5.  Meditate on 2nd Mystery, saying the "Our Father," ten "Hail Marys" and the "Glory Be." 4. Meditate on 1st Mystery, saying the "Our Father," ten "Hail Mary" and the "Glory Be." 3.  Say three "Hail Marys" and the "Glory Be." 2.   Say the "Our Father." 1.  Make the Sign of the Cross, say the Apostles' Creed.

6.  Meditate on 3rd Mystery, saying the "Our Father," ten "Hail Marys" and the "Glory Be." 7.  Meditate on 4th Mystery, saying the "Our Father," ten "Hail Marys" and the "Glory Be." 8. Meditate on 5th Mystery, saying the "Our Father," ten "Hail Marys" and the "Glory Be." 9. Concluding prayers, "Hail Holy Queen" and "Let Us Pray: O God, whose only begotten Son, etc."

   The Rosary is the most popular of all the Marian devotions.  It was revealed to St. Dominic by the Blessed Mother and begun in the fifteenth century by Alen de Rupe, a Dominican preacher.  The Rosary combines both vocal and meditative prayer, and is treasured by all who use it. 
    On October 16, 2002, Pope John Paul II published an apostolic letter titled "Rosarium Virginis Mariae."  He called on Catholics to pray the Rosary and enter "the school of Mary," who knew Jesus Christ so well as his mother and his closet disciple.  Though it is not mandatory, the pope suggested additions to the traditional fifteen mysteries of the Rosary.  They are the Luminous Mysteries, or the Mysteries of Light, which include the mysteries of Christ's public ministry between his Baptism and his Passion.  While leaving the use of these mysteries to the freedom of individuals and communities, Pope John Paul suggested that they may help to make the Rosary be a prayer centered on the life of Christ. 
    The complete Rosary consists of twenty decades, but is further divided into four distinct parts, each containing five decades called the Joyful, the Luminous, the Sorrowful, and the Glorious Mysteries.  The Mysteries of the Rosary symbolize important events from the lives of both our Lord and the Blessed Mother.  Each decade contains one mystery, an "Our Father," ten "Hail Marys," and a "Glory be to the Father."
The Joyful Mysteries, which are said on Mondays and Saturdays;
The Luminous Mysteries, which are said on Thursdays.
The Sorrowful Mysteries, which are said on Tuesdays and Fridays;
The Glorious Mysteries, which are said on Wednesdays and Sundays.
    We begin the rosary by blessing ourselves with the crucifix.  Then we may recite the Apostles' Creed, one Our Father, three Hail Marys and one Glory to the Father on the small chain.  Then we pray one Our Father, ten Hail Mary and one Glory to the Father.  This completes one decade, and all the other decades are recited in the same manner with a different mystery meditated during each decade. 
At the end of the rosary, the Hail Holy Queen and the Litany of the Blessed Virgin may be recited.

The Mysteries of the Rosary

Joyful Mysteries (Mondays and Saturdays)
1.  The Annunciation - to the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Angel Gabriel tells Mary that she is to be the Mother of God.
2.  The Visitation - Mary Visits Her Cousin Elizabeth
The Blessed Virgin pays a visit to her cousin Elizabeth.
3.  The Nativity - The Birth of Jesus at Bethlehem
The Infant Jesus is born in a stable at Bethlehem.
4.  The Presentation - of Jesus in the Temple
The Blessed Virgin presents the Child Jesus to Simeon in the Temple.
5.  The Finding in the Temple - of the Child Jesus
Jesus is lost for three days, and the Blessed Mother finds him in the Temple.

Mysteries of Light (Thursdays)
1.  The Baptism of Jesus
Jesus is baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist.
2.  The Wedding at Cana
Jesus attends a wedding at Cana in Galilee, where he turns water into wine.
3.  The Proclamation of The Kingdom of God
Jesus goes through the towns and cities of his own country proclaiming God's Kingdom and helping the poor.
4.  The Transfiguration
Jesus leads his friends up a high mountain, where they see him shining in glorious light.
5.  The Institution of the Holy Eucharist
At supper with his friends before he dies, Jesus gives himself to them in bread and wine.

Sorrowful Mysteries (Tuesdays and Fridays)
1.  The Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane
Jesus prays in the Garden of Olives and drops of blood break through his skin.
2.  The Scourging at the Pillar
Jesus is tied to a pillar and cruelly beaten with whips.
3.  The Crowning of Thorns
A crown of thorns is placed upon Jesus' head.
4.  The Carrying of the Cross to Calvary
Jesus is made to carry his cross to Calvary.
5.  The Crucifixion - Jesus Dies for Our Sins
Jesus is nailed to the cross, and dies for our sins.

Glorious Mysteries (Wednesdays and Sundays)
1.  The Resurrection - Jesus Rises from the Dead
Jesus rises from the dead, three days after this death.
2.  The Ascension - Jesus Ascends into Heaven
Forty days after his death, Jesus ascends into heaven.
3.  The Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles
Ten days after the Ascension, the Holy Spirit comes to the apostles and the Blessed Mother in the form of fiery tongues.
4.  The Assumption of Mary
The Blessed Virgin dies and is assumed into heaven
5,  The Coronation of Mary
The Blessed Virgin is crowned Queen of Heaven and Earth by Jesus, her Son.

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.

The Apostles' Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.  I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.  He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.  he suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried.  He descended to the dead.  On the third day he rose again.  He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father.  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.

The 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.

The Hail Mary
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your 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.

The 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.
V.  Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R.  That we may be made worthy of the promise of Christ.

Let Us Pray
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 meditating upon those mysteries in the most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain, and obtain what they promise:  through the same Christ our Lord.  Amen.