy Father: pray to our Father, an Hail Mary and a Glory for both the intentions of the Holy Father.

To conclude
Conclude with the sign of the cross

Tips for praying
For public or community acting, a leader should announce each mystery and pray the first half of each prayer. Others who pray the rosary should respond with the second half of each prayer.