The Rosary · Rosarium · A guide to pray along
Pray the Rosary, in Latin and English.
The whole Rosary, bead by bead, with the Latin read aloud and the English beside it, and a painting and a verse of Scripture for every mystery. No beads needed.
Thursday: the Luminous Mysteries
The Baptism in the Jordan · The Wedding at Cana · The Proclamation of the Kingdom · The Transfiguration · The Institution of the Eucharist
About 20 minutes · one decade is 4 · Latin, English or both
The Rosary
Signum Crucis · Sign of the Cross
In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Symbolum Apostolorum · Apostles' Creed
Credo in Deum Patrem omnipotentem, Creatorem caeli et terrae.
I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
Et in Iesum Christum, Filium eius unicum, Dominum nostrum,
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord;
qui conceptus est de Spiritu Sancto, natus ex Maria Virgine,
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary;
passus sub Pontio Pilato, crucifixus, mortuus, et sepultus,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, died, and was buried;
descendit ad inferos, tertia die resurrexit a mortuis,
He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead;
ascendit ad caelos, sedet ad dexteram Dei Patris omnipotentis,
He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
inde venturus est iudicare vivos et mortuos.
From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
Credo in Spiritum Sanctum, sanctam Ecclesiam catholicam, sanctorum communionem,
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints;
remissionem peccatorum, carnis resurrectionem, vitam aeternam. Amen.
The forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.
Pater Noster · Our Father
Pater noster, qui es in caelis, sanctificetur nomen tuum.
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.
Adveniat regnum tuum.
Thy kingdom come.
Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in caelo et in terra.
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Et dimitte nobis debita nostra sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris.
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
Et ne nos inducas in tentationem, sed libera nos a malo.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Amen.
Amen.
Ave Maria · Hail Mary
Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus.
Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc, et in hora mortis nostrae.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
Amen.
Gloria Patri · Glory Be
Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc et semper, et in saecula saeculorum.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.
Amen.
Amen.
Oratio Fatimae · Fatima Prayer
Oh mi Jesu, dimitte nobis debita nostra,
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins,
libera nos ab igne inferni,
save us from the fires of hell,
conduc in caelum omnes animas,
lead all souls to heaven,
praesertim illas quae maxime indigent misericordia tua.
especially those most in need of thy mercy.
Salve Regina · Hail Holy Queen
Salve Regina, mater misericordiae, vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve.
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope, hail.
Ad te clamamus exsules filii Hevae.
To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve.
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes in hac lacrimarum valle.
To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Eia, ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte.
Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us.
Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui, nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.
And after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
Amen.
Amen.
V. Ora pro nobis, sancta Dei Genitrix.
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R. Ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi.
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Decade complete
You just prayed a decade of the Rosary.
Four more make a Rosary. Pray the next mystery, or the whole Rosary from the start.
Rosary complete
You have prayed the whole Rosary.
Five mysteries, fifty Hail Marys. Next time, name an intention before the first bead: someone to pray it for.
Tap › for each bead, or press play and pray along hands-free.
The twenty mysteries
Four sets, one life.
Each decade is prayed while meditating on a scene from the life of Christ and his Mother. The four sets move through the Incarnation, the Passion, the Resurrection, and — added by St. John Paul II in 2002 — Christ's public ministry.
“Announcing each mystery, and perhaps even using a suitable icon to portray it, is as it were to open up a scenario on which to focus our attention.”
The Joyful Mysteries
Traditionally prayed on Monday and Saturday
The Incarnation, and the hidden years before the ministry.
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1 The Annunciation
Beata Maria Virgo ab Angelo salutatur
The Angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will conceive the Son of God.
“And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.”
Fruit: Humility
Fra Angelico, The Annunciation, c. 1425–1426
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2 The Visitation
Beata Maria Virgo Elisabeth visitat
Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth, who is pregnant with John the Baptist.
“And she cried out with a loud voice, and said: Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.”
Fruit: Love of neighbor
Domenico Ghirlandaio, The Visitation, 1491
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3 The Nativity
Iesus Christus in Bethlehem nascitur
Jesus is born in Bethlehem.
“And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him up in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.”
Fruit: Detachment
Gerard van Honthorst, Adoration of the Child, c. 1619–1621
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4 The Presentation
Iesus infans in templo præsentatur
Mary and Joseph present the infant Jesus in the Temple.
“Now thou dost dismiss thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word in peace; Because my eyes have seen thy salvation,”
Fruit: Obedience
Andrea Mantegna, The Presentation in the Temple, c. 1454
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5 The Finding in the Temple
Iesus puer in templo inter doctores invenitur
Mary and Joseph find Jesus teaching in the Temple at age twelve.
“And he said to them: How is it that you sought me? did you not know, that I must be about my father's business?”
Fruit: Greater commitment & devotion to Jesus
Paolo Veronese, Jesus among the Doctors, c. 1560
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The Sorrowful Mysteries
Traditionally prayed on Tuesday and Friday
The Passion, from the garden to the cross.
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1 The Agony in the Garden
Iesus Christus, in horto orans, sanguinem sudat
Jesus prays in the Garden of Gethsemane before His arrest.
“And going a little further, he fell upon his face, praying, and saying: My Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from me. Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.”
Fruit: Trust in God
Carl Heinrich Bloch, Christ in Gethsemane, 1873
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2 The Scourging at the Pillar
Iesus Christus ad columnam flagellis cæditur
Jesus is brutally scourged by Roman soldiers.
“Then therefore, Pilate took Jesus, and scourged him.”
Fruit: Purity
Caravaggio, The Flagellation of Christ, 1607
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3 The Crowning with Thorns
Iesus Christus spinis coronatur
Jesus is mocked and crowned with thorns by the soldiers.
“And platting a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand. And bowing the knee before him, they mocked him, saying: Hail, king of the Jews.”
Fruit: Fortitude
Caravaggio, The Crowning with Thorns, c. 1602–1604
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4 The Carrying of the Cross
Iesus Christus, morte condemnatus, Calvariæ locum, crucem baiulans, petit
Jesus carries His cross to Calvary.
“And bearing his own cross, he went forth to that place which is called Calvary, but in Hebrew Golgotha.”
Fruit: Perseverance in trials
El Greco, Christ Carrying the Cross, c. 1577–1587
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5 The Crucifixion
Iesus Christus, cruci affixus, coram Matre sua moritur
Jesus dies on the cross for our salvation.
“Jesus therefore, when he had taken the vinegar, said: It is consummated. And bowing his head, he gave up the ghost.”
Fruit: Forgiveness for others
Diego Velázquez, Christ Crucified, c. 1632
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The Glorious Mysteries
Traditionally prayed on Wednesday and Sunday
The Resurrection, and what it opens for the Church.
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1 The Resurrection
Resurrectio Iesu Christi
Jesus rises from the dead on Easter Sunday.
“Who saith to them: Be not affrighted; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified: he is risen, he is not here, behold the place where they laid him.”
Fruit: Faith
Giovanni Bellini, The Resurrection of Christ, c. 1475–1479
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2 The Ascension
Ascensio Iesu Christi
Jesus ascends into Heaven forty days after His resurrection.
“And when he had said these things, while they looked on, he was raised up: and a cloud received him out of their sight.”
Fruit: Hope
John Singleton Copley, The Ascension, 1775
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3 The Descent of the Holy Spirit
Spiritus Sancti supra beatam Mariam Virginem et discipulos descensus
The Holy Spirit descends upon Mary and the Apostles at Pentecost.
“And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they began to speak with divers tongues, according as the Holy Ghost gave them to speak.”
Fruit: Gifts of the Holy Spirit
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4 The Assumption
Assumptio beatæ Mariæ Virginis in cælum
Mary is assumed body and soul into Heaven.
“Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid; for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.”
Fruit: To Jesus through Mary
Guido Reni, The Assumption of the Virgin, c. 1638–1639
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5 The Coronation
Beatæ Mariæ Virginis coronatio itemque Angelorum et Sanctorum Gloria
Mary is crowned Queen of Heaven and Earth.
“And a great sign appeared in heaven: A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars:”
Fruit: Final perseverance
Diego Velázquez, The Coronation of the Virgin, c. 1635–1636
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The Luminous Mysteries
Traditionally prayed on Thursday
Christ's public ministry — proposed by St. John Paul II in Rosarium Virginis Mariae, 2002.
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1 The Baptism in the Jordan
Baptisma apud Iordanem
Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River.
“And behold a voice from heaven, saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Fruit: Openness to the Holy Spirit
Piero della Francesca, The Baptism of Christ, 1450s
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2 The Wedding at Cana
Autorevelatio apud Cananense matrimonium
Jesus performs His first miracle, turning water into wine.
“His mother saith to the waiters: Whatsoever he shall say to you, do ye.”
Fruit: Mary’s intercession
Juan de Flandes, The Marriage Feast at Cana, c. 1500
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3 The Proclamation of the Kingdom
Regni Dei proclamatio coniuncta cum invitamento ad conversionem
Jesus preaches the Gospel and calls for repentance.
“And saying: The time is accomplished, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent, and believe the gospel.”
Fruit: Christian witness & conversion
Carl Heinrich Bloch, The Sermon on the Mount, 1877
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4 The Transfiguration
Transfiguratio
Jesus is transfigured before Peter, James, and John on Mount Tabor.
“And he was transfigured before them. And his face did shine as the sun: and his garments became white as snow.”
Fruit: Courage to bear the cross
Giovanni Bellini, The Transfiguration, c. 1480–1485
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5 The Institution of the Eucharist
Eucharistiæ Institutio
Jesus institutes the Eucharist at the Last Supper.
“And whilst they were at supper, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke: and gave to his disciples, and said: Take ye, and eat. This is my body.”
Fruit: Greater love for the Holy Eucharist
Juan de Juanes, The Last Supper, c. 1562
Pray this decade
How to pray it
The Rosary, bead by bead.
There is one prayer for each bead and a mystery for each decade. If you have never prayed it, this is the whole of it — and nobody gets the order right from memory the first few times, which is precisely what the app is for.
Tap a bead
A rosary is a map of the prayer. Tap any bead to see what is prayed on it, and start the Rosary from there.
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On the crucifix
Make the Sign of the Cross, then pray the Apostles' Creed — the Symbolum Apostolorum, the Church's oldest profession of faith.
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On the first bead
Pray one Our Father — the Pater Noster.
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On the next three beads
Pray three Hail Marys, traditionally for an increase of faith, hope and charity.
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Before the medal
Pray one Glory Be — the Gloria Patri.
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Announce the first mystery
Name the scene you are about to hold in mind, then pray one Our Father.
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On the ten beads of the decade
Pray ten Hail Marys, keeping the mystery before you. The words occupy the lips; the mystery occupies the mind. That division of labour is the method, not a distraction from it.
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At the end of the decade
Pray one Glory Be, and — as asked at Fátima and now customary — the Fatima Prayer, O my Jesus.
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Repeat for five decades
Announce the next mystery and begin again, until all five are prayed.
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At the close
Pray the Hail Holy Queen — the Salve Regina — and finish with the Sign of the Cross.
A full Rosary is around twenty minutes. A single decade, prayed properly, is a complete and ancient prayer in its own right — start there if twenty minutes is not honest today.
The prayers
Every prayer of the Rosary, in Latin and English.
The seven prayers you need, line by line, with the Latin read aloud in ecclesiastical pronunciation.
Signum Crucis Sign of the Cross
In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Symbolum Apostolorum Apostles' Creed
Credo in Deum Patrem omnipotentem, Creatorem caeli et terrae.
I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
Et in Iesum Christum, Filium eius unicum, Dominum nostrum,
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord;
qui conceptus est de Spiritu Sancto, natus ex Maria Virgine,
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary;
passus sub Pontio Pilato, crucifixus, mortuus, et sepultus,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, died, and was buried;
descendit ad inferos, tertia die resurrexit a mortuis,
He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead;
ascendit ad caelos, sedet ad dexteram Dei Patris omnipotentis,
He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
inde venturus est iudicare vivos et mortuos.
From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
Credo in Spiritum Sanctum, sanctam Ecclesiam catholicam, sanctorum communionem,
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints;
remissionem peccatorum, carnis resurrectionem, vitam aeternam. Amen.
The forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.
Pater Noster Our Father
Pater noster, qui es in caelis, sanctificetur nomen tuum.
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.
Adveniat regnum tuum.
Thy kingdom come.
Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in caelo et in terra.
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Et dimitte nobis debita nostra sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris.
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
Et ne nos inducas in tentationem, sed libera nos a malo.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Amen.
Amen.
Ave Maria Hail Mary
Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus.
Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc, et in hora mortis nostrae.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
Amen.
Gloria Patri Glory Be
Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc et semper, et in saecula saeculorum.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.
Amen.
Amen.
Oratio Fatimae Fatima Prayer
Oh mi Jesu, dimitte nobis debita nostra,
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins,
libera nos ab igne inferni,
save us from the fires of hell,
conduc in caelum omnes animas,
lead all souls to heaven,
praesertim illas quae maxime indigent misericordia tua.
especially those most in need of thy mercy.
Salve Regina Hail Holy Queen
Salve Regina, mater misericordiae, vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve.
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope, hail.
Ad te clamamus exsules filii Hevae.
To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve.
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes in hac lacrimarum valle.
To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Eia, ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte.
Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us.
Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui, nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.
And after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
Amen.
Amen.
V. Ora pro nobis, sancta Dei Genitrix.
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R. Ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi.
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Why Latin
You already half know it.
The Rosary is the best possible place to begin praying in Latin, for one reason: you are going to say the same six prayers fifty-odd times. Repetition is what makes a language stick, and the Rosary supplies it without anyone having to invent a drill.
There is no test at the end and nothing to memorise on purpose. Pray the Ave Maria enough times with the English beside it and you will one day notice that gratia plena has stopped being a sound and started being a meaning. That is how the language was actually passed on for most of its history.
Credo shows the Latin, the English, or both at once, and reads each line aloud in ecclesiastical pronunciation — the Italianate Latin of the Roman Rite, not the classroom's classical Latin.
Questions about the Rosary
How do you pray the Rosary?
Begin on the crucifix with the Sign of the Cross and the Apostles' Creed, then pray an Our Father, three Hail Marys and a Glory Be. For each of the five decades: announce the mystery, pray one Our Father, ten Hail Marys while meditating on it, then a Glory Be and the Fatima Prayer. Close with the Hail Holy Queen and the Sign of the Cross. A full Rosary takes about twenty minutes.
What are the mysteries of the Rosary?
Twenty scenes from the life of Christ and his Mother, grouped into four sets of five: the Joyful (the Incarnation and hidden years), the Sorrowful (the Passion), the Glorious (the Resurrection and what follows), and the Luminous (Christ's public ministry, proposed by St. John Paul II in 2002). One set is prayed per Rosary, and each of its five mysteries belongs to one decade.
Which mysteries are prayed on which day?
In the customary assignment: the Joyful Mysteries on Monday and Saturday, the Sorrowful on Tuesday and Friday, the Glorious on Wednesday and Sunday, and the Luminous on Thursday. This is a custom rather than a law — the Rosary is a devotion, and any set may be prayed on any day.
Can I pray the Rosary in Latin?
Yes, and it is one of the easiest ways into the language. The Rosary uses only six prayers — the Signum Crucis, Symbolum Apostolorum, Pater Noster, Ave Maria, Gloria Patri and Salve Regina — and repeats them constantly, so the Latin becomes familiar very quickly. Credo shows Latin and English together and reads each line aloud.
How long does the Rosary take?
A full five-decade Rosary takes roughly twenty minutes at an unhurried pace. A single decade takes three or four minutes and is a complete prayer in itself — praying one decade well is better than racing through five.
Do I need physical rosary beads?
No. The beads are an aid to counting, not part of the prayer's validity, and Credo counts for you. Many people use both: the app to learn the order and the Latin, the beads once the sequence is known by heart.
Is the Rosary in Credo free?
In your own language, yes: the Rosary is free to pray in Credo, with no subscription. Praying it in Latin, or with the Latin and your language side by side, is part of a Credo subscription, which you can try free for one week.
What are the prayers of the Rosary in Latin?
Seven: the Signum Crucis (Sign of the Cross), the Symbolum Apostolorum (Apostles' Creed), the Pater Noster (Our Father), the Ave Maria (Hail Mary), the Gloria Patri (Glory Be), the Fatima Prayer and the Salve Regina (Hail Holy Queen). All seven are on this page in full, Latin and English line by line, with the Latin read aloud.
What do you say when announcing a mystery?
Name it, simply: “The first Joyful Mystery: the Annunciation.” Many people then read a line of Scripture, or pause in silence, before the Our Father. St John Paul II encouraged an image as well: “Announcing each mystery, and perhaps even using a suitable icon to portray it, is as it were to open up a scenario on which to focus our attention” (Rosarium Virginis Mariae §29). That is why every decade here opens on a painting and a verse.
What are the fruits of the mysteries?
By long custom each mystery is paired with a grace to ask for while you pray it: humility at the Annunciation, love of neighbor at the Visitation, detachment at the Nativity, and so on. The lists vary a little from one prayer book to another; the fruits on this page follow the list of the Rosary Center & Confraternity, run by the Dominicans of Portland, Oregon. They are an aid to meditation, not part of the prayer itself.
Why did St John Paul II add the Luminous Mysteries?
In Rosarium Virginis Mariae (2002) he wrote that “to bring out fully the Christological depth of the Rosary it would be suitable to make an addition to the traditional pattern which, while left to the freedom of individuals and communities, could broaden it to include the mysteries of Christ's public ministry between his Baptism and his Passion” (§19). He called them “mysteries of light” and suggested praying them on Thursdays (§38).
What is the Fatima Prayer?
The short prayer said after the Glory Be at the end of each decade: “O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those most in need of thy mercy.” Sister Lúcia recorded that Our Lady taught it to the three children at Fátima in 1917. It was given in Portuguese, so Latin versions differ slightly; the one prayed on this page is in the prayers section, with its recording.
Rosarium
Pray it tonight.
Choose a set of mysteries, name what you are offering it for, and let Credo carry the order. In Latin, in English, or both.
