Rosary

This form of prayer has been used since before the thirteenth century. The rosary has five groups of ten beads, each called a decade. As we hold the beads in our hand we say these prayers: one Our Father, ten Hail Marys and one Glory be to the Father. Because the prayers are easy to say and repetitive we think about a scripture reading for each decade. When we pray the rosary we choose to say one decade or five decades. We decide at the beginning which of the mysteries we will think about.

There are five JOYFUL MYSTERIES

The Annunciation
The Visitation
The Nativity
The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple
The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple

There are five SORROWFUL MYSTERIES

The Agony in the Garden
The Scourging at the Pillar
The Crowning with Thorns
The Carrying of the Cross
The Crucifixion

There are five GLORIOUS MYSTERIES

The Resurrection
The Ascension
The Descent of the Holy Spirit
The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

There are five MYSTERIES OF LIGHT

The Baptism of Jesus
The Wedding at Cana
Jesus' Proclamation of the Kingdom of God
The Transfiguration
The Institution of the Eucharist