This section of our web guide is about the Catholic Marian devotion known as the Rosary.
Also known as the Dominican Rosary, the Catholic Rosary is distinct from other forms of rosary, such as the Franciscan Crown, the Bridgettine Rosary, or the Rosary of the Holy Wounds, or the use of prayer beads in other religions.
When referring to the Rosary, the word is usually capitalized, as is customary for other names of prayers, such as the "Lord's Prayer" and the "Hail Mary," although references to the prayer beads as an object, it is written in lower case, as in a "rosary bead."
The origins of the Rosary are unclear. Although the Rosary is generally associated with Saint Dominic in the early 13th century, there is evidence of the use of prayer beads and the repeated recitation of prayers prior to Christian times.
Strings of beads were used to count Our Fathers and Hail Marys during the Middle Ages. These strings were known as Paternosters, derived from the Latin for "Our Father." The structure of the Rosary evolved between the 12th and 15th centuries until the current format, based on the three sets of mysteries, was settled upon.
The Rosary consists of a series of prayers and meditations, in this order: 1) Begin by making the Sign of the Cross; 2) Recite the Apostles' Creed; 3) Pray the Our Father (Lord's Prayer); 4) On each of the next three beads, say a Hail Mary, asking for faith, hope, and love; 5) Recite the Glory Be; 6) Reflect on the four sets of Mysteries (Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious, and Luminous); 7) Decades, each of which consists of one Our Father followed by ten Hail Marys while meditating on the Mystery; 8) Conclude with the Hail, Holy Queen prayer; 9) End by making the Sign of the Cross again.
A common variation to the Rosary are Chaplets, which are specialized Rosaries dedicated to specific saints or devotions. Other Rosaries are made for special occasions, such as First Communion, as well as those designed for military personnel or children. There are also portable Rosary rings with ten beads for quick prayers, small Rosaries that can be hung in a car for protection, and Rosaries designed to be worn as necklaces, wrist bracelets, or ankle bracelets.
The Rosary is a powerful prayer that allows Catholics to contemplate the life of Jesus and Mary, and remains a cherished devotion for Catholics.
Within Christianity, the Rosary is almost exclusively associated with Catholicism, although its use can be found among other Christians.
The use of the Catholic Rosary is relatively common among Anglicans of Anglo-Catholic traditions. Many Anglo-Catholic prayer books and manuals of devotion include the Catholic Rosary, along with other Marian devotions, although the public services of the Anglican churches, as found in the Book of Common Prayer, do not invoke the Blessed Virgin or any other saint in prayer, and the Thirty-Nine Articles reject the practice of praying to saints. Anglican prayer beads, sometimes referred to as the Anglican Rosary, came about in the 1980s, and are not a Marian devotion.
Some Lutherans pray the Rosary, although they tend to replace the Hail Mary with the Jesus Prayer. Some members of the Church of Sweden will pray the traditional Rosary.
Nevertheless, the Rosary is generally a practice of Catholicism.
Recommended Resources
The website, funded by the Esseff Foundation, is designed to allow Catholics worldwide to pray the Rosary together or individually. It provides resources and guidance for praying the Rosary, including all of the prayers involved in the traditional Catholic devotion. Audio recordings, videos, and other aids are also available to help people pray the Rosary more effectively. A mobile application is also available for those who want to access its resources from a smartphone or tablet.
https://www.comepraytherosary.org/
The Holy Rosary is considered the perfect prayer because the awesome story of salvation lies within it. With the Rosary, Catholics meditate on the mysteries of joy, sorry, glory, and the light of Jesus and Mary. The whole Rosary is composed of twenty decades; each recited in honor of a mystery in the Lord's life and that of His Blessed Mother. The site offers instructions on praying the Rosary, including an interactive Rosary graphic listing the prayers and several other resources.
https://www.theholyrosary.org/
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops offers instructions for praying the Rosary. The practice is described as a Scripture-based prayer that begins with the Apostles' Creed, which summarizes the great mysteries of the Catholic faith. The Our Father, which introduces each mystery, is from the Gospels. The first part of the Hail Mary is the angel's words announcing Christ's birth and Elizabeth's greeting to Mary. A video demonstrates how to pray the Rosary.
https://www.usccb.org/how-to-pray-the-rosary
The Rosary holds deep spiritual significance for Catholics. It is a form of prayer that combines vocal prayers with meditation on specific events from the lives of Jesus and Mary, known as the "Mysteries." The Rosary is associated with the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who has a special role in interceding for humanity. It is a powerful weapon against evil. It can bring peace, repentance, conversion, family bonding, and the promotion of virtues. Several resources are available here.
https://www.thepoweroftherosary.com/
The Rosary Confraternity is a spiritual association within the Catholic Church whose members strive to pray the entire Rosary in one week. It is a union of hundreds of thousands of faithful individuals worldwide whose collective goal is to pray the Rosary, including their own intentions and the needs of all other members. Even after death, enrolled members continue to pray for the living members. The Confraternity is considered to be the most indulgenced pious association of the faithful.
https://rosarycenter.org/
Built by Saint Pio Media, the website discusses the Rosary using informational text, the text of the prayers included in the Rosary, several videos, and downloadable MP3 recordings. Among the topics provided are why to pray the Rosary, how to pray the Rosary, and an explanation of its components, including the Glorious Mysteries, the Joyful Mysteries, the Sorrowful Mysteries, and the Luminous Mysteries. The website also features blog postings and links to additional online resources.
https://therosary.online/
Crafted in Houston, Texas, Rugged Rosaries promise Rosaries engineered with the resilience of military paracord and the spirit of Catholic tradition. While available to anyone, the Rosaries are designed to be tough enough for a military environment. Among its products is a Paracord Rosary. The company's profile and seven guiding principles are set forth, and its products may be purchased through its online catalog. Charitable alliances are also highlighted on the website.
https://ruggedrosaries.com/
The official Vatican website, viewable in several languages, links to the documents of the Supreme Pontiffs pertaining to the Rosary, along with the text of each. These include Papal announcements, letters, and addresses. Other resources include instructions on how to pray the Rosary, the Mysteries of the Rosary, and the Biblical text most pertinent to the practice: "Prayer by the Church was fervently being made to God." -- Acts 12:5. Other content from the Vatican is also available.
https://www.vatican.va/special/rosary/index_rosary.htm
