Rosary
Praying the Sorrowful Mysteries
How to pray the Rosary · 7 steps
The five Sorrowful Mysteries of the Passion, prayed on Tuesdays and Fridays and on the Sundays of Lent: the Agony, the Scourging, the Crowning with Thorns, the Carrying of the Cross and the Crucifixion.
7 steps · About 20 minutes
The Sorrowful Mysteries follow Jesus from Gethsemane to Calvary. The Gospels give them great prominence, and the Rosary has always singled out five moments of the Passion for the faithful to contemplate. Praying them is not morbid; it is the way, as Saint John Paul II writes, to 'relive the death of Jesus' and to discover there the cause of our salvation and the depth of God's love for us.
What you need
- A rosary
- A Bible or the passages listed in each step
- About twenty quiet minutes
When to pray it
Tuesdays and Fridays, and on the Sundays of Lent; also fitting on Good Friday, in times of suffering, and when praying for the dying.
Steps
Step 1: Open the Rosary
Make the . Holding the crucifix, pray the . On the first large bead pray the ; on the next three small beads pray one each, traditionally for an increase of faith, hope and charity; then pray the . You are now ready to announce the first mystery.
Step 2: The First Sorrowful Mystery: the Agony in the Garden
Scripture: Luke 22:39-46 (also Matthew 26:36-46). In Gethsemane Jesus prays, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will but yours be done," and his sweat falls like drops of blood. Fruit of the mystery: sorrow for sin. Pray the on the large bead, then ten on the small beads while holding the mystery in mind, then the and the : ", forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those most in need of Thy mercy."
Step 3: The Second Sorrowful Mystery: the Scourging at the Pillar
Scripture: John 19:1 (also Mark 15:15). Pilate has Jesus scourged. The innocent one is beaten for the sins of the world. Fruit of the mystery: purity, and mortification of the senses. Pray the on the large bead, then ten on the small beads while holding the mystery in mind, then the and the : ", forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those most in need of Thy mercy."
Step 4: The Third Sorrowful Mystery: the Crowning with Thorns
Scripture: Matthew 27:27-31. The soldiers weave a crown of thorns, put a reed in his hand and mock him: "Hail, King of the Jews!" Fruit of the mystery: moral courage. Pray the on the large bead, then ten on the small beads while holding the mystery in mind, then the and the : ", forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those most in need of Thy mercy."
Step 5: The Fourth Sorrowful Mystery: the Carrying of the Cross
Scripture: Luke 23:26-32 (also John 19:17). Jesus carries his cross to Golgotha; Simon of Cyrene is made to help him, and the women of Jerusalem weep for him. Fruit of the mystery: patience in bearing our own crosses. Pray the on the large bead, then ten on the small beads while holding the mystery in mind, then the and the : ", forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those most in need of Thy mercy."
Step 6: The Fifth Sorrowful Mystery: the Crucifixion and Death of Our Lord
Scripture: Luke 23:33-46 (also John 19:18-30). Jesus is nailed to the cross between two criminals, forgives his executioners, entrusts his Mother to the beloved disciple, and gives up his spirit. Fruit of the mystery: perseverance, and the grace of a holy death. Pray the on the large bead, then ten on the small beads while holding the mystery in mind, then the and the : ", forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those most in need of Thy mercy."
Step 7: Close the Rosary
After the fifth decade pray the Hail, Holy Queen (), then: V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises 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 by meditating upon these mysteries of 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. Many add the . End with the .
Tips
- Pray these mysteries slowly. The Passion narratives reward a single line held in the heart through the whole decade.
- Offer each decade for someone who is suffering now.
- Combine them on Fridays of Lent with the Stations of the Cross for a fuller contemplation of the Passion.