The Rosary
How to Pray the Holy Rosary
1. While holding the crucifix, make the Sign of the Cross and then recite the Apostle’s Creed.
2. Recite the Our Father on the first large (or single) bead.
3. On each of the three small beads, recite a Hail Mary for an increase of faith, hope and charity.
4. Recite the Glory Be to the Father after the third Hail Mary.
5. Recall the first Rosary Mystery and then recite the Our Father on the next large bead.
6. On each of the adjacent ten small beads recite a Hail Mary while reflecting on the first mystery.
(One Our Father and ten repetitions of the Hail Mary is considered a decade)
7. After the tenth Hail Mary, recite a Glory Be to the Father and the Fatima Prayer (Optional).
8. Each succeeding decade is prayed in a similar manner by recalling the appropriate mystery, reciting an
Our Father, ten Hail Marys, the Glory Be to the Father, Fatima Prayer (Optional) while reflecting on the mystery.
9. When the fifth mystery is completed, the Rosary is customarily concluded with a Hail, Holy Queen, and
then the closing prayer(s). The closing prayers are also optional.
10. For the intentions of the Holy Father, one may recite at the end of the Rosary one “Our Father”, one “Hail Mary”, and one “Glory Be”.