Mystery 1
Fruit: Surrender to God's WillThe Agony in the Garden
ScriptureMatthew 26:36-46; Luke 22:39-46
Meditation promptStay with Jesus in surrender and ask for the grace to do the Father's will.
SorrowfulTuesday and Friday
Sorrowful Mysteries
The Passion of Jesus and His saving love poured out on the Cross.
The Sorrowful Mysteries teach repentance, surrender, patience, humility, and steadfast love at the foot of the Cross.
Mysteries and fruits
Open mystery guide
Mystery 2
Fruit: Purity and MortificationThe Scourging at the Pillar
ScriptureMatthew 27:26; Mark 15:15; John 19:1
Meditation promptBring disordered desires to Christ and ask for purity and self-mastery.
Mystery 3
Fruit: Humility and MeeknessThe Crowning with Thorns
ScriptureMatthew 27:27-31; Mark 15:16-20; John 19:2-5
Meditation promptLet Christ heal pride and ask for humble courage.
Mystery 4
Fruit: Patience and PerseveranceThe Carrying of the Cross
ScriptureJohn 19:16-17; Luke 23:26-32; Matthew 27:31-32
Meditation promptWalk with Jesus and ask for patience beneath the crosses you must carry.
Mystery 5
Fruit: Sacrificial LoveThe Crucifixion
ScriptureMatthew 27:33-56; Mark 15:22-41; Luke 23:33-49; John 19:17-37
Meditation promptStand beneath the Cross and ask for sacrificial love.
How to pray
How to Pray the Rosary
Move steadily through the prayers, keep the mystery before your heart, and let the rhythm become contemplation.
A simple step-by-step guide
- 1.Make the Sign of the Cross.
- 2.Pray the Apostles' Creed.
- 3.Pray one Our Father.
- 4.Pray three Hail Marys.
- 5.Pray one Glory Be.
- 6.Announce the first mystery.
- 7.Pray one Our Father.
- 8.Pray ten Hail Marys.
- 9.Pray one Glory Be.
- 10.Pray the Fatima Prayer, if desired.
- 11.Continue through all five mysteries.
- 12.End with the Hail Holy Queen and closing prayer.
Pray slowly
The Rosary is most fruitful when the heart rests in the mystery rather than rushing to finish.
Keep your place with the beads
The beads free the mind from counting so attention can remain with Jesus and the mystery.
Pray live when you need help beginning
If you want a gentle place to start, enter the Daily Oratory Rosary Prayer Room and pray with others.
Related tools
Related Daily Oratory Tools
Keep the mysteries close by returning to prayer, Scripture, family life, and related Catholic devotion.
Rosary Prayer Room
Join the Daily Oratory Rosary Prayer Room and pray the mysteries of Christ with others.
Enter the Rosary Prayer RoomHoly Rosary Guide
Return to the full Rosary overview, mystery groups, and daily rhythm.
Open the Holy Rosary GuideBible
Read Sacred Scripture with the Church and follow the mysteries back into the Gospel.
Learn the BibleScripture Prayer
Pray with the Word of God before or after a decade of the Rosary.
Pray with ScriptureDevotions
Explore Marian and Christ-centered devotions that deepen prayer and fidelity.
Browse DevotionsPrayer
Return to Daily Oratory prayer guides, suggested prayer, and daily Catholic rhythm.
Begin in PrayerSaints
Meet holy men and women who loved Jesus and the Blessed Mother with fidelity.
Meet the SaintsFamily Prayer
Bring the Rosary into a simple, patient, and prayerful family rhythm.
Build Family Prayer