HOW TO PRAY THE ROSARY (Detailed)

 

The Rosary as we know it today was officially established by Pope Pius V in 1569. He added the second part of the Hail Mary and approved the standard set of mysteries. The addition of the Luminous Mysteries (Mysteries of Light) by Pope John Paul II in 2002 brought further depth to the prayer, reflecting on key moments of Jesus' public ministry.  In the following page, we will go over how to pray the Rosary:

IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT

1. Begin with the Sign of the Cross.

2. Hold the crucifix and pray the Apostles' Creed.

3. Hold the first large bead and pray Our Father.

4. Pray three x Hail Mary on regular beads.

5. Pray Glory Be.

Begin The Mysteries.

6. Announce the Mystery.

7. Pray "Our Father."

8. Pray 10 x Hail Mary (a decade)

9. Pray Glory Be

10. Pray Fatima Prayer

11. Repeat steps 6-10 for remaining 4 mysteries.

12. Pray "Hail Holy Queen.”

Conclude with the Sign of the Cross.

 

BEADS OF THE ROSARY EXPLAINED:

This is a brief description of which prayer is recommended to pray on each bead of a custom made Abwoon Warrior Rosary (in parentheses will be the bead found in an ordinary rosary). Afterwards, you will find a complete step-by-step breakdown on how to pray the Rosary, with all the prayers listed, so you can pray along while scrolling.

THE ABWOON WARRIOR BEAD (First Large Bead): The Lord's Prayer

"Abwoon" is from the language of Jesus, Aramaic, and means, "Our Father, the Creator."  When Jesus taught his disciples to pray, who was speaking in Aramaic and the first word was "Abwoon."  Therefore, we like to pray the Lord's Prayer in Aramaic in homage to the native langue of Jesus, Mary, and the Apostles.  While other rosary companies include their logo on the first bead simply for branding, ours is practical and serves higher purpose as it is a testament of the true source of inspiration for our brand: God the Father Almighty, creator of Heaven and Earth.

LARGE/ROSE BEADS (Subsequent FIVE Large Beads):  Announce the Mystery you will be meditating on and say the Lord's Prayer.

 

There are are four sets of mysteries and each is recommended to be prayed on a certain day of the week.  Unlike the first large bead, on these beads you first announce a mystery of the life Jesus Christ and then pray the Our Father (Lord's Prayer).  For example, 

THE REGULAR BEADS  Hail Mary

PRAYING THE ROSARY  (Step by Step, Detailed Breakdown)

 

1. Preparation

• SIGN OF THE CROSS: 

  Begin with the Sign of the Cross. Try to cover your whole torso, don't do the satanic upside crosses you see on TV or by the lazy simply going through the motions).  And with all praise to God, annunciate clearly:
  
  

  "IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT."

• APOSTLES' CREED:

   Recite the Apostles' Creed while holding the crucifix.
  
  

  "I believe in God, the Father almighty,
  Creator of heaven and earth,
  and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
  who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
  born of the Virgin Mary,
  suffered under Pontius Pilate, 
  was crucified, died and was buried;
  He descended into hell; 
  on the third day He rose again from the dead;
  He ascended into heaven,
  and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;
  from there He will come to judge the living and the dead.
  I believe in the Holy Spirit,
  the holy catholic Church,
  the communion of saints,
  the forgiveness of sins,
  the resurrection of the body,
  and life everlasting. Amen."

2. THE INTRODUCTORY PRAYERS 

• OUR FATHER:

  On the Abwoon Warrior bead (first large bead on ordinary rosaries), recite the Our Father (The Lord's Prayer).
  

  "Our Father, who art in heaven,
  hallowed be Thy name;
  Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done
  on earth as it is in heaven.
  Give us this day our daily bread;
  and forgive us our trespasses,
  as we forgive those who trespass against us;
  and lead us not into temptation,
  but deliver us from evil. Amen."

• THREE HAIL MARYS:

  On the next three small beads, say a Hail Mary on each bead for an increase in the virtues of faith, hope, and charity.
  

  "Hail Mary, full of grace,
  the Lord is with thee;
  blessed art thou among women,
  and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus
  .Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners,
  now and at the hour of our death. Amen."

• GLORY BE:

  On the Trinity Bead (on custom Abwoon Warrior rosaries, otherwise the chain or before the next large bead), recite the Glory Be.
  

  "Glory be to the Father,
  and to the Son,
  and to the Holy Spirit,
  as it was in the beginning,
  is now, and ever shall be,
  world without end. Amen."

 3. THE DECADES

• LARGE/ROSE BEAD: FIRST MYSTERY & OUR FATHER

  Announce the first mystery (Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious, or Luminous depending on the day) followed by Our Father (Lord's Prayer)
  
  

• REGULAR BEADS: TEN HAIL MARYS

  On the regular beads, say a Hail Mary for each.  Hence whey its called a "decade," because in between the large beads there are 10 regular beads.
  
  

• GLORY BE AND FATIMA PRAYER: 

  After the ten Hail Marys, recite the Glory Be and the Fatima Prayer
  
  "O my Jesus, forgive us our sins,
  save us from the fires of hell,
  lead all souls to Heaven,
  especially those in most need of Thy mercy"

Repeat this cycle for the remaining four decades, each beginning with the announcement of the next mystery, followed by an Our Father, ten Hail Marys, a Glory Be, and the Fatima Prayer.

4. CONCLUSIONARY ROSARY PRAYERS

Recite the final prayers.

• HAIL HOLY QUEEN:

   
  

  "Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy,our life, our sweetness, and our hope.To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve;to thee do we send up our sighs,mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.Turn then, most gracious advocate,thine eyes of mercy toward us; and after this our exile,show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen."

• FINAL PRAYER:

   
  

  Let us pray: "O God, whose only begotten Son, by His life, death, and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life; grant, we beseech Thee, that meditating upon these mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen."

• THE SIGN OF THE CROSS:

   End with the Sign of the Cross, "In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit."
  
  

  IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT

THE MYSTERIES 

Joyful Mysteries (Mondays and Saturdays)

1. THE ANNUNCIATION
2. THE VISITATION
3. THE NATIVITY
4. THE PRESENTATION IN THE TEMPLE
5. THE FINDING OF JESUS IN THE TEMPLE

Sorrowful Mysteries (Tuesdays and Fridays)

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

Glorious Mysteries (Wednesdays and Sundays)

1. THE RESURRECTION
2. THE ASCENSION
3. THE DESCENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
4. THE ASSUMPTION
5. THE CORONATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Luminous Mysteries (Thursdays)

1. THE BAPTISM OF JESUS IN THE JORDAN
2. THE WEDDING FEAST AT CANA
3. THE PROCLAMATION OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD
4. THE TRANSFIGURATION
5. THE INSTITUTION OF THE EUCHARIST

Tips for Praying the Rosary

• FOCUS ON THE MYSTERIES: Meditate on the specific mystery while reciting the prayers.

• USE A ROSARY GUIDE: Follow a booklet or online guide if you are new to the practice. We offer our own downloadable PDF and videos are coming soon.

• SET A PEACEFUL/SECLUDED ENVIRONMENT: Find a quiet place to avoid distractions. As Jesus Christ in Matthew 6:6 states: "But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you."

Praying the Rosary is a beautiful and meditative practice that allows you to reflect on significant events in the lives of Jesus and Mary. Each bead and prayer brings you closer to a contemplative state, fostering spiritual growth and peace.