The Mysteries of the Rosary: Which to Pray Each Day
When you pray the Rosary you meditate on a mystery for each decade, a moment from the life of Jesus and Mary. There are twenty mysteries, grouped into four sets of five. Here is a simple guide to which set to pray, and when.
Which mysteries on which day?
- Monday and Saturday: the Joyful Mysteries
- Tuesday and Friday: the Sorrowful Mysteries
- Wednesday and Sunday: the Glorious Mysteries
- Thursday: the Luminous Mysteries
During Advent and Christmas it is traditional to pray the Joyful Mysteries on Sundays, and during Lent the Sorrowful Mysteries on Sundays. This pattern is a custom, not a rule, so pray whichever set speaks to you on the day.
The Joyful Mysteries
- The Annunciation
- The Visitation
- The Nativity
- The Presentation in the Temple
- The Finding of Jesus in the Temple
The Luminous Mysteries
The Luminous Mysteries, or Mysteries of Light, were added by Saint John Paul II in 2002.
- The Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan
- The Wedding at Cana
- The Proclamation of the Kingdom of God
- The Transfiguration
- The Institution of the Eucharist
The Sorrowful Mysteries
- The Agony in the Garden
- The Scourging at the Pillar
- The Crowning with Thorns
- The Carrying of the Cross
- The Crucifixion
The Glorious Mysteries
- The Resurrection
- The Ascension
- The Descent of the Holy Spirit
- The Assumption of Mary
- The Crowning of Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth
Short on time?
A short Rosary is still a Rosary. If you only have a few minutes, pray one decade and stay with the mystery. Saint Carlo Acutis prayed the Rosary every day, and our post October Is the Month of the Rosary: A Simple Way to Begin has a simple way to begin.
If you are looking for beads of your own, we have the Carlo Acutis Rosary Beads (€7).
Marian Holy Art is an Irish Catholic company offering unique religious gifts and devotional items inspired by Lourdes, Knock and the Catholic faith. Our products are available exclusively through Marian Holy Art and are sold at Knock Shrine, Ireland.