Today, Friday, October 2
We pray the Sorrowful Mysteries
Every Tuesday and Friday
- 1The Agony in the Garden
- 2The Scourging at the Pillar
- 3The Crowning with Thorns
- 4The Carrying of the Cross
- 5The Crucifixion and Death
The weekly calendar
This is the order most parishes follow today, and the one Rosarium uses. It comes from the apostolic letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae, in which Saint John Paul II proposed the Luminous Mysteries in 2002 and suggested praying them on Thursdays, moving the Joyful Mysteries to Saturday and keeping the Glorious Mysteries on Wednesday and Sunday.
The same letter makes clear that this order “is not intended to limit a rightful freedom in personal and community prayer.” If you want to pray a different set one day, go ahead in peace.
Why Sunday changes
Sunday is the only day that isn’t fixed: the liturgical season decides. Rosarium follows the rule for you, so you don’t have to think about it:
- Advent and Christmas: the Joyful Mysteries, as the Church contemplates the waiting for the Lord and his birth.
- Lent: the Sorrowful Mysteries, on the way to the Passion.
- The rest of the year: the Glorious Mysteries, because Sunday is the day of the Resurrection.
The twenty mysteries
Each set has five mysteries, and with each one we ask for a fruit. Here are all twenty; the page for each set has the Gospel passage to meditate on.
Joyful Mysteries
Monday and Saturday- The AnnunciationHumility
- The VisitationLove of neighbor
- The NativitySpirit of poverty
- The Presentation in the TempleObedience
- The Finding in the TempleSeeking God in all things
Sorrowful Mysteries
Tuesday and Friday- The Agony in the GardenSorrow for sin
- The Scourging at the PillarMortification of the senses
- The Crowning with ThornsInterior mortification
- The Carrying of the CrossPatience in tribulation
- The Crucifixion and DeathLove of God and the salvation of souls
Glorious Mysteries
Wednesday and Sunday- The ResurrectionFaith
- The AscensionHope
- The Descent of the Holy SpiritCharity
- The AssumptionGrace of a happy death
- The Coronation of MaryFinal perseverance
Luminous Mysteries
Thursday- The Baptism of Jesus in the JordanFaithfulness to baptismal promises
- The Wedding Feast at CanaTrust in Mary's intercession
- The Proclamation of the KingdomConversion
- The TransfigurationDesire for holiness
- The Institution of the EucharistLove of the Holy Eucharist
Frequently asked questions
Which mysteries are prayed today?
The mysteries of the Rosary follow the day of the week: Joyful on Monday and Saturday, Sorrowful on Tuesday and Friday, Glorious on Wednesday and Sunday, and Luminous on Thursday. On the Sundays of Advent and Christmas we pray the Joyful Mysteries, and on the Sundays of Lent, the Sorrowful.
How many mysteries does the Rosary have?
Twenty, in four sets of five: Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful and Glorious. Each time you pray, you meditate on one set, one decade for each mystery.
Can I pray different mysteries from the day’s?
Yes. The weekly order is a recommended custom, not an obligation: Saint John Paul II noted that it is not meant to limit freedom in personal and community prayer. Rosarium suggests the day’s mysteries and lets you choose any set.
How long does it take to pray the Rosary?
About twenty minutes for the day’s five mysteries, with their decades, the Hail, Holy Queen and the closing prayers.
