The Rosary

Make the sign of the Cross.
 

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

The Nicene Creed:

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell.
On the third day He rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
He will come again 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.

Next follows one Our Father and three "Hail Mary's" for the virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity. Conclude with one "Glory Be".
 

Our Father

Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed by 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 amongst 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

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

The Rosary is divided into four Mysteries: Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful and Glorious.

Each Mystery is further divided into five decades, each of which focuses on five events in the public ministry of Our Lord (See  below).

The purpose of the Rosary is to contemplate those events. To help maintain concentration, the following prayers are recited during the contemplation: one Our Father, ten Hail Marys, one Glory Be and the Fatima Prayer.

The Fatima Prayer is as follows:

O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fire of hell,

lead all souls to heaven,

especially those who are in most need of Thy mercy.

The five decades are divided as follows:

The Joyful Mysteries
(Mondays and Saturdays, may be said on Sundays during Advent and Christmas):

1. The Annunciation
2. The Visitation
3. The Nativity
4. The Presentation
5. The Finding of Jesus in the Temple

The Luminous Mysteries
(Thursdays):

1. The Baptism in the Jordan
2. The Wedding at Cana
3. Proclamation of the Kingdom
4. The Transfiguration
5. Institution of the Eucharist

The Sorrowful Mysteries
(Tuesdays and Fridays, may be said on Sundays during Lent ):

1. The Agony in the Garden
2. The Scourging at the Pillar
3. The Crowning with Thorns
4. The Carrying of the Cross
5. The Crucifixion

The Glorious Mysteries
(Wednesdays and Sundays):

1. The Resurrection
2. The Ascension
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit
4. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
5. The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary & the glory of the Saints
 

When you have said the Fatima Prayer after the fifth decade of the Mystery, say the following prayers:

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 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.
 

Oh God whose only begotten Son, who by His life, death and resurrection has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life, grant we beseech thee that, meditating upon the mysteries of the most holy rosary of the blessed virgin Mary, that we may both imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through the same Christ our Lord.

Amen

If you wish, you can at this point one "Our Father", one "Hail Mary", and one "Glory Be" for the intentions of the Pope.
 

Conclusion:

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

NB: The above is the complete structure of the Rosary. It can be recited in shortened form, for example, without the introductory prayers, or without the Fatima Prayer at the end of each decade. The Rosary is at your service, not you at its!

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