The word Rosary has two main meanings: the physical object, comprised of a string of beads, a medal, and a cross; and the prayer for which this physical object is used as a guide. You don't need the object to pray the Rosary, but the beads will help you keep track of where you are as you pray. Moreover, the Rosary, as a physical object, is a sacred object, the presence of which in your home or pocket is, in a certain sense, a constant prayer offered to God, through Mary. This is where Picture Beads joins itself to the nature of the actual physical Rosary itself.
When we pray the Rosary, we start with the cross of the rosary, say a prayer, then move on to the first bead and say a prayer, then move to the second bead and say a prayer, and continue in this manner until all of the beads are covered. (Whether we go from left to right, or from right to left probably makes no difference.)
The basic configuration of the prayer is simple: the Rosary consists of a Cross, a medal, individual beads, and consecutive beads. For the cross, we pray the Apostles' Creed; for the individual beads, the Our Father, and for the consecutive beads, the Hail Mary. After all of the beads have been covered, it is customary to say some concluding prayers (see below), including petitions (if the petitions have not already been stated), which can be understood to correspond to the medal. (Otherwise, the medal has no corresponding prayers.)
The Rosary can be divided into three parts: the introduction, the five decades, and the conclusion. The introduction consists of the cross and the five beads following it, which together mean the Apostles' Creed, one Our Father, three Hail Marys and a Glory Be. The five decades each consist of one individual bead and ten consecutive beads -- that is of one Our Father, and ten Hail Marys. The concluding prayers can be any Marian prayer, related prayers, and the petitions for which the Rosary is prayed (if the petitions have not already been stated).
Each decade is devoted to a particular event in the life of Jesus or of the Virgin Mary. These are called mysteries of the rosary. The Rosary is designed to help us contemplate Christ and His love for humanity through His Mother -- and Our Mother -- on whom He has lavished so much love.
Since the Rosary has five decades, each of which corresponds to one mystery, there are five mysteries for each Rosary. Finally, there are three sets of five mysteries: 1) the Joyful Mysteries, 2) the Sorrowful Mysteries, and 3) the Glorious Mysteries.
The mysteries are the following:
(The custom is to pray each set of mysteries/decades on the days of the week indicated.)
The Joyful Mysteries:
(Monday and Thursday; and the Sundays from 1st Sunday of Advent until Lent.)
1. The Annunciation to Mary
2. The Visitation of Mary
3. The Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ
4. The Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple
5. The Finding of Our Lord in the Temple
The Sorrowful Mysteries:
(Tuesday and Friday; and the Sundays of Lent.)
1. The Agony of Christ in the Garden
2. The Scourging at the Pillar
3. The Crowning with Thorns
4. The Carrying of the Cross
5. The Crucifixion and Death of Our Lord on the Cross
Glorious Mysteries:
(Wednesday and Saturday; and the Sundays from Easter until Advent.)
1. The Resurrection of Our Lord
2. The Ascension of Our Lord
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles
4. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven
5. The Coronation of Our Lady as Queen of Heaven and Earth
Now we can look at how all of this is put together.
Say the rosary as follows, meditating on the mysteries of our lady:
The Introduction:
-- kiss the cross, and make the sign of the cross
-- at the cross -- say the Apostles' Creed
-- at the first individual bead -- say one Our Father
-- at each of the three consecutive beads -- say one Hail Mary
The First Mystery:
-- state the First Mystery
-- optional: state the prayer intention for this mystery
-- at the individual bead -- say one Our Father
-- at each of the ten consecutive beads -- say one Hail Mary
-- after the 10th, say Glory Be and The Fatima Prayer
The Second Mystery:
-- state the Second Mystery,
-- optional: state the prayer intention for this mystery
-- at the individual bead -- say one Our Father
-- at each of the ten consecutive beads -- say one Hail Mary
-- after the 10th, say Glory Be and The Fatima Prayer
The Third Mystery:
-- state the Third Mystery
-- optional: state the prayer intention for this mystery
-- at the individual bead -- say one Our Father
-- at each of the ten consecutive beads -- say one Hail Mary
-- after the 10th, say Glory Be and O My Jesus
The Fourth Mystery:
-- state the Fourth Mystery
-- optional: state the prayer intention for this mystery
-- at the individual bead -- say one Our Father
-- at each of the ten consecutive beads -- say one Hail Mary
-- after the 10th, say Glory Be and The Fatima Prayer
The Fifth Mystery:
-- state the Fifth Mystery
-- optional: state the prayer intention for this mystery
-- at the individual bead -- say one Our Father
-- at each of the ten consecutive beads -- say one Hail Mary
-- after the 10th, say Glory Be and The Fatima Prayer
Conclusion:
-- say the Hail Holy Queen
-- if desired, a general prayer, such as a prayer to the Holy Spirit
-- statement of intentions, if not made earlier (the intentions could also be stated at
the very beginning)
-- finally, make the sign of the cross, and the kiss the cross on the Rosary
Many books have been written on the Blessed Virgin Mary. One of the best explorations of devotion to Our Lady through the Rosary is The Secret of the Rosary by St. Louis de Montfort (available through Tan Publishers). St. Louis de Montfort is know a great Marian saint. His message of Marian devotion has endured the test of time, and he continues to be one of the foremost authorities on devotion to the Virgin Mary. His book True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary is also one of the great spiritual classics of the Church.
(Revealed to St. Dominic and Blessed Alan):
1) Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall receive signal graces.
2) I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary.
3) The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies.
4) It will cause virtue and good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the hearts of people from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire of eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means.
5) The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall not perish.
6) Whoever shall recite the Rosary devoutly, applying themselves to the consideration of its Sacred Mysteries shall never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise them in His justice, they shall not perish by an unprovided death; if they be just, they shall remain in the grace of God, and become worthy of eternal life.
7) Whoever shall have a true devotion for the Rosary shall not die without the Sacraments of the Church.
8) Those who are faithful to recite the Rosary shall have during their life and at their death the light of God and the plentitude of His graces; at the moment of death they shall participate in the merits of the Saints in Paradise.
9) I shall deliver from purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary.
10) The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in Heaven.
11) You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the Rosary.
12) All those who propagate the Holy Rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities.
13) I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Rosary shall have for intercessors the entire celestial court during their life and at the hour of death.
14) All who recite the Rosary are my children, and brothers and sisters of my only Son, Jesus Christ.
15) Devotion of my Rosary is a great sign of predestination.
"Say the Rosary every day, to obtain peace for the world." -- Our Lady of Fatima, 1917
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