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What is the Rosary? -

You’re probably familiar with the object itself, but what is it for and why do Catholics use it? The Rosary refers to both the set of prayers used and the object itself, composed by a string of knots or beads used to count the prayers.

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Which prayers compose the Rosary? -

The Rosary is arranged in sets of 10 Hail Marys, called decades. One Lord's Prayer ("Our Father") is prayed before each decade, and each decade is followed by one Glory Be.

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Which prayers compose the Rosary? -

While saying these prayers, thought is given to one of the Mysteries of the Rosary, which are events in the lives of Jesus and Mary that should be reflected upon and celebrated.

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How many Mysteries of the Rosary are there? -

The 15 Mysteries of the Rosary were first introduced by Pope Pius V, and later extended to 20 by Pope John Paul II.

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Time frame of the Mysteries -

Five decades of these events in Jesus and Mary’s lives are usually recited per praying session. These are meant to teach us and help us reflect on the holy lives of Jesus and Mary.

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How are the Mysteries divided? -

Each day of the week has a set of Mysteries. The Joyful Mysteries are celebrated on Mondays and Saturdays. Now, let’s look at the five events covered by the Joyful Mysteries.

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The Joyful Mysteries: The Annunciation -

Angel Gabriel visits Mary and announces that she’ll become pregnant with Jesus.

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The Joyful Mysteries: The Visitation -

Mary visits Elizabeth, who recognizes her as being pregnant with the Son of God. Elizabeth was Mary’s cousin and was pregnant with John the Baptist.

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The Joyful Mysteries: The Nativity -

The birth of Jesus takes place in a manger in Bethlehem.

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The Joyful Mysteries: The Presentation of Jesus at the Temple -

Mary and Joseph bring Jesus to the Temple of Jerusalem, in line with Jewish tradition.

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The Joyful Mysteries: The Finding of Jesus in the Temple -

After going missing for a few days, Jesus is found in the Temple discussing God amongst the elders. Jesus was just 12.

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The Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary -

The Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary are celebrated on Thursdays. Let’s take a look at the five elements that compose these mysteries.

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The Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary: The Baptism in the Jordan -

Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist. God can be heard proclaiming, “This is my beloved son.”

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The Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary: The Wedding Feast at Cana -

Jesus performs his first public miracle at a wedding by turning water into wine.

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The Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary: The Proclamation of the Kingdom -

Jesus calls us to do something important: repent and believe in the Gospel.

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The Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary: The Transfiguration -

Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up on a mountain where he transfigures, appearing dazzlingly bright to show his glory.

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The Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary: The Institution of the Eucharist -

Jesus shares bread and wine at the Last Supper, making reference to it as his body and his blood, respectively.

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The Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary -

The Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary are celebrated on Tuesdays and Fridays. Let’s look at the five elements that compose these mysteries.

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The Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary: The Agony in the Garden -

Jesus prays when faced with the sins of the world so that the will of God be done.

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The Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary: The Scourging at the Pillar -

Jesus is beaten and whipped by Roman soldiers before being taken to the cross.

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The Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary: The Crowning of Thorns -

Jesus is mocked by the soldiers, who dress him up like a king with a crown of thorns.

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The Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary: The Carrying of the Cross -

Jesus carries the weight of the cross and the weight of our sins to crucifixion.

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The Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary: The Crucifixion -

Jesus Christ is nailed to the cross and dies for our sins.

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The Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary -

The Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary are celebrated on Wednesdays and Sundays. Here are the five elements that compose these mysteries.

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The Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary: The Resurrection of Christ -

Jesus rises from the dead after dying on the cross.

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The Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary: The Ascension of Christ -

Jesus returns to God in Heaven in the presence of his apostles.

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The Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary: The Descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost -

The Holy Spirit comes to give spiritual power to the apostles, marking the beginning of the Christian Church.

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The Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary: The Assumption of Mary -

The Virgin Mary is taken up and assumed into Heaven.

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The Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary: The Crowning of Mary -

Mary is crowned Mother of God in Heaven and becomes our spiritual mother.

Sources: (uCatholic) (Catholic Online)

See also: The different ways we pray

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