What is the Rosary?
It is a Roman Catholic Devotion. It is a prayer the mother of G-d gave to the world centuries ago and a meditation about the life of her divine Son. The Rosary is a combination of vocal and mental prayers. The purpose of the Rosary is to keep in memory certain principal events or mysteries in the history of Salvation and to thank and praise G-d for them.
The Prayer of the Rosary is traditionally dedicated to one of the three sets of Mysteries: The Joyful Mysteries, The Sorrowful Mysteries and The Glorious Mysteries. Each of these three sets of Mysteries has within it five different themes to be meditated upon.
Pope John Paul II recommended an additional set of Mysteries; The Luminous Mysteries, bringing the number of Mysteries up to twenty. Catholic faithful who prefer the original fifteen Mysteries, point to the belief that the Rosary is Mary’s Psalter, containing 150 Hail Marys in its body for the 150 Psalms. Those who include the Luminous Mysteries incorporate Christ’s ministry.
Meditating on these Mysteries is the very essence of the Rosary prayer:
1) The Five Joyful Mysteries:
The Annunciation of Gabriel
The visitation of Mary to Elizabeth
The Birth of Jesus
The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple
Finding Jesus in the Temple
2) The Five Luminous Mysteries:
The Baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan
The Wedding at Cana, Christ Manifested.
The Proclamation of the Kingdom of G-d.
The Transfiguration of Jesus.
The Last Supper, the Holy Eucharist.
3) The Five Sorrowful Mysteries:
The Agony of Jesus in the Garden.
Jesus is scourged at the Pillar
Jesus is crowned with Thorns
Jesus carries his Cross.
The Crucifixion of Jesus.
4) The five Glorious Mysteries:
The Resurrection of Jesus
The Ascension of Jesus.
The Descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
The Assumption of Mary into Heaven
The Coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth.
The Rosary prayer consists of repeated sequences of the Lord’s Prayer followed by ten Hail Marys and a single praying of “Glory be to the Father”; each of these sequences is known as a decade. The praying of each decade is accompanied by meditation on one of the Mysteries of the Rosary. Some meditate on all mysteries of the Rosary in one day; others meditate on a different set each day.
In order to pray the Rosary properly, that is with attention, devotion and reverence; many practice reciting the Rosary with the help of a string of beads. Jesusboat.com’s Rosary beads are made of olivewood and are a physical method of keeping track of the number of Hail Marys said. The fingers are moved along the Rosary beads as the prayers are recited. By not having to keep track of the count mentally, the mind is more able to meditate on the mysteries.
A five decade Rosary contains five groups of ten beads – a decade – with additional large beads between each decade. A new mystery is meditated upon at each of the large beads. The Rosary is attached to a short strand which starts with the crucifix followed by one large, three small and another one large beads before connecting to the rest of the Rosary. The praying of the Rosary is started on the short strand at the crucifix.
How to pray the Rosary – Basic Guidelines:
1) Make the sign of the Cross on the crucifix and say the “Apostles’ Creed”
2) Say the “Our Father” on the first large bead.
3) Say three “Hail Marys” on the small three beads with the following intentions: Increase of faith, of hope and of charity.
4) Say the “Glory be to the Father”
5) Announce the First Mystery; then say the “Our Father” on the large bead.
6) Say ten “Hail Mary”; one on each of the ten adjacent beads, while meditating on the Mystery.
7) Say the “Glory be to the Father”
8) Announce the Second Mystery; then say the “Our Father” on the large bead.
9) Repeat 6 and 7 and continue with third, forth and fifth sets Mysteries in the same manner.