The Rosary

"At Cana, Mary gave Him as a Savior to sinners; on the Cross He gave her as a refuge to sinners." Bishop Fulton J. Sheen

The Holy Rosary is an enormous source of grace and spiritual protection, and one of the most powerful sacramentals of the Catholic Church.

Sister Lucia dos Santos, one of the children to whom Our Lady appeared at Fatima, once said:

“There is no problem, no matter how difficult it is, whether temporal or above all spiritual, in the personal life of each one of us, of our families…that cannot be solved by the Rosary.”

In particular, Our Lady has made fifteen specific promises to those who faithfully pray the Rosary throughout their lives. We should yearn for these special graces—and you can read the exact promises below.

The 15 Promises to those who faithfully pray the Rosary...

1. Those who faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary shall receive signal graces.

2. I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary.

3. The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell. It will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies.

4. The recitation of the Rosary will cause virtue and good works to flourish. It will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God. It will withdraw the hearts of men from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire of eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means.

5. The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary shall not perish.

6. Those who recite my Rosary devoutly, applying themselves to the consideration of its sacred mysteries, shall never be conquered by misfortune. In His justice, God will not chastise them; nor shall they perish by an unprovided death, i.e., be unprepared for heaven. Sinners shall convert. The just shall persevere in grace and become worthy of eternal life.

7. Those who have a true devotion to the Rosary shall not die without the sacraments of the Church.

8. Those who faithfully recite the Rosary shall have, during their life and at their death, the light of God and the plenitude of His graces. At the moment of death, they shall participate in the merits of the saints in paradise.

9. I shall deliver from purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary.

10. The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in heaven.

11. By the recitation of the Rosary you shall obtain all that you ask of me.

12. Those who propagate the holy Rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities.

13. I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Rosary shall have for intercessors the entire celestial court during their life and at the hour of their death.

14. All who recite the Rosary are my beloved children and the brothers and sisters of my only Son, Jesus Christ.

15. Devotion for my Rosary is a great sign of predestination.

Over the centuries the Rosary has become a favored devotion for many well-known saints, including Pope John Paul II, and lay Catholics, especially in times of stife and tribulation. If you would like to learn more about the history of the Rosary, read "Champions of the Rosary" by Fr. Donald H. Calloway.

To print this guide - open the document, select the "print on both sides: and "flip on short edge" options for printing.

We often discover many opportunities to pray during the day and carrying a smaller version of the 5-decade rosary  can easily facilitate taking advantage of those opportunities. For instructions on how to pray a Pocket Rosary or a Rosary Bracelet rosary, click here.

In the simplest terms, the Rosary consists of a crucifix, representative of our Christian faith; a
medallion, and a string of beads used by Roman Catholics in prayer.

In reality 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.” (Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen)

The Rosary has been prayed by millions of Roman Catholics for centuries, it is…”a spiritual
weapon in the battle against evil, against all violence, for peace in hearts, in families, in society, and in the world.” (Pope Benedict XVI)

Why pray the rosary?

When prayed in a setting conducive to quiet meditation, the repetition of the rosary creates a
rhythm that quiets the restless mind, opens the heart to faith, and gives comfort in times of
turmoil. “In the silence of the heart God speaks. If you face God in prayer and silence, God will speak to you.” (Mother Teresa of Calcutta)

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 1674) states the rosary is a form of piety
surrounding the Church’s sacramental life. Praying the Rosary deepens devotion to God by
taking us on a spiritual journey. It is meant to focus our hearts and minds on the mysteries of
Christ’s life and we include Mary…”because her soul magnifies the Lord.” (Luke 1:46)
While focusing on the life of Christ, why would we not want to include his Mother, his first and
greatest disciple? Pope St. John Paul II stated “the rosary, though clearly Marian in character, is at heart a Christocentric prayer.”

“The Rosary is almost like words with music. It combines the physical by moving the beads
through our fingers, the mental in meditation of the Joyful, Sorrowful, and Glorious Mysteries
of our Lord and his blessed Mother; and something vocal, saying our prayers with our lips.”
(Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen)

See "The 15 Promises of the Rosary" on this page.

Is praying the rosary vain repetition?

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus instructs his followers – “And in praying do not heap up
empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think they will be heard for their many words. Do
not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (Matthew 6:7-8)
Rather than perceiving Jesus was condemning repetitious prayer, Catholics believe he was
condemning the practice of reciting endless formulas and divine names as the Gentiles did
trying to manipulate their pagan Gods into answering their petitions.

Jesus did not condemn repetitious pray, else, how can prayers such as the “Our Father” not be deemed vain repetition? Jesus instructs his followers in Matthew 6:9 to pray what became
known as the “Our Father” prayer; it has been prayed by Christians every day since, for almost 2,000 years, by millions of people worldwide.

There are other examples of repetitious prayer in the Bible – Jesus’ prayers in the garden at
Gethsemane (Mark 14:36 and 14:39), the angels in Revelation 4:8, and Psalm 136.
So rather than being “vain” repetition, repetitious prayer can in fact be biblical, as well as, both honor and please God!

Does praying the rosary mean we are praying to the Blessed Virgin Mary?

There is a misconception on the part of many non-Catholics that Catholics pray “to” Mary when praying the Rosary; when in fact we ask “Mary” to pray for us and this is evident in many
instances, including the Rosary – “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.”

Christ is the one principal mediator between humans and God; however, allowances have been made for the equally clear doctrine of secondary mediation of one human being for another with, in, and through Christ. St. James teaches “the prayer of a just soul availeth much.” Just, and foremost among the just, is the Mother of Christ. Mary is a secondary mediatrix, through, with, and in Christ; without him she would have no power.

History of the Holy Rosary -

The Rosary was developed over a period of centuries:

The beads – the use of beads for prayer began in medieval times. Monastic prayer involved the recitation of all 150 psalms (known as the Psalter) from the Bible. However, during that time most of the laity either could not afford a written Psalter or could not read, or both. So, the
laity practiced praying the “Our Father” prayer 150 times a day. The beads were introduced to
help the laity count their prayers. But the logistics of maintaining 150 beads proved to be too
challenging, so 50 beads were strung together on a cord, and the 50 beads were prayed 3 times daily to equate to the full Psalter.

In the 12th century, monks developed a psalter which consisted of the “Our Father” (also known as the Paternoster) and the “Hail Mary” (also known as the Ave Maria) – the 150 beads were divided into sets of 10 (called decades); this arrangement became known as the “Marian Psalter”.

Although St. Dominic in the 12th century is credited as the founder of what became known as
the Dominican Rosary, the name – the “Rosary”, became universally known and is credited to a young Franciscan monk in 1422.

The Crucifix – making the Sign of the Cross begins recitation of the rosary.
“In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

The Apostle’s Creed – traditionally attributed to the Twelve Apostles, it does appear from
historical records it would have existed prior to the First Ecumenical Council at Nicea (325 A.D.). The Apostle’s Creed is a statement of the essentials of Christian faith as expressed in the Bible and praying it along with the “Our Father” prayers and 50 “Hail Mary” prayers became customary in England beginning in the 13th century.

“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.”

Our Father – the prayer given to his followers by Jesus Christ as noted in Matthew 6:9.

“Our Father Who art in Heaven, hallowed by 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.”

Hail Mary – a combination of Gabriel’s words to Mary, known as the Angelic Salutation (Luke
1:28), and Elizabeth’s words to Mary, known as the Evangelical Salutation (Luke 1:42) this
completed the first half of the prayer. It wasn’t until the Middle Ages (mid-14th century) that
the second half of the Hail Mary (Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the
hour of our death. Amen) was added to the Angelic and Evangelical Salutations by priests, as a plea “for” prayer for the millions dying from the Black Death in Europe.

“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”

The Mysteries – monastic prayer led to meditating on aspects of Christ’s life, as chronicled in the Bible’s New Testament, while reciting the Our Father and Hail Mary prayers. In the 16th
century the sets of the five Joyful, five Sorrowful and five Glorious Mysteries (meditations on
the life, passion, and resurrection of Jesus Christ) based on long standing custom was
established and promoted by Pope Pius V. In 2002, then Pope John Paul II, added another set of five to the rosary – the Luminous Mysteries.

Each day of the week has a particular set of Mysteries assigned to it:

Wednesday and Sunday is the Glorious Mysteries (The Resurrection of Jesus
Christ, The Ascension of Jesus to Heaven, The Descent of the Holy Ghost, The
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven, and The Coronation of the
Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Heaven and Earth)

Monday and Saturday is the Joyful Mysteries (The Annunciation of the Angel to
Mary, The Visitation of Mary to Saint Elizabeth, The Nativity of Jesus in
Bethlehem, The Presentation of Jesus to the Temple, and The finding of Jesus in
the Temple)

Tuesday and Friday is the Sorrowful Mysteries (The Agony of Jesus in the garden,
The Scourging of Jesus at the Pillar, The Crowning with Thorns, The Carrying of
the Cross, and The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus)

Thursday is the Luminous Mysteries (The Baptism of Jesus, The wedding of Cana,
The Proclamation of the Kingdom of God, The Transfiguration, and The
Institution of the Eucharist)

Glory Be (Gloria Patri) – originates from the “Breviary” a liturgical prayer (better known today
as Liturgy of the Hours); it was prayed in monasteries at the conclusion of the Breviary as early as the 4th century.

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

Fatima – In 1917, Our Lady (Mary) appeared 6 times to three children in Fatima, Portugal; each time she held a rosary and requested they say the rosary along with the additional prayer she taught them which became known as the “Fatima” prayer. World War I raged from 1914 – 1918 throughout Europe, just as the Black Death, it killed millions. Ultimately, 70,000 people eye witnessed the “Miracle of the Sun” during Our Lady’s last apparition in Fatima. The Fatima prayer was officially recognized and promoted by the Catholic Church in 1956.

“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.”

Hail, Holy Queen – By the 10th century, the “Hail, Holy Queen” prayer, originally known by its
Latin name “Salve Regina” was commonly prayed at the end of the “Marian Psalter” which later became what is now known as the Dominican Rosary.

“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
towards 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, holy Mother of God That we may be
made worthy of the promises of Christ.”

Rosary Ending Prayer

“Let us pray:

“O God, whose only begotten Son, by His life, passion, death, and resurrection, has
purchased for us the rewards of eternal life. Grant, we beseech Thee, that by meditating
on 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.”

The form of the Rosary (Dominican Rosary) as we know it today, was officially recognized and
promoted by the Catholic Holy See in 1956.