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How to Pray the Rosary

The Rosary is a devotion to the Incarnation of Our Lord and to His Blessed Mother. It is composed of fifteen decades, each decade consisting of the Our Father, ten Hail Marys, and the Glory Be to the Father, and each being recited in honor of some mystery in the life of Our Lord and of His Blessed Mother. During each decade we should call to mind the mystery which it is intended to honor, and pray that we may learn to practice the virtue specially taught us by that mystery.

1. Looking at the cross, we hold it while we make the sign of the cross and pray the Apostles' Creed which is a summary of all the things we believe as Catholics.

2. On this separate bead, we pray an Our Father, the prayer that Jesus taught us.

3. On each of the next three beads, we pray the Hail Mary.

4. On this separate bead, we announce the first mystery. (e.g.. Joyful) We reflect on what happened to Jesus at this time and we think about what it means in our lives today. We pray the Our Father.

5. We pray one Hail Mary on each of the next 10 beads. Then we pray the Glory Be.

6. On this separate bead, we announce the second mystery, reflect, and pray the Our Father.

7. We pray one Hail Mary on each of the next ten beads. Then we pray the Glory Be.

8. On this separate bead, we announce the third mystery, reflect, and pray the Our Father.

9. We pray one Hail Mary on each of the next ten beads. Then we pray the Glory Be.

10. On this separate bead, we announce the fourth mystery, reflect, and pray the Our Father.

11. We pray one Hail Mary on each of the next ten beads. Then we pray the Glory Be.

12. On this separate bead, we announce the fifth mystery, reflect, and pray the Our Father.

13. We pray one Hail Mary on each of the next ten beads. Then we pray the Glory Be.

14. We have now reached the end of the Rosary. On the medal that connects the beads we pray the Hail Holy Queen.

15. Please follow your local custom for other prayers at this point.