Catholic Church Directory within the Chapel
























Wanderings Chapel Directory
The Holy Rosary
What is the Rosary?

Have you ever wondered about those "funny
little beads" that Catholics always carry
around?  This is the Holy Rosary, a powerful but
simple little tool that we use to help keep our
These pages tell a bit about what it is, how to
use it and why.
The word Rosary has two meanings
The Rosary is a very powerful prayer.  Praying the Rosary is very simple.  At first it seems complicated, but after you
pray it a couple times, it becomes second nature.
1.  The physical object or sacramental as we call it, is comprised of a string of beads, a medal and a cross.

2.  The prayer for which this physical object is used as a guide.
You don't need the sacramental to pray the Rosary, but the beads will help you keep track of where you are as you
pray.  Moreover, the Rosary, as a sacramental, is a sacred object, the presence of which in your home or pocket is, in
a certain sense, a constant prayer offered to God, through Mary.
To start praying the Rosary, bless yourself with the crucifix, kiss it and make a petition to God, then say the Apostle's
Creed.  Then proceed with the next bead and say the Our Father.  Next, there are beads, say the Glory Be and Oh,
My Jesus.

This brings you to the end of the short link, you announce the first mystery, say the Our Father, and on each bead to
chain, say a Glory Be and Oh, My Jesus.

Now you've completed what we call a decade of the Rosary.  You may have a different petition for each decade and if
that is the case, announce it before the corresponding mystery and pray the same way with the Our Father, 10 Hail
Mary's, the Glory Be and finally Oh, My Jesus.  Continue like that, announcing each mystery until you have used all the
beads.  When you get to the medal, say the Hail, Holy Queen and you're done!

See?  It's easy!

Each decade is devoted to a particular event in the life of Jesus and His Mother.  For the purposes of the Rosary,
these are called mysteries.  The focus is always on Jesus.  But since Our Mother, as the Mother of Jesus, had and
continues to have, a special relationship with Christ, the Rosary is designed to help us contemplate Christ and His love
for humanity through His Mother -- Our Mother -- on whom He has lavished so much love.

Since the Rosary has five decades, each corresponding to a particular mystery, there are five mysteries for each
decade.  Finally, there are three sets of five mysteries: 1) the Joyful Mysteries, 2) the Sorrowful Mysteries, and 3)
the Glorious Mysteries.
The mysteries are the following:
(The custom is to pray each set of mysteries on the days of the week indicated -- but that is just a custom.)
1.  The Annunciation to Mary
2.  The Visitation of Mary
3.  The Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ
4.  The Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple
5.  The Finding of Our Lord in the Temple
The Joyful Mysteries:
(Monday and Thursday; and the Sundays from 1st Sunday of Advent until Lent.)
When we pray the Joyful Mysteries, the first decade corresponds to the Annunciation, the
second decade to the Visitation, the third to the Birth of Our Lord, the fourth to the
Presentation at the Temple, and the fifth to the Finding in the Temple.
The Glorious Mysteries:
The Sorrowful Mysteries:
(Wednesday and Saturday; and the Sundays from Easter until Advent.)
(Tuesday and Friday; and the Sundays of Lent.)
1.  The Resurrection of Our Lord
2.  The Ascension of Our Lord
4.  The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven
5.  The Coronation of Our Lady as Queen of Heaven and Earth
1.  The Agony of Christ in the Garden
2.  The Scourging at the Pillar
3.  The Crowning with Thorns
4.  The Carrying of the Cross
5.  The Crucifixion and Death of Our Lord on the Cross
When we pray the Glorious Mysteries, the first decade corresponds to the Resurrection of
Our Lord, the second decade to the Ascension of Our Lord, the third to the Descent of
the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, the fourth to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
into Heaven, and the fifth to the Coronation of the Virgin Mary.
When we pray the Sorrowful Mysteries, the first decade corresponds to the Agony of
Christ in the Garden, the second decade to the Scourging of Christ, the third to the
Crowning with Thorns, the fourth to the Carrying of the Cross, and the fifth to the
Crucifixion and Death of Our Lord.
There's more to all this!  Take a look at the various prayers we say when we pray the Rosary, then I invite you to see the promises we
were given.

The Prayers of The Holy Rosary

Many of the graphics of the Church section are courtesy of Catholic Worlds