Purpose of the Rosary.

The purpose of the rosary is to help us keep in mind certain key events or mysteries in the history of our salvation. It is also to thank and praise God for those events.
There are twenty mysteries reflected upon in the Rosary and these are divided up into four parts, as follows:

Five joyful mysteries
Five luminous mysteries
Five sorrowful mysteries
Five glorious mysteries
 
How to pray the rosary.
 
Starting with the crucifix, make the sign of the cross and recite the Apostle’s creed.

Move up to the first ‘Our Father’ bead and recite the ‘Our Father’ prayer.

Move up to the next three beads and for each one recite one ‘Hail Mary’ prayer.

Moving up to the second ‘Our Father’ bead meditate on the first mystery whilst reciting the ‘Our Father’ prayer.

Moving up over the rosary centre piece recite one ‘Hail Mary’ prayer for each of the next ten beads.

Next say the ‘Glory Be’ prayer.
 
At the third ‘Our Father’ bead mediate on the second mystery whilst reciting the ‘Our Father’ prayer.
Move along the next ten ‘Hail Mary’ beads reciting the ‘Hail Mary’ prayer followed by one ‘Glory Be’ prayer.

 
At the forth ‘Our Father bead meditate on the third mystery whilst reciting the ‘Our Father’ prayer.
Move along the next ten ‘Hail Mary’ beads reciting the ‘Hail Mary’ prayer followed by one ‘Glory Be’ prayer.

At the fifth ‘Our Father bead meditate on the forth mystery whilst reciting the ‘Our Father’ prayer.
Move along the next ten ‘Hail Mary’ beads reciting the ‘Hail Mary’ prayer followed by one ‘Glory Be’ prayer.
 
At the Sixth ‘Our Father bead meditate on the fifth mystery whilst reciting the ‘Our Father’ prayer.
Move along the next ten ‘Hail Mary’ beads reciting the ‘Hail Mary’ prayer followed by one ‘Glory Be’ prayer.

Finally, whilst holding the centre of the rosary recite the closing prayer and make the sign of the cross.


The Mysteries.

As suggested by the Blessed Pope John Paul II the different mysteries are meditated upon on certain days of the week as shown below.

Exceptions: Sundays of Christmas season - The Joyful.

Sundays of Lent - Sorrowful.

Monday and Saturday - The Joyful Mysteries:

1st Decade: The Annunciation - The Angel Gabriel tells Mary she is expecting (Luke 1:26-38)
2nd Decade: The Visitation - Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-56)
3rd Decade: The Birth of Jesus - Jesus is born in Bethlehem (Luke 2:1-21)
4th Decade: The Presentation - Jesus is presented to Simeon in the Temple (Luke 2:22-38)
5th Decade: Jesus in the Temple - After being lost for 3 days, Jesus is found in the temple (Luke 2:41-52)

Thursday - The Luminous Mysteries:

1st Decade: Baptism of Christ - Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist (Matthew 3:13-16)
2nd Decade: The Wedding at Cana - Jesus turns water to wine (John 2:1-11)
3rd Decade: The Proclamation of the Kingdom of God - Jesus goes from town to town proclaiming God’s Kingdom and helping the poor (Mark 1:14-15)
4th Decade: The Transfiguration - Jesus leads his friends up the mountain (Matthew 17:1-8)
5th Decade: The Last Supper - the institution of the Holy Eucharist (Matthew 26)

Tuesday and Friday - The Sorrowful Mysteries:

1st Decade: The Agony in the Garden - Jesus prays in the Garden of Olives (Matthew 26:36-56)
2nd Decade: The Scourging - Jesus is tied and beaten (Matthew 27:26)
3rd Decade: Jesus is crowned - a crown of thorns is placed on Jesus’ head (Matthew 27:27-31)
4th Decade: Jesus carries his cross - Jesus is made to carry his cross to Calvary (Matthew 27:32)
5th Decade: The Crucifixion - Jesus dies on the cross for our sins (Matthew 27:33-56)

Wednesday and Sunday - The Glorious Mysteries:

1st Decade: The Resurrection - Jesus rises from the dead (John 20:1-29)
2nd Decade: The Ascension - Jesus ascends into heaven 40 days after his death (Luke 24:36-53)
3rd Decade: Holy Spirit Descends - 10 days after Christ’s ascension, the Holy Spirit visits Mary and the apostles (Acts 2:1-41)
4th Decade: The Assumption - Mary dies and is assumed into heaven
5th Decade: Mary’s Crowning - The Blessed Virgin is crowned Queen of Heaven and Earth by her Son.