How to Pray the Rosary

The purpose of the Rosary is to help keep in memory certain principal events in the history of our salvation. There are twenty mysteries reflected upon in the Rosary, and these are divided into the five Joyful Mysteries (said on Monday and Saturday), the five Luminous Mysteries (said on Thursday), the five Sorrowful Mysteries (said on Tuesday and Friday), and the five Glorious Mysteries (said on Wednesday and Sunday). As an exception, the Joyful Mysteries may be said on Sundays during Advent and Christmas, while the Sorrowful Mysteries may be said on the Sundays of Lent.

The question is sometimes asked, why, of all the incidents in our Lord’s life, the Rosary only considers these particular twenty. The mysteries of the Rosary are based on the incidents in the life of Our Lord and His Mother that are celebrated in the Liturgy. There is a parallel between the main feasts honoring our Lord and his Mother in the liturgical year, and the twenty mysteries of the Rosary. Consequently, one who recites the twenty mysteries of the Rosary in one day reflects on the whole liturgical cycle that the Church commemorates during the course of each year. That is why some of the Popes have referred to the Rosary as a compendium of the Gospel. One cannot change the mysteries of the Rosary without losing the indulgences that the Church grants for the recitation of the Rosary.

The steps to praying the Rosary are:

1. Make the Sign of the Cross and say the “Apostles’ Creed”
2. Say the “Our Father”
3. Say three “Hail Marys” for Faith, Hope, and Charity
4. Say the “Glory Be”
5. Announce the First Mystery and then say the “Our Father”
6. Say ten “Hail Marys” while meditating on the Mystery
7. Say the “Glory Be” (Optional: Say the “O My Jesus” prayer requested by Mary at Fatima)
8. Announce the Next Mystery; then say the “Our Father” and repeat these steps (6 through 8) as you continue through the remaining Mysteries.
9. Say the closing prayers: the “Hail Holy Queen” and “Final Prayer”
10. Make the “Sign of the Cross”

Pope Saint John Paul II suggested the recitation of the Rosary as follows: the JOYFUL mysteries Monday and Saturday, the LUMINOUS on Thursday, the SORROWFUL on Tuesday and Friday, and the GLORIOUS on Wednesday and Sunday (with this exception; Sundays of Advent and Christmas – the JOYFUL; Sundays of Lent – the SORROWFUL). Here is a chart:

Monday         JOYFUL
Tuesday        SORROWFUL
Wednesday      GLORIOUS
Thursday       LUMINOUS
Friday         SORROWFUL
Saturday       JOYFUL
Sundays of Advent and Christmas  JOYFUL
Sundays of Lent  SORROWFUL
Other Sundays  GLORIOUS

We offer several different modes of praying the Rosary, listed here:

Praying the Rosary Without Distractions

1. Joyful Mysteries
2. Luminous Mysteries
3. Sorrowful Mysteries
4. Glorious Mysteries

Scripturally Based Rosary

1. Joyful Mysteries
2. Luminous Mysteries
3. Sorrowful Mysteries
4. Glorious Mysteries

In Stained Glass

1. Joyful Mysteries
2. Luminous Mysteries
3. Sorrowful Mysteries
4. Glorious Mysteries

For more information on the Rosary, please visit our page WHAT IS THE ROSARY?

There is also a manner of praying the Rosary according to the Order of Preachers. It is identical to the normal Roman Catholic manner, except the introductory prayers are based on the opening prayers from the Liturgy of the Hours.

1. Make the Sign of the Cross
2. V: Hail Mary full of grace the Lord is with thee.
   R: Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
3. V: O Lord, open my lips.
   R: And my mouth shall declare Your praise.
   V: O God, come to my assistance.
   R: O Lord, make haste to help me.
4. Say the “Glory Be”. Alleluia.
5. Announce the First Mystery and then say the “Our Father”
6. Say ten “Hail Marys” while meditating on the Mystery
7. Say the “Glory Be” and the “O My Jesus” prayer requested by Mary at Fatima
8. Announce the Second Mystery; then say the “Our Father” and repeat steps six, seven and eight as you continue through the remaining Mysteries.
9. Say the “Hail Holy Queen” and verse
10. Say the “Final Prayer”
11. V. May the Divine Assistance remain always with us.R. And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
12. Make the Sign of the Cross

The Apostles' 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;
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.

The Our Father

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

The Hail Mary

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you;
blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

The Glory Be (The Doxology)

Glory be to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
 

The Hail Holy Queen (The Salve Regina)

Hail, holy Queen, mother of mercy,
our life, our sweetness, and our hope.
To you we cry, poor banished children of Eve;
to you 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 your womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

God bless you and peace be with you! 

The source: https://rosarycenter.org/how-to-pray-the-rosary