A Complete Rosary Guide with Litany

What does “rosary” mean?

The word “rosary” comes from the Latin for “rose garden” or “garland of roses.” The rose is associated with Our Lady. And when we pray the Rosary, each prayer of the Rosary is like offering a rose to our Mother Mary. In this way, we are offering a garland of roses to Mary whenever we pray the Rosary.

Where does the Rosary come from?

The Rosary as we know it today dates back to the Council of Trent in the mid 16th century. However, long before that, people of many different religions counted prayers on beads, stones, and knotted cords. In the Rosary, we count Hail Mary’s on beads, 150 Hail Mary’s to be exact.

The 150 Hail Mary’s in the Rosary are meant to reflect the 150 Psalms in the Bible. Catholic monasteries used to pray all 150 Psalms every day. And the laity who were illiterate and could not memorize all 150 Psalms, joined the monks in their prayer by praying 150 Paternosters, or Our Father’s, instead. Eventually, the Hail Mary’s replaced the Our Fathers.

The Feast of the Holy Rosary is October 7, and the whole month of October is dedicated to the Rosary. This day marks the victory of Rome against the Ottoman Empire at the Battle of Lepanto. The Ottoman Empire had a marvelous navy, and all Rome had was the Holy League of farmers and other under-trained men. All odds were stacked against Rome, so Pope Pius V asked all Christians to pray the Rosary to Our Lady of Victory. And on October 7, 1571, the Holy League defeated the Ottomans after only four hours of battle!

Why pray the Rosary?

The Rosary is a powerful prayer, and many Catholics say the Rosary daily. But why pray the Rosary?

1. Our Lady has asked us on five separate occasions to pray the Rosary, sometimes with tears in her eyes. Over the past century, she has appeared in Portugal, Japan, Rwanda, Argentina, and Nicaragua, asking us to pray the rosary daily to turn the world back to God.
2. The Rosary is Biblical. It is mostly made up of Our Father’s and Hail Mary’s. Jesus Himself gave us the Our Father, and the first half of the Hail Mary comes from Scripture, namely Luke 1:28 and Luke 1:42. The mysteries of the Rosary are also derived from Scripture.
3. It can be difficult to focus the mind when praying. But the repetition of the prayers in the Rosary has a way of quieting the mind, making it easier to meditate on the mysteries of the Rosary.
4. The Lord asks us to honor our mother and father in the fourth commandment. And Mary is our Heavenly Mother, so we should honor Mary. Praying the Rosary is one way in which we can honor our Heavenly Mother.
5. Mary, as the mother of Jesus, knew Jesus better than any other human being. When we pray the Rosary, we enter into the mysteries with her and allow her to guide us toward a better understanding of Christ. In this way, we can better become like Jesus Christ.
6. The Rosary is a powerful prayer. The Battle of Lepanto gives testimony to this. If we want God to bless us greatly in our lives, then we should pray the Rosary for His blessings.
7. It is calming. There is something about the repetition of Hail Mary’s and holding the Rosary that comforts me and many others when I am worried or stressed.
8. The great saints encourage us to pray the Rosary. St. Francis de Sales said, “The greatest method of praying is to pray the Rosary.” And St. Padre Pio said, “Some people are so foolish that they think they can go through life without the help of the Blessed Mother. Love the Madonna and pray the Rosary, for her Rosary is the weapon against the evils of the world today. All graces given by God pass through the Blessed Mother.”

If you are still not inspired to pray the Rosary, I suggest reading John Paul II’s letter on the Rosary, Rosarium Virginis Mariae.

How often should I pray the Rosary?

Many Catholics make the Rosary a part of their daily routine. As stated above, Mary has asked us on multiple occasions to pray the Rosary daily. It is important to pray daily, though that doesn’t necessarily have to be the Rosary. But if you aren’t currently praying the Rosary, I would encourage you to at least say a decade of the Rosary each day. After that becomes a habit, you can work your way up to 5 decades. Some Catholics even devote themselves to praying a full rosary, 15 decades, each day.

When should I pray the Rosary?

You can pray the Rosary any time you want! You can even spread out the decades of the Rosary throughout the day. But if you want some ideas of when to pray the Rosary, here are some:

• With your family after dinner – Personally, this is when I pray the Rosary. It can be crazy sometimes with a toddler and a baby, but it makes God happy all the same!)
• In the morning – If you have to go to work, you can wake up 20 minutes earlier than you normally would to pray the Rosary.
• At night before bed – Praying the Rosary before bed can help calm your mind and prepare you for a good night’s sleep. Sometimes, the Rosary even puts me to sleep! So, if you want to finish your Rosary before bed, I’d suggest sitting up with the light on. You can also ask your guardian angel to finish your Rosary for you in the event that you do fall asleep.
• In the car – As long as it doesn’t distract you from your driving, you can say the Rosary on your way to work or picking up the kids from school.
• During a walk – Rosary walks are beautiful!
• Before Mass – Get to Mass early and pray the Rosary in preparation for Mass. A lot of churches even say the Rosary together before Mass.
• During Adoration – If you go to Eucharistic Adoration, consider praying the Rosary while you are in front of Our Lord.

How to Pray the Rosary

Below is a complete, step-by-step guide to praying the Rosary, along with the optional Rosary Litany. A PDF rosary guide can be found here.

Opening Prayers

1. Apostle’s 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; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father almighty; from thence He shall 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.

2. Our Father

Pray an Our Father for the traditional intentions of the pope.

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.

3. Three Hail Mary’s

Pray three Hail Mary’s for an increase in the virtues of faith, hope, and charity.

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.

4. Glory Be

Note that the Glory Be does not have a corresponding bead on the rosary.

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.

Decades

For each decade, pray the following prayers while mediating on one of the mysteries of the Rosary (see below). A Rosary has five decades. However, if you wanted to pray the full Rosary, you would simply go around the Rosary three times.

1. Our Father (see prayer above)

2. 10 Hail Mary’s (see prayer above)

3. Glory Be (see prayer above)

4. Fatima Prayer

This prayer is optional, but Our Lady of Fatima asked us to add this prayer to the Rosary in the early 20th century.

O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, and lead all souls to heaven, especially those most in need of Thy mercy.

Closing Prayers

1. Hail, Holy Queen

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, 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, thine 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.
V. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

2. Rosary Prayer (optional)

V. Let us pray,
R. O God, whose only begotten Son, by His life, death, and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal salvation. Grant, we beseech Thee, that while meditating on these mysteries of the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, that we may both imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.

Some other optional closing prayers for the Rosary are: the Rosary Litany (see below), the St. Michael prayer, intercessory prayers (i.e., “St. Joseph, pray for us,” “St. Ann, pray for us,” etc.), and really any prayer you like.

The Rosary Litany

The Rosary Litany, approved by Pope Sixtus V in 1587, is an optional closing prayer to the Rosary. It is also called the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Litany of Loreto.

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.
God, the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, pray for us.
Holy Mother of God, pray for us.
Holy Virgin of virgins, pray for us.
Mother of Christ, pray for us.
Mother of the Church, pray for us.
Mother of Mercy, pray for us.
Mother of divine grace, pray for us.
Mother of hope, pray for us.
Mother most pure, pray for us.
Mother most chaste, pray for us.
Mother inviolate, pray for us.
Mother undefiled, pray for us.
Mother most amiable, pray for us.
Mother most admirable, pray for us.
Mother of good counsel, pray for us.
Mother of our Creator, pray for us.
Mother of our Savior, pray for us.
Virgin most prudent, pray for us.
Virgin most venerable, pray for us.
Virgin most renowned, pray for us.
Virgin most powerful, pray for us.
Virgin most merciful, pray for us.
Virgin most faithful, pray for us.
Mirror of Justice, pray for us.
Seat of Wisdom, pray for us.
Cause of our joy, pray for us.
Spiritual Vessel, pray for us.
Vessel of honor, pray for us.
Singular vessel of devotion, pray for us.
Mystical rose, pray for us.
Tower of David, pray for us.
Tower of ivory, pray for us.
House of gold, pray for us.
Ark of the Covenant, pray for us.
Gate of heaven, pray for us.
Morning star, pray for us.
Health of the sick, pray for us.
Refuge of sinners, pray for us.
Solace of migrants, pray for us.
Comforter of the afflicted, pray for us.
Help of Christians, pray for us.
Queen of Angels, pray for us.
Queen of Patriarchs, pray for us.
Queen of Prophets, pray for us.
Queen of Apostles, pray for us.
Queen of Martyrs, pray for us.
Queen of Confessors, pray for us.
Queen of Virgins, pray for us.
Queen of all Saints, pray for us.
Queen conceived without original sin, pray for us.
Queen assumed into heaven, pray for us.
Queen of the most Holy Rosary, pray for us.
Queen of the family, pray for us.
Queen of Peace, pray for us.
V. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world.
R. Spare us, O Lord.
V. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world.
R. Graciously hear us O Lord.
V. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world.
R. Have mercy on us.
V. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Mysteries of the Rosary

There are traditionally fifteen mysteries of the Rosary, divided into three groups of five mysteries: the Joyful Mysteries, the Sorrowful Mysteries, and the Glorious Mysteries. It is customary to pray the Joyful Mysteries on Mondays and Thursdays, the Sorrowful Mysteries on Tuesdays and Fridays, and the Glorious Mysteries on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. However, it may be more fitting to pray a different set of mysteries on a given day, such as the Joyful Mysteries on Christmas or the Sorrowful Mysteries during Lent.

Joyful Mysteries

1. The Annunciation, when the Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and she agreed to be the mother of Jesus (Lk 1:28)
2. The Visitation, when Mary visited Elizabeth, the mother of St. John the Baptist (Lk 1:41-42)
3. The Nativity, the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem (Lk 2:7)
4. The Presentation, when Mary and Joseph presented Jesus in the Temple forty days after His birth (Lk 2:22-23)
5. The Finding of Jesus in the Temple, when Mary and Joseph found Jesus preaching in the Temple as a boy after searching for Him for three days (Lk 2:46)

Sorrowful Mysteries

1. The Agony in the Garden, when Jesus sweat blood out of grief for our sins and His future suffering (Lk 22:44-45)
2. The Scourging at the Pillar, when Jesus was beaten until he was covered in bloody wounds (Jn 19:1)
3. The Crowning of Thorns, when a crown of thorns was placed on Jesus head to mock Him for calling Himself King (Mt 27:28-29)
4. The Carrying of the Cross, when Jesus carried His cross to Golgotha, Place of the Skull (Jn 19:17)
5. The Crucifixion, when Jesus was nailed to the cross and died at 3pm on Good Friday after three hours of agony (Lk 23:46)

Glorious Mysteries

1. The Resurrection, when Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after His crucifixion (Mk 16:6)
2. The Ascension, when Jesus ascended into Heaven forty days after His resurrection (Mk 16:19)
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles and filled them with the courage they needed to spread the Gospel (Acts 2:4)
4. The Assumption, when Mary was assumed into Heaven, body and soul (Jth 15:9-10)
5. The Coronation, when Mary was crowned Queen of Heaven and Earth (Rev 12:1)

Different Ways to Pray the Rosary

When praying the Rosary daily, it can become so habitual that we start just going through the motions of it, instead of actually praying it. In these times, it can help to change things up a bit. Here are some ideas of how to do so:

1. Meditate on something other than the mysteries of the Rosary – another point in Scripture, a struggle in your life that you want God’s help with, or something you are grateful for that God has given you.
2. Assign a different intention to each bead, or each Hail Mary, or decade.
3. Thank God for a different blessing on each bead.

A Word on the Luminous Mysteries

As you may have noticed, I have chosen to omit the Luminous Mysteries from my list above. In John Paul II’s letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae, he proposed that the Luminous Mysteries, the mysteries of Jesus’ Earthly ministry, be added “for the Rosary to become more fully a ‘compendium of the Gospel.'” However, that was purely a proposal. The Luminous Mysteries are not part of the official Rosary. It is left up to each individual whether or not they want to include the Luminous Mysteries.

The two reasons I personally choose not to pray the Luminous Mysteries are:

1. Mary has called the Rosary her “Psalter,” and there are 150 psalms in the Bible. The significance of the Rosary as her Psalter is that the 150 Hail Mary’s in the full Rosary correspond to the 150 psalms in the Bible. When the Luminous Mysteries are added, there are then 200 Hail Mary’s.
2. In general, I like to lean toward tradition. You may call me Old-Fashioned, but my mom always said, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” The Rosary has been comprised of 150 Hail Mary’s (plus the 3 in the opening of the Rosary) for centuries. While I admire Pope John Paul II and his devotion to Mary and the Rosary, I prefer to stick to the original 15 mysteries.

If you do choose to pray the Luminous Mysteries, they are typically prayed on Thursdays. And then the Joyful Mysteries would be prayed on Saturdays instead of the Glorious Mysteries.

Conclusion

Now that you have read this complete Rosary guide with the Litany, go pray the Rosary! And if a full daily Rosary sounds daunting to you, start with just one decade each day. Figure out a time of day that works best for you, and stick to it. And get your family to pray it with you if you can. It takes discipline to pray the Rosary daily. But so do relationships, dieting, exercising, and most other good things. However, the spiritual life is much more important than any of these things. So, pray the daily Rosary for peace in your heart, in your home, and in your country!

What is your favorite mystery of the Rosary? Let me know in the comments below!

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