How to Pray the Chaplet of the Precious Blood

Devotion to the Precious Blood of Jesus dates back to the earliest days of Christianity. St. Paul writes in his letter to the Ephesians that "through His blood, we gain our freedom, the forgiveness of our sins." The Chaplet of the Precious Blood was first prayed by Italian priests in the 19th century. From there, the devotion spread with the Confraternity of the Precious Blood, a missionary society that they founded.

Instructions

1. Begin the Chaplet of the Precious Blood with the introduction. The leader says "O God, come to my assistance" and then everyone else says "O Lord, make haste to help me." Then the leader says "Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit" and the reply is "as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen." When you are alone, you can say both parts.

2. Announce the first mystery, the circumcision of Jesus, by saying "Jesus shed His Blood in the Circumcision. Let us ask for chastity of soul and body." Then say five Our Fathers (for the words see the tip below).

3. End the first mystery by saying "Incline unto my aid, O God. O Lord, make haste to help me" and then pray the Glory Be as you did at the end of the introduction. Then the leader says "We beseech You, Lord, help Your servants" followed by the reply "Whom You have redeemed with Your Precious Blood."

4. Repeat the same way for the next five mysteries. They all begin with the words "Jesus shed His Blood..." The second mystery is "...while praying in the Garden of Olives. Let us ask for the spirit of prayer." For the third mystery, "...in the scourging. Let us ask for the grace of mortification." The fourth mystery "...in the crowning with thorns. Let us ask for contempt of worldly honors" and "...while carrying His cross. Let us ask for patience" for the fifth mystery. The sixth mystery is "...in the crucifixion. Let us ask for contrition for our sins."

5. Start the seventh and final mystery with "Jesus shed His Blood and water when His side was pierced. Let us ask for the grace of perseverance," for the seventh mystery. Then say three Our Fathers instead of five. This is to make the total number of Our Fathers add up to 33, the number of years Jesus lived. End the mystery in the same way as the others.

6. Pray the closing prayer: "Eternal Father, I offer Thee the most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ in satisfaction for my sins, for the needs of Holy Church and for the relief of the souls in purgatory."

Tips & Warnings

• The Our Father goes like this: Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Your Name. Your Kingdom come. Your 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.

• Praying the Chaplet of the Precious Blood is a method to get closer to Jesus. It is not an end in itself.