Mysteries of the Rosary · Mysteria Dolorosa
The Sorrowful Mysteries
The Passion of the Lord, from Gethsemane to Calvary. Prayed above all on Tuesdays and Fridays, these are the mysteries in which Mary teaches us to stand by the cross.
Prayed on Tuesdays and FridaysThe five mysteries
Prayed on Tuesdays and Fridays
First mystery · Sorrowful
The Agony in the Garden
Agonia in Horto
Father, if thou wilt, remove this chalice from me: but yet not my will, but thine be done. (…) And being in an agony, he prayed the longer. And his sweat became as drops of blood, trickling down upon the ground.
Luke 22:42, 44Fruit of the mysterySorrow for sin and conformity to God's will
Jesus feels real fear and anguish, and does not hide them from the Father. His prayer does not deny what he feels, but it ends in surrender. When we are afraid, let us pray as he did: honestly, until we reach 'thy will be done'.
Second mystery · Sorrowful
The Scourging at the Pillar
Flagellatio
Then therefore, Pilate took Jesus, and scourged him. (…) But he was wounded for our iniquities, he was bruised for our sins: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his bruises we are healed.
John 19:1; Isaiah 53:5Fruit of the mysteryPurity and mortification
The Lord's body is wounded to heal ours. Every blow is borne without a word of hatred. Let us ask for the grace to treat our own bodies and those of others with purity, and to offer up the small sacrifices of each day.
Third mystery · Sorrowful
The Crowning with Thorns
Coronatio spinis
And stripping him, they put a scarlet cloak about him. And platting a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand. And bowing the knee before him, they mocked him, saying: Hail, king of the Jews.
Matthew 27:28-29Fruit of the mysteryMoral courage
The true King is crowned in mockery and does not defend himself. His kingship does not depend on what is said of him. Let us ask for the courage not to be ashamed of Christ, and the humility to bear contempt without bitterness.
Fourth mystery · Sorrowful
The Carrying of the Cross
Baiulatio Crucis
And bearing his own cross, he went forth to that place which is called Calvary, but in Hebrew Golgotha. (…) And as they led him away, they laid hold of one Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country; and they laid the cross on him to carry after Jesus.
John 19:17; Luke 23:26Fruit of the mysteryPatience
Jesus falls and gets up again, and accepts the help of a stranger. The cross of each day is rarely the one we would have chosen. Let us ask for patience to carry it behind him, and the eyes to be someone's Simon of Cyrene.
Fifth mystery · Sorrowful
The Crucifixion
Crucifixio et Mors
And when they were come to the place which is called Calvary, they crucified him there; and the robbers, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. And Jesus said: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. (…) And Jesus crying with a loud voice, said: Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. And saying this, he gave up the ghost.
Luke 23:33-34, 46Fruit of the mysteryPerseverance and forgiveness
From the cross Jesus forgives, gives his Mother to the disciple and commends his spirit to the Father. Mary stands beside her Son to the end. Let us ask for the grace to forgive those who have hurt us, and one day to die into the Father's hands.
How to pray the Rosary
- Make the Sign of the Cross and pray the Apostles’ Creed, holding the crucifix.
- On the first large bead pray one Our Father; on the three small beads, three Hail Marys (for faith, hope and charity); then the Glory Be.
- Announce the first mystery of the day and, if you wish, read the Scripture passage and the meditation.
- Pray one Our Father, ten Hail Marys while contemplating the mystery, the Glory Be and the Fatima Prayer. That is one decade.
- Do the same for the second, third, fourth and fifth mysteries.
- At the end, pray the Hail, Holy Queen and finish with the Sign of the Cross.
The prayers of the Rosary
The Sign of the Cross
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Apostles' Creed
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.
The Our Father
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.
The Hail Mary
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.
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.
The Fatima Prayer
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those most in need of thy mercy.
Hail, Holy Queen (Salve Regina)
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. Amen. In Latin and English →
The other mysteries
Frequently asked questions
On which days are The Sorrowful Mysteries prayed?
The Sorrowful Mysteries are prayed on Tuesdays and Fridays, following the pattern proposed by St John Paul II in Rosarium Virginis Mariae (no. 38). It is not binding: they may be prayed on any day.
When were the Luminous Mysteries added to the Rosary?
On 16 October 2002, when St John Paul II published the apostolic letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae and proposed five mysteries from the public life of Jesus. Before then the Rosary had fifteen mysteries, with the Joyful Mysteries on Thursday and the Glorious on Saturday.
How many Hail Marys are in one set of mysteries?
Each set has five decades, and each decade is one Our Father, ten Hail Marys and the Glory Be. With the three Hail Marys at the beginning, one set is fifty-three Hail Marys. The whole Rosary is all four sets, twenty mysteries in all.
Image: Raphael, The Mond Crucifixion (detail)