Praying the Rosary

Pray the Rosary with Aid to the Church in Need  

About the Rosary

The Rosary is a prayer to Mary which follows the story of the New Testament. Each Mystery we pray calls on us to focus our thoughts on a different event in the lives of Mary and Jesus.

When you pray the Rosary, begin by telling Mary, the Mother of Christ, what you would like her to use your prayers for.

We hope you will pray for persecuted and suffering Christians around the world – but of course you should not forget to pray for your own intentions, too.

How to Pray the Rosary

The Prayers used in the Rosary

The Rosary is made up of ‘decades’ – each decade relates to one Mystery (an event in the lives of Mary and Jesus). A decade is one Our Father followed by ten Hail Marys and one Glory Be.

Begin your prayers by making the sign of the cross. Then say one Our Father, three Hail Marys and a Glory Be. Next pray a decade of the Rosary. Finish the first decade with one Glory Be and the Fatima Prayer.

Usually, five decades are prayed at a time, so that is how we have recorded the prayers that you can listen to on this page. When you finish your chosen number of decades, finish with one Hail, Holy Queen and one Prayer to Saint Michael.

Download the text of the prayers of the Rosary 

The Mysteries of the Rosary

A different set of Mysteries is prayed each day. Each Mystery represents an important event in the life of Jesus or Mary, and you are invited to meditate on these events whilst you pray.

Traditionally the Mysteries are prayed during the week as follows:

Sunday – The Glorious Mysteries (except in Advent – The Joyful Mysteries; and Lent – The Sorrowful Mysteries)
Monday – The Joyful Mysteries
Tuesday – The Sorrowful Mysteries
Wednesday – The Glorious Mysteries
Thursday – The Mysteries of Light (or in the traditional Rosary, The Joyful Mysteries)
Friday – The Sorrowful Mysteries
Saturday – The Joyful Mysteries

Pray the Rosary with Aid to the Church in Need

The Joyful Mysteries

Monday and Saturday; Sunday in Advent

Introductory Prayers to the Joyful Mysteries

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The First Joyful Mystery: The Annunciation

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The Second Joyful Mystery: The Visitation

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The Third Joyful Mystery: The Birth of Jesus  

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The Fouth Joyful Mystery: The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple

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The Fifth Joyful Mystery: The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple

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Concluding Prayers to the Joyful Mysteries

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The Sorrowful Mysteries

Tuesday and Friday; Sunday in Lent

Introductory Prayers to the Sorrowful Mysteries

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The First Sorrowful Mystery: The Agony in the Garden

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The Second Sorrowful Mystery: The Scourging at the Pillar

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The Third Sorrowful Mystery: The Crowning with Thorns

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The Fourth Sorrowful Mystery: The Carrying of the Cross 

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The Fifth Sorrowful Mystery: The Crucifixion

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Concluding Prayers to the Sorrowful Mysteries

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The Glorious Mysteries

Sunday and Wednesday 

Introductory Prayers to the Glorious Mysteries

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The First Glorious Mystery: The Resurrection of Christ

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The Second Glorious Mystery: The Ascension into Heaven

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The Third Glorious Mystery: The Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles

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The Fourth Glorious Mystery: The Assumption of Mary into Heaven

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The Fifth Glorious Mystery: The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Victory of Christ in His Saints

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Concluding Prayers to the Glorious Mysteries

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The Mysteries of Light

Thursday

Introductory Prayers to the Mysteries of Light

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The First Mystery of Light: Christ's Baptism in the Jordan

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The Second Mystery of Light: Christ's Self-revelation at the Marriage of Cana

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The Third Mystery of Light: Christ's Proclamation of the Kingdom of God with His Call to Conversion

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The Fourth Mystery of Light: Christ's Transfiguration

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The Fifth Mystery of Light: Christ's Institution of the Eucharist

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