Rosaries

Rosary is a devotional object and method used in Christian prayer, most prominently in the Roman Catholic Church. It consists of a cord or chain with a crucifix, a centerpiece, and a sequence of beads organized to help prayers be counted and meditated. The most common Catholic form is the five-decade rosary, used to guide meditations on the life of Jesus and the Virgin Mary.

Typically, the prayers begin on the crucifix with the Apostles’ Creed, and on the first bead with an Our Father. Three Hail Marys are recited on the next three beads, followed by a Glory Be. Each of the five decades then begins with an Our Father and is followed by ten Hail Marys, ending with a Glory Be and often the Fatima prayer. The decades are associated with meditations called the mysteries: Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious, and, since 2002, the Luminous Mysteries. Practitioners reflect on the chosen mystery while reciting the prayers.

History and terminology: devotion to the rosary developed in the Middle Ages and is traditionally attributed to the influence of the Virgin Mary and the Dominican order, with the term rosary derived from the Latin rosarium, “rose garden” or “garland of roses.” It became widely popular from the 15th century onward. In 2002, Pope John Paul II introduced the Luminous Mysteries as a new set to emphasize the public life of Jesus. The rosary remains a central Marian devotion in Catholic practice and has inspired various regional and linguistic variants as well as non-Catholic manifestations.

Other Christian traditions also use bead strings for prayer. Bead strands similar to rosaries are used in Anglican, Orthodox, and other communities, though the prayers and structure differ from the Catholic rosary.