The Rosary: A Prayer Centered on Christ
On Oct. 16, 2002, Pope John Paul II issued an apostolic letter, Rosarium Virginis Mariae. In it, he reminds us that the Rosary is a compendium of the Gospel message. While clearly Marian in character it has the life of Jesus at heart.

The Year of the Rosary
Prompted by the 120th anniversary of an encyclical by Leo XIII, Pope John Paul II declared October 2002 - October 2003 to be "The Year of the Rosary." During this time the rosary should be emphasized and promoted, especially as a prayer for peace and a prayer for the family. He notes, too, that it might be prayed "also in joyful remembrance of the 40th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council on Oct. 11, 1962" (RVM 2-3).
~ Office of Worship, Diocese of Lansing

Brief History of the Rosary:

500-900 Monks recite 150 psalms each day.
Peasants mimic this practice by saying 150 Pater Nosters (Lord's Prayer);
use pebbles carried in a pouch, later ropes with knots or pieces of wood.

11c St. Peter Damian (d. 1072) notes use of angelic salutation "Hail Mary;" which when joined with Elizabeth's greeting to Mary, eventually replaces the Pater Nosters

12c Marian psalters developed; include a Gloria Patri at end of each, like a psalm.
50 praises or a collection of devotional texts called a rosarium - a bouquet or a rose garden. Some beads carved as a rose.

14c Praises or Hail Marys grouped into sets of ten, Our Father put before each decade

15c Meditations added to each Hail Mary; then simplified to one meditation or "mystery" and Our Father for each decade. Dominican Order spreads the form of the "new rosary" in Western Christendom.

16c Pope Pius V (a Dominican) fosters the devotion. In 1573, he institutes an annual feast in thanksgiving for a victory over the Turks. Eventually October 7 fixed as feast of "Our Lady of the Rosary."

17c St. Louis Grignion de Montfort writes The Secret of the Rosary, describing the method for praying the rosary. He includes a common set of meditations still used today.

19c Some movement to return to 150 hail Mary's, 150 meditations

How to Pray the Rosary:

1 Make the Sign of the Cross
2 Pray the Apostles' Creed
3 Pray the Lord's Prayer (Our Father), three Hail Marys (for faith, hope and charity) and then one Gloria Patri (Glory Be)
4 After the announcement of
each mystery, pray the Lord's
Prayer, 10 Hail Marys and one Glory Be. This makes up one decade.

· One may choose to follow the announcement of the mystery with a proclamation from a related Biblical passage and silent meditation.
· There may be a variety of legitimate concluding prayers after each mystery, varying with local customs. For instance, a decade
might conclude with a prayer for the fruits of that particular mystery or the Fatima Prayer (O my Jesus).
· The Rosary usually ends with a prayer for the intentions of the Pope, as if to expand the prayer to embrace the needs of the whole Church. After praying the Rosary, the Salve Regina (Hail Holy Queen) is traditionally said.

weekly pattern:
Sunday Glorious Mysteries
Monday Joyful Mysteries
Tuesday Sorrowful Mysteries
Wednesday Glorious Mysteries
Thursday Mysteries of Light
Friday Sorrowful Mysteries
Saturday Joyful Mysteries

Joyful Mysteries
The Annunciation
The Visitation
The Nativity
Presentation of Jesus in the Temple
Finding of Jesus in the Temple

Sorrowful Mysteries
Agony in the Garden
Scourging at the Pillar
Placing of the Crown of Thorns
Carrying of the Cross by Jesus
Crucifixion of Christ

Glorious Mysteries
Resurrection
Ascension
Descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The New Mysteries of Light:
"Moving on from the infancy and the hidden life in Nazareth to the public life of Jesus, our contemplation brings us to those mysteries which may be called in a special way 'mysteries of light.' Certainly the whole mystery of Christ is a mystery of light. He is the 'light of the world' (Jn 8:12). ... In proposing to the Christian community five significant moments - 'luminous'mysteries - during this phase of Christ's life, I think that the following can be fittingly singled out:"
~ Pope John Paul II, Rosarium Virginis Mariae, #21 (2002)

	His Baptism in the Jordan "Here, as Christ descends into the waters, the innocent one who became 'sin' for our sake (cf. 2 Cor 5:21), the heavens open wide and the voice of the Father declares Him the beloved Son (cf. Mt 3:17 and parallels), while the Spirit descends on Him to invest Him with the mission which He is to carry out."
	His self-manifestation at the wedding of Cana "Another mystery of light is the first of the signs, given at Cana (cf. Jn 2:1-12), when Christ changes water into wine and opens the hearts of the disciples to faith, thanks to the intervention of Mary, the first among believers."
	His proclamation of the Kingdom of God, with his call to conversion "Another mystery of light is the preaching by which Jesus proclaims the coming of the Kingdom of God, calls to conversion (cf. Mk 1:15) and forgives the sins of all who draw near to Him in humble trust (cf. Mk 2:3-13; Lk 7: 47-48) ... "
	His Transfiguration "The mystery of light par excellence is the Transfiguration, traditionally believed to have taken place on Mount Tabor. The glory of the Godhead shines forth from the face of Christ as the Father commands the astonished apostles to 'listen to Him' (cf. Lk 9:35 and parallels) ... "
	His institution of the Eucharist "A final mystery of light ... in which Christ offers His Body and Blood as food under the signs of bread and wine, and testifies 'to the end' His love for humanity (Jn 13:1), for those whose salvation He will offer Himself in sacrifice."

How to Best Pray the Rosary

In addition to the essential elements of praise and petition, one must add the element of contemplation. Without this, the rosary is a body without a soul, and its recitation is in danger of becoming a mechanical repetition… By its nature, the recitation calls for a quiet rhythm and a lingering pace, helping the individual to meditate on the Lord's life as seen through the eyes of her who was closest to the Lord.
~ Pope John Paul II, Marialis Cultus, #47 (1974)

The Rosary and the Liturgy

Once the preeminent value of liturgical rites has been reaffirmed, it will not be difficult to appreciate the fact that the rosary is a practice of piety which easily harmonizes with the liturgy. Both draw their inspiration from Sacred Scripture and are oriented towards the mystery of Christ…

The liturgy presents anew, under the veil of signs, the great mystery of our redemption. The rosary, by means of devout contemplation, recalls these same mysteries to the mind of the person praying and stimulates to draw from them the norms of living. Once this substantial difference has been established, it is not difficult to understand that the rosary is an exercise of piety that draws its motivating forces from the liturgy and leads naturally back to it.

It does not, however, become part of the liturgy. In fact, meditation on the rosary, by familiarizing the faithful with the mysteries of Christ, can be an excellent preparation for the celebration of those mysteries in the liturgical action… However, it is a mistake to recite the rosary during the celebration of the liturgy; unfortunately, this practice still exists here and there.
~ Pope John Paul II, Marialis Cultus, # 48, (1974)

For Further Reading

· The Rosary - Catholic Answers
· The Secret of the Rosary by St. Louis De Montfort

Church Documents:

1. Rosarium Virginis Mariae Apostolic Letter of Pope John Paul II - On the Rosary (16 October 2002)
2. Redemptoris Mater Encyclical of Pope John Paul II - On the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Life of the Pilgrim Church (25 March 1987)
3. Marialis Cultis Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Paul VI - For the Right Ordering and Development of Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary (2 February 1974)
4. Grata Recordatio Encyclical of Pope John XXIII - On the Rosary: Prayer for the Church, Missions, International and Social Problems (26 September 1959)
5. Ingruentium Malorum Encyclical of Pope Pius XII - On Reciting the Rosary (15 September 1951)
6. Ingravescentibus Malis Encyclical of Pope Pius XI - On the Rosary (29 September 1937)
7. Iucunda Semper Expectatione Encyclical of Pope Leo XIII - On the Rosary (8 September 1894)
8. Magnae Dei Matris Encyclical of Pope Leo XIII - On the Rosary (8 September 1892)
9. Supremi Apostolatus Officio Encyclical of Pope Leo XIII - On Devotion to the Rosary (1 September 1883)