When you hear the word “mystery,” you probably think of something like a detective story. Or you might think of something dark and mysterious that can’t be figured out. Whenever we can’t figure something out, we just say “It’s a mystery.”
But the rosary isn’t like that.
When it comes to the rosary, the mysteries are not far-off events we can’t know anything about. Instead, they are events we can never stop thinking about! That’s what a “mystery of the rosary” means — something you can always keep reflecting on. The more you reflect on these special events in the lives of Jesus and Mary, the more insights you gain. The mysteries of the rosary are meant to teach you about Jesus and Mary. And the more you reflect on their holy lives, the holier you will become in your own daily life.
Every day of the week has a set of mysteries:
- Sunday: Glorious Mysteries
- Monday: Joyful Mysteries
- Tuesday: Sorrowful Mysteries
- Wednesday: Glorious Mysteries
- Thursday: Luminous Mysteries
- Friday: Sorrowful Mysteries
- Saturday: Joyful Mysteries
The Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary
The Annunciation
The angel Gabriel visits Mary, who responds “Yes” to God’s plan for her.
The Visitation
Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth. The infant John the Baptist leaps in Elizabeth’s womb.
The Nativity
The Son of God is born in a lowly manger in Bethlehem.
The Presentation in the Temple
Mary and Joseph bring the infant Jesus to the Temple according to Jewish custom. Simeon foretells future suffering for Jesus and Mary.
The Finding in the Temple
The child Jesus goes missing for three days in Jerusalem. Mary and Joseph find Him in the Temple, teaching the elders.
The Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary
The Baptism in the Jordan
Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist. The voice of God the Father speaks: “This is my beloved son.”
The Wedding Feast at Cana
At the request of Mary, Jesus performs his first public miracle: turning water into wine.
The Proclamation of the Kingdom
Jesus calls us to repent and believe in the Gospel.
The Transfiguration
Jesus offers a glimpse of His glory to Peter, James and John.
The Institution of the Eucharist
At the Last Supper, Jesus takes bread and wine and says, “This is my body; this is my blood.”
The Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary
The Agony in the Garden
Jesus prays to let the cup of the Passion pass from Him, but that the will of the Father be done.
The Scourging at the Pillar
Jesus is brutally beaten and whipped by Roman soldiers.
The Crowning of Thorns
The soldiers mock Jesus and dress him up like a king.
The Carrying of the Cross
Jesus perseveres under the weight of the cross and the weight of all our sins.
The Crucifixion
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is nailed to the cross and dies.
The Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary
The Resurrection of Christ
Jesus rises from the dead; the world will never be the same again.
The Ascension of Christ
With the apostles looking on, Jesus returns to His Father in Heaven.
The Descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost
The Holy Spirit comes in tongues of fire to give spiritual strength and power to the apostles.
The Assumption of Mary
At the end of her earthly life, Mary is taken up body and soul into Heaven.
The Crowning of Mary
Mary is crowned in Heaven as the Mother of God and our spiritual mother.
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The next time you pray the rosary, make a special effort to reflect on the mysteries. Over time, you’ll grow to love coming back to them again and again.
“To recite the rosary is nothing other than to contemplate with Mary the face of Christ.” – St. John Paul II
Pray for my daughter ,Ophelia and myself
May Mother Mary especially shine her light upon you and your family today…and always*
Thank you . Keep praying for me
Thank you for the info on the site, very easy and helpful when reciting the nightly rosary.
My prayer life has been weak for a long time. Today, by reciting the Rosary, I made it a little less weak. Pray for my daughter, my grandson, and my husband
Yes but God heard you the very first time you asked Him..I will pray for you
A question if I may. When the rosary was first given to Santo Domingo de Guzman, the Hail Mary did not include the ” Holy Mary mother of God pray for us sinners now and at the hour or our death, Amen ” when Mary has instructed us to say the Rosary in Fatima or other apparitions has she stated if we need to add that clause ? I usually pray the Hail Mary ending with the name of Jesus but say the clause when invoking Mary to for a specific cause. Maybe three or four times during the Rosary
Our Lady asked St. Bernadette to include that party in an apparition at Fatima.
Part not party
Thank you Josh. I did not know that.
Pray for my deceased (22 January 2022) wife of 55 years Donna; she holds my heart in her hands and kept my sons and me alive and safe. I loved her with all of my heart.
Do you know that your wife has gone on to prepare a wonderful place for you and your sons!! Rejoice in God’s promise that you will see her again!!
Anthony, may your wife rest in peace and may she pray for you and your whole family at the foot of Christ our saviour. May the Holy Spirit console you
Thank you mother Mary
I’m reviewing this as I am about to lead the nightly parish rosary at St Raymond’s in Springfield VA. Please pray that I may do so worthily. Please pray also that I will follow the Lord’s will for my retirement. Figuring out what to do in retirement is complex and confusing but I think that the Lord is prompting us to return to our home town in Nebraska to be near our grandchildren.
Bernadette was at Lourdes. Three children were at Fatima
Please pray for my son christian who is suffering from depression and a nxiety and my 2 other daughters that they will return to the faith.