How to Pray the Holy Rosary

"The rosary is the book of the blind, where souls see and there enact the greatest drama of love the world has ever known; it is the book of the simple, which initiates them into mysteries and knowledge more satisfying than the education of other men; it is the book of the aged, whose eyes close upon the shadow of this world, and open on the substance of the next."

Abp. Fulton J. Sheen (A.D. 1895 -1979)
1. SAY THESE PRAYERS
English or Latin
IN THE NAME of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. (As you say this, with your right hand touch your forehead when you say Father, touch your breastbone when you say Son, touch your left shoulder when you say Holy , and touch your right shoulder when you say Spirit.) IN NOMINE PATRIS, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen (As you say this, with your right hand touch your forehead when you say Patris, touch your breastbone when you say Filii , touch your left shoulder when you say Spiritus, and touch your right shoulder when you say Sancti.)
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 sits at the right hand of God, the Father almighty. He shall come again 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. CREDO in Deum Patrem omnipotentem, Creatorem caeli et terrae. Et in Iesum Christum, Filium eius unicum, Dominum nostrum, qui conceptus est de Spiritu Sancto, natus ex Maria Virgine, passus sub Pontio Pilato, crucifixus, mortuus, et sepultus, descendit ad inferos, tertia die resurrexit a mortuis, ascendit ad caelos, sedet ad dexteram Dei Patris omnipotentis, inde venturus est iudicare vivos et mortuos. Credo in Spiritum Sanctum, sanctam Ecclesiam catholicam, sanctorum communionem, remissionem peccatorum, carnis resurrectionem, vitam aeternam. Amen.
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. PATER NOSTER, qui es in caelis, sanctificetur nomen tuum. Adveniat regnum tuum. Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in caelo et in terra. Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie, et dimitte nobis debita nostra sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. Et ne nos inducas in tentationem, sed libera nos a malo. Amen.
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. AVE MARIA, gratia plena, Dominus tecum. Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc, et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.
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. GLORIA PATRI, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto. Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
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. Amen. DOMINE JESU, dimitte nobis debita nostra, salva nos ab igne inferiori, perduc in caelum omnes animas, praesertim eas, quae misericordiae tuae maxime indigent.
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 vale 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. Amen. 		SALVE REGINA, Mater misericordiae. Vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve. Ad te clamamus exsules filii Hevae. Ad te Suspiramus, gementes et flentes in hac lacrimarum valle. Eia ergo, Advocata nostra, illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte. Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui, nobis post hoc exsilium ostende. O clemens, o pia, o dulcis Virgo Maria.
V. Ora pro nobis, Sancta Dei Genetrix.
R. Ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi. Amen.
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. DEUS, CUJUS Unigenitus per vitam mortem et resurrectionem suam nobis salutis aeterne praemia comparavit: concede, quaesumus; ut, haec mysteria sanctissimo beatae Mariae Virginis Rosario recolentes, et imitemur quor continent, et quod promittunt, assequamur. Per eumdem Dominum. Amen.
ANNOUNCE
each mystery by saying something like, “The third Joyful Mystery is the Birth of Our Lord.” This is required only when saying the Rosary in a group.
2. IN THIS ORDER
INTRODUCTION
1. IN THE NAME…
2. I BELIEVE IN GOD…
3. OUR FATHER…
4. HAIL MARY…
5. HAIL MARY…
6. HAIL MARY…
7. GLORY BE…
8. O MY JESUS…
THE FIRST DECADE
9. ANNOUNCE…
10. OUR FATHER…
11. HAIL MARY…
12. HAIL MARY…
13. HAIL MARY…
14. HAIL MARY…
15. HAIL MARY…
16. HAIL MARY…
17. HAIL MARY…
18. HAIL MARY…
19. HAIL MARY…
20. HAIL MARY…
21. GLORY BE…
22. O MY JESUS…
THE SECOND DECADE
23. ANNOUNCE…
24. OUR FATHER…
25. HAIL MARY…
26. HAIL MARY…
27. HAIL MARY…
28. HAIL MARY…
29. HAIL MARY…
30. HAIL MARY…
31. HAIL MARY…
32. HAIL MARY…
33. HAIL MARY…
34. HAIL MARY…
35. GLORY BE…
36. O MY JESUS…
THE THIRD DECADE
37. ANNOUNCE…
38. OUR FATHER…
39. HAIL MARY…
40. HAIL MARY…
41. HAIL MARY…
42. HAIL MARY…
43. HAIL MARY…
44. HAIL MARY…
45. HAIL MARY…
46. HAIL MARY…
47. HAIL MARY…
48. HAIL MARY…
49. GLORY BE…
50. O MY JESUS…
THE FOURTH DECADE
51. ANNOUNCE…
52. OUR FATHER…
53. HAIL MARY…
54. HAIL MARY…
55. HAIL MARY…
56. HAIL MARY…
57. HAIL MARY…
58. HAIL MARY…
59. HAIL MARY…
60. HAIL MARY…
61. HAIL MARY…
62. HAIL MARY…
63. GLORY BE…
64. O MY JESUS…
THE FIFTH DECADE
65. ANNOUNCE…
66. OUR FATHER…
67. HAIL MARY…
68. HAIL MARY…
69. HAIL MARY…
70. HAIL MARY…
71. HAIL MARY…
72. HAIL MARY…
73. HAIL MARY…
74. HAIL MARY…
75. HAIL MARY…
76. HAIL MARY…
77. GLORY BE…
78. O MY JESUS…
CONCLUSION
79. HAIL HOLY QUEEN…
80. O GOD, WHOSE…
81. IN THE NAME… 		INTRODUCTION
1. IN NOMINE PATRIS…
2. CREDO…
3. PATER NOSTER…
4. AVE MARIA…
5. AVE MARIA…
6. AVE MARIA…
7. GLORIA PATRI…
8. DOMINE JESU…
THE FIRST DECADE
9. ANNOUNCE…
10. PATER NOSTER…
11. AVE MARIA…
12. AVE MARIA…
13. AVE MARIA…
14. AVE MARIA…
15. AVE MARIA…
16. AVE MARIA…
17. AVE MARIA…
18. AVE MARIA…
19. AVE MARIA…
20. AVE MARIA…
21. GLORIA PATRI…
22. DOMINE JESU…
THE SECOND DECADE
23. ANNOUNCE…
24. PATER NOSTER…
25. AVE MARIA…
26. AVE MARIA…
27. AVE MARIA…
28. AVE MARIA…
29. AVE MARIA…
30. AVE MARIA…
31. AVE MARIA…
32. AVE MARIA…
33. AVE MARIA…
34. AVE MARIA…
35. GLORIA PATRI…
36. DOMINE JESU…
THE THIRD DECADE
37. ANNOUNCE…
38. PATER NOSTER…
39. AVE MARIA…
40. AVE MARIA…
41. AVE MARIA…
42. AVE MARIA…
43. AVE MARIA…
44. AVE MARIA…
45. AVE MARIA…
46. AVE MARIA…
47. AVE MARIA…
48. AVE MARIA…
49. GLORIA PATRI…
50. DOMINE JESU…
THE FOURTH DECADE
51. ANNOUNCE…
52. PATER NOSTER…
53. AVE MARIA…
54. AVE MARIA…
55. AVE MARIA…
56. AVE MARIA…
57. AVE MARIA…
58. AVE MARIA…
59. AVE MARIA…
60. AVE MARIA…
61. AVE MARIA…
62. AVE MARIA…
63. GLORIA PATRI…
64. DOMINE JESU…
THE FIFTH DECADE
65. ANNOUNCE…
66. PATER NOSTER…
67. AVE MARIA…
68. AVE MARIA…
69. AVE MARIA…
70. AVE MARIA…
71. AVE MARIA…
72. AVE MARIA…
73. AVE MARIA…
74. AVE MARIA…
75. AVE MARIA…
76. AVE MARIA…
77. GLORIA PATRI…
78. DOMINE JESU…
CONCLUSION
79. SALVE REGINA…
80. DEUS, CUJUS…
81. IN NOMINE PATRIS…
3. WHILE TOUCHING THESE BEADS…
rosary
4. AND SILENTLY MEDITATING ON THESE “MYSTERIES”...
On Monday and Saturday, meditate on the “Joyful Mysteries”
First Decade (Steps 9-22): The Annunciation of Gabriel to Mary (Luke 1:26-38)
Second Decade (Steps 23-36): The Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-56)
Third Decade (Steps 37-50): The Birth of Our Lord (Luke 2:1-21)
Fourth Decade (Steps 51-64): The Presentation of Our Lord (Luke 2:22-38)
Fifth Decade (Steps 65-78): The Finding of Our Lord in the Temple (Luke 2:41-52)

On Thursday, meditate on the “Luminous Mysteries”
First Decade: The Baptism of Our Lord in the River Jordan (Matthew 3:13-16)
Second Decade: The Wedding at Cana, when Christ manifested Himself (Jn 2:1-11)
Third Decade: The Proclamation of the Kingdom of God (Mark 1:14-15)
Fourth Decade: The Transfiguration of Our Lord (Matthew 17:1-8)
Fifth Decade: The Last Supper, when Our Lord gave us the Holy Eucharist (Mt 26)

On Tuesday and Friday, meditate on the “Sorrowful Mysteries”
First Decade: The Agony of Our Lord in the Garden (Matthew 26:36-56)
Second Decade: Our Lord is Scourged at the Pillar (Matthew 27:26)
Third Decade: Our Lord is Crowned with Thorns (Matthew 27:27-31)
Fourth Decade: Our Lord Carries the Cross to Calvary (Matthew 27:32)
Fifth Decade: The Crucifixion of Our Lord (Matthew 27:33-56)

On Wednesday and Sunday, meditate on the “Glorious Mysteries”
First Decade: The Glorious Resurrection of Our Lord (John 20:1-29)
Second Decade: The Ascension of Our Lord (Luke 24:36-53)
Third Decade: The Descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-41)
Fourth Decade: The Assumption of Mary into Heaven
Fifth Decade: The Coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth