How to Say the Rosary Beads

Saying the rosary is a type of prayer practiced by Catholics. It is a form of Marion devotion. There are five sets of 10 beads going around the rosary, and between each set of 10 is a single bead. Each set of beads is called a decade of the rosary. While praying the rosary, you should be focusing on the mystery you read before you started that decade. There are four sets of five mysteries. There are the five Joyful Mysteries, the five Sorrowful Mysteries, the five Glorious Mysteries and the five Luminous Mysteries.

Things You'll Need

• Rosary

Instructions

How to Say the Rosary Beads

1. Hold the cross in your hands and say the "Apostle's Creed."

2. 

   Move your hand to the first bead above the cross and say the "Our Father."

3. 

   Slowly move your hand over the next three beads as you say three "Hail Mary" prayers. You'll pray: "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 death. Amen."

4. Hold the chain or string of the rosary between the third bead and the next single bead. While holding the chain, pray: "Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and forever shall be, world without end. Amen."

5. 

   Hold the next bead while reading the first mystery and repeating the "Our Father."

6. 

   Start with the right side of the rosary and say a "Hail Mary" as you hold each of the first 10 beads.

7. Repeat the following prayer after each decade: "O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who have most need of your mercy."

8. 

   Say the "Glory Be" as you hold the chain between the 10th bead and the next single bead.

9. While holding the single bead, read the second mystery and then repeat the "Our Father."

10. Continue around the rosary, saying 10 "Hail Mary" prayers and a "Glory Be." At each single bead, read the next mystery and then repeat the "Our Father."

Tips & Warnings

• Pope John Paul II suggested on Monday and Saturday we pray the Joyful Mysteries, the Luminous Mysteries on Thursday, the Sorrowful Mysteries on Thursday and Friday, which would leave the Glorious Mysteries for Wednesday and Sunday. The "Our Father" and the "Apostle's Creed" can both be found at the link provided in the Resources section below.

Resources

• Prayer Resource