How to Pray the Rosary
The Rosary combines spoken prayers with quiet reflection on key moments in the life of Jesus Christ. You may pray one decade or all five.
What You Need
- A rosary (or simply your fingers)
- A few quiet minutes
Begin
-
Make the Sign of the Cross.
Show prayer text
In the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen. -
Pray the Apostles’ Creed.
Show prayer text
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 is seated 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 life everlasting.
Amen. -
Pray one Our Father.
Show prayer text
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. -
Pray three Hail Marys.
Show prayer text
Hail, Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst 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. -
Pray the Glory Be.
Show prayer text
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.
The Decades
- Announce the Mystery.
Before continuing, pause briefly to call the Mystery to mind.
Name it, and allow the moment from the life of Christ to rest in your awareness.
There is no need to force images or thoughts.
This quiet attention prepares the heart for the prayer that follows.
-
Pray one Our Father.
Show prayer text
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. -
Pray ten Hail Marys.
Show prayer text
Hail, Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst 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. -
Pray the Glory Be.
Show prayer text
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. -
Pray the Fatima Prayer.
Show prayer text
O My Jesus,
forgive us our sins,
save us from the fires of Hell.
Lead all souls to Heaven,
especially those in most need of Thy mercy.
Closing
-
Pray the Hail, Holy Queen.
Show prayer text
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy,
Hail our life, our sweetness and our hope.
To thee do we cry,
poor banished children of Eve.
To thee do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this valley of tears
Turn then, most gracious advocate,
your eyes of mercy toward us,
and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving,
O sweet Virgin Mary.
Pray for us O Holy Mother of God,
that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
-
Pray the concluding prayer.
Show prayer text
Let us pray.
O God, whose only begotten Son,
by His life, death, and resurrection,
has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life,
grant, we beseech Thee,
that by meditating upon these mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise,
through the same Christ Our Lord.
Amen. -
Make the Sign of the Cross.
Show prayer text
In the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.