The Catholic Church commits each month of the year to a certain devotion. Because the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary is in October, this has become the month of the Rosary.

What is it?

The Rosary is a devotion that has been cherished for hundreds of years. It combines vocal, meditative, and contemplative prayer, and Pope John Paul II called it “a compendium of the Gospel” because it compels those who pray it to meditate upon the events of salvation and the life of Christ.

The beads of the Rosary are divided into groups called decades that consist of one Our Father, ten Hail Marys and one Glory Be. Each decade focuses on a certain event called a Mystery. Many saints have been devoted to this beautiful form of prayer, calling it a priceless treasure, a weapon against evil, and a storehouse of blessings.

The Mysteries of the Rosary

There are four sets of five mysteries, each traditionally prayed on a certain day of the week.

The Joyful Mysteries are prayed on Mondays and Saturdays; they are also prayed on Sundays of Advent.

1. The Annunciation
2. The Visitation
3. The Birth of Jesus
4. The Presentation in the Temple
5. The Finding in the Temple

The Sorrowful Mysteries are prayed on Tuesdays and Fridays; they are also prayed on Sundays of Lent.

1. The Agony in the Garden
2. The Scourging at the Pillar
3. The Crowning with Thorns
4. The Carrying of the Cross
5. The Crucifixion

The Glorious Mysteries are prayed on Wednesdays as well as the Sundays outside of Advent and Lent.

1. The Resurrection
2. The Ascension
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit
4. The Assumption
5. The Crowning of the Blessed Virgin

The Luminous Mysteries are prayed on Thursdays.

1. Christ’s Baptism in the Jordan
2. Christ’s Self-Manifestation at Cana
3. Christ’s Proclamation of the Kingdom
4. The Transfiguration of Our Lord
5. Christ’s Institution of the Eucharist

How to pray the Rosary

If you don’t know them, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the prayers of the Rosary before beginning.

1. Begin on the crucifix and say the Apostles’ Creed
2. On the first bead, pray the Our Father
3. On each of the next three beads, pray the Hail Mary
4. Pray the Glory Be
5. On the next bead, announce the first Mystery and pray the Our Father
6. While meditating on the Mystery, pray a Hail Mary on each of the next ten beads
7. Pray the Glory Be and Fatima Prayer
8. Repeat steps 5 to 7 for each Mystery in the set until all five have been prayed
9. Pray the Hail Holy Queen and the Rosary Prayer

If it seems complicated or overwhelming, as it did to me, know that feeling goes away after you’ve prayed it a few times. I first prayed the Rosary when I was going through RCIA, when one of my teachers guaranteed praying it would result in spiritual growth and a closer relationship with Jesus. She was right.