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How to Pray the Rosary
Learn the beads and the order first. Do not worry about deep meditation yet — that comes naturally once the rhythm is familiar.
What Is the Rosary?
The Rosary is a string of beads and a way of praying that has comforted Christians for centuries. It weaves together the two prayers Jesus and the angel gave us — the Our Father and the Hail Mary — into a gentle, repeating rhythm. As your fingers move from bead to bead, your hands keep count so your heart is free to rest in God.
It is prayed in five “decades,” each a set of ten Hail Marys. While you pray each decade you quietly picture one scene — one “Mystery” — from the life of Jesus and Mary. But that is the next step. First, simply learn the path around the beads below.
The Path Around the Beads
CRUCIFIX — Sign of the Cross, then the Apostles' Creed
FIRST BEAD — Our Father
THREE BEADS — one Hail Mary on each (faith, hope, charity)
NEXT BEAD — Glory Be; announce the 1st Mystery, then an Our Father
MEDAL — begin the loop here, and finish here (Hail, Holy Queen)
EACH DECADE — ten Hail Marys on the ten small beads
LARGER BEAD — Glory Be + Fatima Prayer; announce next Mystery + Our Father
The Rosary, Step by Step
Hold the CRUCIFIX. Make the Sign of the Cross, then pray the Apostles' Creed.
On the FIRST LARGE BEAD, pray one Our Father.
On each of the NEXT THREE SMALL BEADS, pray one Hail Mary — traditionally for an increase of faith, hope, and charity.
On the NEXT LARGE BEAD (or the space before the medal), pray the Glory Be.
ANNOUNCE THE FIRST MYSTERY (for example, “The first Joyful Mystery is the Annunciation”), read the Scripture passage if you wish, then pray one Our Father.
On the TEN SMALL BEADS of the first decade, pray ten Hail Marys while meditating on the Mystery.
Pray the Glory Be, then the Fatima Prayer: “O my Jesus, forgive us our sins…”
ANNOUNCE THE SECOND MYSTERY, pray one Our Father on the large bead, then ten Hail Marys, the Glory Be, and the Fatima Prayer — exactly as before.
Continue the same way through the THIRD, FOURTH, and FIFTH Mysteries, all the way around the loop.
When you arrive back at the MEDAL, pray the Hail, Holy Queen and the Closing Prayer.
Pray the St. Michael Prayer (a beloved custom after the Rosary), then finish with the Sign of the Cross.
Which Mysteries on Which Day
| Day | Mysteries |
|---|---|
| Monday | Joyful Mysteries |
| Tuesday | Sorrowful Mysteries |
| Wednesday | Glorious Mysteries |
| Thursday | Luminous Mysteries |
| Friday | Sorrowful Mysteries |
| Saturday | Joyful Mysteries |
| Sunday | Glorious Mysteries (Joyful during Advent; Sorrowful during Lent) |
Ready for the heart of the Rosary?
Once the beads feel familiar, the Mysteries give the Rosary its meaning. Learn what they are and why they matter.
What Are the Mysteries? →