The Rosary at a glance
A full Rosary is prayed in five decades. Each decade includes one mystery, one Our Father, ten Hail Marys and one Glory Be. You begin with the opening prayers, move through the five decades, and finish with the closing prayers.
You do not need to memorise everything before you start. Many people learn the Rosary by praying it slowly with a guide, a booklet, a physical Rosary or an app like Beadlight.
Step-by-step sequence
- Make the Sign of the Cross.
- Pray the Apostles' Creed.
- Pray one Our Father.
- Pray three Hail Marys, traditionally for faith, hope and charity.
- Pray one Glory Be.
- Announce the first mystery and pray one Our Father.
- Pray ten Hail Marys while meditating on the mystery.
- Pray one Glory Be. Many people also pray the Fatima Prayer.
- Repeat the mystery, Our Father, ten Hail Marys and Glory Be pattern for the remaining four decades.
- Finish with the Hail Holy Queen and the closing prayer.
The mysteries of the Rosary
Each decade is connected to a mystery from the life of Jesus and Mary. The four mystery sets are:
- Joyful Mysteries: the Annunciation, Visitation, Nativity, Presentation and Finding in the Temple.
- Luminous Mysteries: the Baptism of Jesus, Wedding at Cana, Proclamation of the Kingdom, Transfiguration and Institution of the Eucharist.
- Sorrowful Mysteries: the Agony in the Garden, Scourging at the Pillar, Crowning with Thorns, Carrying of the Cross and Crucifixion.
- Glorious Mysteries: the Resurrection, Ascension, Descent of the Holy Spirit, Assumption and Coronation of Mary.
Which mysteries are prayed on each day?
A common weekly pattern is Joyful on Monday and Saturday, Sorrowful on Tuesday and Friday, Glorious on Wednesday and Sunday, and Luminous on Thursday.
Tips for beginners
- Start slowly. It is better to pray attentively than to rush.
- Use the beads or on-screen progress to keep your place.
- If you become distracted, gently return to the current prayer.
- Read the mystery before each decade and hold it in mind while you pray.
- Pray one decade if a full Rosary feels too much at first.
Using Beadlight as a guide
Beadlight keeps the Rosary sequence in order, shows the current prayer, and helps you move bead by bead. Guided Audio is available as an optional upgrade for spoken prayer guidance and hands-free progression.