The Holy Rosary is a Catholic contemplative prayer in which we meditate on elements of the life of Christ.  These aspects of Our Lord's life are contained in four "groups" of five mysteries each.  The "groups" are:

• Joyful Mysteries (said on Mondays, Saturdays, Sundays during Advent and Christmas)
• Luminous Mysteries (said on Thursdays)
• Sorrowful Mysteries (said on Tuesdays, Fridays, Sundays during Lent)
• Glorious Mysteries (said on Wednesdays, Sundays)

For anyone who may not know how to use rosary beads, these pages show you how to pray the rosary by outlining the structure of the rosary and the prayers that comprise it. The Catholic Rosary is usually prayed using rosary beads. The beads serve simply as "markers" or counters showing where the pray-er is in the meditation.

The Rosary is a structured sequence of simple prayers. It is structured so that once it has been learned, your mind is free to meditate on the mystery of Christ's life rather than having to think about what comes next.  It is commonly prayed with the aid of rosary beads. The purpose of the beads is so that you don't have to keep count of the prayers that are said, again, freeing your mind to meditate on the life of Christ.

The rosary is said thus (see the diagram showing what prayers to say on each bead):

1. Start with the Sign of the Cross
2. Say the Apostle's Creed
3. Say one Our Father (aka the Lord's Prayer)
4. Recite three Hail Mary's (for an increase in the virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity)
5. Then say one Glory Be;
6. Announce the First Mystery and recite one Our Father
7. Recite ten Hail Mary's
8. Say one Glory Be
9. Say the Fatima Prayer
10. Announce the Second Mystery and recite one Our Father
11. Recite ten Hail Mary's
12. Say one Glory Be
13. Say the Fatima Prayer
14. Announce the Third Mystery and recite one Our Father
15. Recite ten Hail Mary's
16. Say one Glory Be
17. Say the Fatima Prayer
18. Announce the Fourth Mystery and recite one Our Father
19. Recite ten Hail Mary's
20. Say one Glory Be
21. Say the Fatima Prayer
22. Announce the Fifth Mystery and recite one Our Father
23. Recite ten Hail Mary's
24. Say one Glory Be
25. Say the Fatima Prayer
26. Say the Hail Holy Queen
27. Finish with the Sign of the Cross