How To Pray the Rosary
It only takes about 20 minutes to pray the rosary. This powerful prayer allows you to meditate on Scripture and the key moments during Jesus’ life.
The rosary has 59 beads, a crucifix, and a medal, with certain prayers for each of these different pieces. The prayers of the rosary can be divided into three categories.
Catholics use the rosary to pray to God through the intercession of Mary. With the prayers of the rosary, we ask Mary to pray for us and to guide us by the example of her son, Jesus.
Download the How to Pray the Rosary Guide PDF
Introductory Rosary Prayers
The introductory prayers prepare you for deep reflection. Think of any needs or struggles in your life and bring them to Mary. She cares for you like a loving mother, and wants to take your needs to Jesus. If you are praying with a group, you can say your intentions out loud so the rest of the group can pray for them as well.
Step 1: While holding the crucifix, make the Sign of the Cross and pray the Apostles’ Creed. The Apostles’ Creed is a brief summary of the core beliefs of the Catholic faith.
Step 2: On the first large bead, pray the Our Father, a prayer given to us by Jesus in the sixth chapter of Matthew’s Gospel. Typically this prayer is said for the intentions of the Pope.
Step 3: On the next three small beads, pray the Hail Mary. This prayer is based on the words spoken by Mary’s cousin, Elizabeth, in Luke’s Gospel. On the first bead, pray for an increase in faith, on the second bead for an increase in hope, and on the third bead for an increase in love.
Step 4: After the third Hail Mary, pray the Glory Be, a simple expression of praise and belief in the Trinity.
One you’ve prayed these introductory prayers, you are ready to begin the first decade.
The Decades
As you pray the decades, you can also meditate on the mysteries of the rosary and learn valuable lessons from the lives of Jesus and Mary. Traditionally Catholics reflect on specific mysteries each day of the week. The prayers for each decade are repeated many times. These words are deeply rooted in the Bible and Christian tradition and can serve as a powerful meditation.
Step 5: On the next large bead, pray the Our Father.
Step 6: On each small bead in the decade, pray the Hail Mary.
Step 7: In the space after the 10th bead, pray the Glory Be and the Fatima Prayer. The Fatima Prayer was revealed to three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal, in 1917).
Repeat steps 5–7 for the remaining four decades.
Closing Rosary Prayers
The closing prayers are prayed on the medal, and they end the rosary. With these prayers we ask God and Mary to watch over us, guide us, and help us become a-better-version-of-ourselves.
Step 8: Pray the Hail, Holy Queen (a prayer asking for Mary’s help) and the Rosary Prayer (a prayer of hope that our lives will be changed by the rosary).
Step 9: While holding the crucifix, make the Sign of the Cross.
As you practice praying the rosary, these prayers will become second nature to you. There’s a rhythm to the rosary. As you enter into that rhythm, you’ll begin to think less about the words and more about the meaning of the words.
That’s when you begin to unlock the power of the rosary.
If you are new to the rosary, take some time to familiarize yourself with the beads themselves. Practice holding the rosary in your hand and feeding the beads between your fingers. See if you can remember which prayers are prayed at each point in the rosary.
If you don’t know some of the prayers, you can find them listed below.
The Prayers of the Rosary
You now know how to pray the rosary! The prayers of the rosary are timeless. They are simple, meaningful, and they bring us peace.
If you are praying the rosary in a group, then most of the prayers are divided in two. The leader prays the first half, and the whole group responds with the second half (indicated by an asterisk and italicized).
Sign of the Cross
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Fatima Prayer
O my Jesus, * forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell; lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of thy mercy.
Hail, Holy Queen
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.
Pray for us O holy mother of God, * that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Rosary Prayer
Let us pray. * O God, whose only-begotten Son by his life, death and Resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life; grant, we beseech thee, that by meditating upon these mysteries of the most holy rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.