The Rosary

The word "rosary" means "rose garden" and by using rosary beads we are taken around the rose garden of Mary's life and her love for God and her son Jesus. The rosary may look complicated but it is in reality quite simple and can be a way in to meditative prayer for Christians of all denominations.

The rosary is an exploration of four sets of "mysteries", the traditional Joyful Mysteries, Sorrowful Mysteries and Glorious Mysteries. In 2002 Pope Paul II added the Luminous Mysteries. There are five mysteries in each set. Each mystery is introduced by saying the Lord's Prayer and concluded by saying the Gloria. Ten Hail Marys are said while meditating on each mystery. One circuit of the rosary takes you round one set of mysteries. If you wanted to meditate on the other mysteries you would start the circuit again.

The mysteries could form a useful pattern of meditation for different seasons of the Christian Year as follows:

The Joyful Mysteries - Advent to Epiphany

The Luminous Mysteries - Ordinary Time - Lent

The Sorrowful Mysteries - Lent and Holy Week

The Glorious Mysteries - Easter to Ordinary Time

To pray the rosary please follow the links below:

The Joyful Mysteries  The Luminous Mysteries  The Sorrowful Mysteries  The Glorious Mysteries