Rosary Prayers - Association of the Miraculous Medal
Send Your Intentions
Association of the Miraculous Medal

Poem Category: Rosary Prayers

15 Promises to Those Who Pray the Rosary Devoutly

According to the tradition, Alanus de Rupe received the following 15 promises to those who pray the Rosary devoutly from the Blessed Virgin Mary herself through a private revelation. We hope that they encourage you in meditating on the mysteries of Christ by praying the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

1. Those who faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary shall receive signal graces.

2. I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary.

3. The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell. It will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies.

4. The recitation of the Rosary will cause virtue and good works to flourish. It will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God. It will withdraw the hearts of men from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire of eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means.

5. The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary shall not perish.

6. Those who recite my Rosary devoutly, applying themselves to the consideration of its sacred mysteries, shall never be conquered by misfortune. In His justice, God will not chastise them; nor shall they perish by an unprovided death, i.e., be unprepared for heaven. Sinners shall convert. The just shall persevere in grace and become worthy of eternal life.

7. Those who have a true devotion to the Rosary shall not die without the sacraments of the Church.

8. Those who faithfully recite the Rosary shall have, during their life and at their death, the light of God and the plenitude of His graces. At the moment of death, they shall participate in the merits of the saints in paradise.

9. I shall deliver from purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary.

10. The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in heaven.

11. By the recitation of the Rosary you shall obtain all that you ask of me.

12. Those who propagate the holy Rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities.

13. I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Rosary shall have for intercessors the entire celestial court during their life and at the hour of their death.

14. All who recite the Rosary are my beloved children and the brothers and sisters of my only Son, Jesus Christ.

15. Devotion for my Rosary is a great sign of predestination.

How to Pray the Rosary

  1. Make the Sign of the Cross and say the “Apostle’s Creed” prayer.
  2. Say the “Our Father” prayer.
  3. Say three “Hail Mary” prayers.
  4. Say the “Glory Be to the Father” prayer.
  5. Announce the first mystery; then say the “Our Father” prayer.
  6. Say ten “Hail Mary” prayers, while meditating on the mystery.
  7. Say the “Glory Be to the Father” and the “Fatima Prayer.”
  8. Announce the second mystery; then say the “Our Father” prayer.
  9. Repeat 6 and 7, and continue with third, fourth, and fifth mysteries in the same manner.
  10. Say the “Hail Holy Queen” prayer.
  11. Say the “Prayer After the Rosary.

Free professionally printed trifold cards that explain How to Pray the Rosary can be ordered through our Products page. You can order up to 99 for free to share with your friends or your church.

Mysteries of the Rosary

The Joyful Mysteries

(The Church suggests praying the Joyful Mysteries on Monday and Saturday.)

  1. Annunciation of the birth of Jesus to Mary by the angel Gabriel
  2. Visitation of Mary to her cousin, Elizabeth
  3. Nativity of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ
  4. Presentation of the infant Jesus in the Temple
  5. Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple by Mary and Joseph

The Luminous Mysteries

(The Church suggests praying the Luminous Mysteries on Thursday.)

  1. Christ’s baptism in the Jordan River
  2. The Wedding Feast at Cana
  3. Christ’s announcement of the Kingdom of God
  4. The Transfiguration of Christ
  5. The institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper

The Sorrowful Mysteries

(The Church suggests praying the Sorrowful Mysteries on Tuesday and Friday.)

  1. Agony of Christ in the Garden
  2. Scourging of Jesus at the Pillar
  3. Placing of the crown of thorns on the head of Jesus
  4. Carrying the Cross by Jesus
  5. Crucifixion and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ

The Glorious Mysteries

(The Church suggests praying the Glorious Mysteries on Wednesday and Sunday.)

  1. Resurrection of Our Lord from the dead
  2. Ascension of Our Lord into heaven
  3. Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles on Pentecost
  4. Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into heaven
  5. Coronation of the Virgin Mary

Prayers of the Rosary

The Sign Of the Cross

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Apostles Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, Our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting

Amen.

Our Father

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy 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.

Hail Mary

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 our death.

Amen.

Glory be to the Father

Glory Be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

Amen.

Fatima Prayer

O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell; lead all souls to heaven especially those in most need of thy mercy.

Hail holy Queen

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Prayer After The Rosary

O God, whose only-begotten Son, by his life, death, and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life; grant, we beseech thee, that we who meditate upon these mysteries of the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise. We ask this through Christ, Our Lord.

Amen.

Hail Holy Queen

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

* Send your prayerful intentions to be remembered at Our Lady’s Shrine.

History of the Rosary

As with many of the words we use today, “rosary” has its roots in a Latin word, “rosarium,” meaning “garland of roses” or “rose garden.”

The history of a repetitive prayer-counting device is thought by scholars to predate the Rosary by almost 2,000 years. Ancient desert dwellers used rocks, sticks, or knotted cords to count the proper number of prayers.

Parts of the Rosary predate Jesus himself. We find the Sign of the Cross rooted in the Old Testament writings of the prophet Ezekiel, “Pass through the city (through Jerusalem) and mark an X (form of the cross) on the foreheads of those who moan and groan over all the abominations that are practiced within it (the innocent.) — (Ezekiel 9:4)

Legend has it that the Apostle’s Creed dates back to the early days of Christianity, to the apostles themselves on Pentecost. It began in its present form in the seventh century but was not added to the Rosary until the late 16th or early 17th century.

Priests and monks of the early Church prayed an early form of the Rosary based on the 150 Psalms or Psalter. Since most of the laity of the time could not read, they prayed and chanted 150 Our Fathers instead of the Psalms. Jesus himself gave us the Our Father as Saint Matthew tells us in his Gospel message.

Through the course of time, the 150 Our Fathers slowly gave way to 150 Hail Marys. They, in turn, were broken up into decades separated by the Our Fathers. The words of the Hail Mary come to us from various Scripture passages, Church councils, and additions of prayerful phrases through the centuries.

The Glory Be to the Father is thought to have taken form in the fourth century, but it did not become part of the Rosary until a much later date.

In the fifteenth century, mysteries were designated to each of the decades. The mysteries chronicled events in the life of Jesus. Even those who could not read could meditate on these mysteries and come to know the stories in the Bible. In 2002, Pope John Paul II added the Mysteries of Light to the Rosary.

From humble roots, the Rosary has grown to become a powerful prayer—most famously evidenced by the Christian fleet’s victory over the Turks at the Battle of Lepanto in 1571. The Rosary has been credited with many healings, conversions, and other miracles of faith down through the succeeding years. We know it today as Our Lady’s favorite prayer. I encourage you to pray the Rosary daily.

* Send your prayerful intentions to be remembered at Our Lady’s Shrine.

Mysteries of the Rosary

The Joyful Mysteries

(The Church suggests praying the Joyful Mysteries on Monday and Saturday.)

  1. Annunciation of the birth of Jesus to Mary by the angel Gabriel
  2. Visitation of Mary to her cousin, Elizabeth
  3. Nativity of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ
  4. Presentation of the infant Jesus in the Temple
  5. Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple by Mary and Joseph

The Luminous Mysteries

(The Church suggests praying the Luminous Mysteries on Thursday.)

  1. Christ’s baptism in the Jordan River
  2. The Wedding Feast at Cana
  3. Christ’s announcement of the Kingdom of God
  4. The Transfiguration of Christ
  5. The institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper

The Sorrowful Mysteries

(The Church suggests praying the Sorrowful Mysteries on Tuesday and Friday.)

  1. Agony of Christ in the Garden
  2. Scourging of Jesus at the Pillar
  3. Placing of the crown of thorns on the head of Jesus
  4. Carrying the Cross by Jesus
  5. Crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ

The Glorious Mysteries

(The Church suggests praying the Glorious Mysteries on Wednesday and Sunday.)

  1. Resurrection of our Lord from the dead
  2. Ascension of our Lord into heaven
  3. Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles on Pentecost
  4. Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into heaven
  5. Coronation of the Virgin Mary

Tips On Praying the Rosary More Devoutly

It is good to focus on the Rosary. Here are some ideas to help you pray the Rosary more devoutly and get more out of it.

  1. Choose both the time and the place that has least distractions for you.
  2. You can stand, kneel, or sit—or if you are sick you may lie down.
  3. A family or a group—even two or three—can join together to pray the rosary.
  4. Offer every Rosary—or every decade—for your special intentions. If you are praying in a small group, you may wish to share prayerfully some of these intentions.
  5. Pray the Rosary at a convenient rate of speed. Often you can pray the Rosary aloud, even when you are alone.
  6. Before beginning, ask Mary to help you pray devoutly. If you are distracted during the Rosary, just continue.
  7. If you have time and are so inclined, you can pause between decades for a private prayer, hymn, or reading.
  8. The Rosary is a meditation. Picture the scene in your imagination and try to enter in as one of the people there. See, hear, and feel what is said and done. Talk with Jesus and Mary. Compare the event with your own life.
  9. If you are really busy, or if it is helpful, divide the Rosary—one decade before breakfast, another at coffee break, and so on.
  10. Use a blessed Rosary. It is a sacramental of the Church, and the prayer carries an indulgence.

Tips on Praying the Rosary with Your Family

The Rosary can become an opportunity for a real, prayerful union with the Blessed Trinity through Our Blessed Mother. Some people, however, do have difficulty with the family, especially because of children–from older teenagers to the young, tiny children. And so we would like to give you a few tips.

Remember, with the family or any group praying the Rosary together, we must try to make it something that is beautiful and loving with every person involved. How can we do this?

Let's Get Rid of Some Negative Ideas

  1. No one is forced to pray the Rosary. If we do it nicely, everyone–even children–will consider it a privilege and pleasure.
  2. No one should have to pray the Rosary (or to say any prayers) as a punishment. Who likes or loves what is given as a punishment?
  3. No one is expected to participate when that person has another important engagement. Let that person or child have a dispensation with the thought that he or she will be missed and we hope will join us in spirit and will pray the Rosary privately.
  4. No child is expected to participate longer than that child is capable.
  5. No child is expected to participate in an uncomfortable position. For a child, minutes can be a very long time.

On the Positive Side

  1. Choose a time that is most convenient for everyone, a time that everyone knows in advance will be Rosary time. It could be different for weekdays and for weekends or for special days.
  2. Choose a place that is best for all. Possibly change the place according to the weather or other circumstances. In nice weather perhaps out in the yard. If one person is sick, at his or her bedside.
  3. Choose a situation that is special–before a picture or statue of Mary, maybe with flowers and candles; take turns setting up a little shrine and decorating it.
  4. Kneel on pillows or sit or stand or a combination.
  5. Make it a celebration. For instance, if you pray the Rosary after the evening meal, have dessert after the Rosary.
  6. Get everyone involved in all aspects of the Rosary. Let each have his turn at picking the place, time, etc. But above all, each should be involved in the prayers themselves. Sometimes one or both parents lead and the children answer–and vice versa. (And the same with grandparents and grandchildren. Sometimes the men and the boys are the leaders; other times the women and girls.)

Children are expected to participate as long as they can do so. They differ so much. Perhaps those from two to five years old can join in for one or two decades and quietly leave to play elsewhere. Children six to eight years old may join in for three or four decades; those ten years old and above should be able to pray the entire Rosary. The family Rosary could well be the family’s night prayers and conclude with a hug and a kiss.

Try to make the Rosary a privilege and a pleasure. Everyone has a part in it. Each one can invite friends to join.

The Rosary is our offering together a bouquet of flowers to Our Mother Mary, which she will also present to her divine Son Jesus in praise and adoration, thanksgiving and reparation and love. It is not as important as keeping the commandments, or participating in the Mass and sacraments, or loving God and our neighbor. The Rosary is something added to those big important things. It is our heart’s prayer–our own personal and family bouquet to Mary. It is what we love to give Mary and Jesus.

* Send your prayerful intentions to be remembered at Our Lady’s Shrine.

Our Father

Our Father,
who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy 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.

Apostle’s Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, Our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting

Amen.

* Send your prayerful intentions to be remembered at Our Lady’s Shrine.