Saying the rosary is primarily a Catholic practice, although some Anglicans, Methodists, and Lutherans have been known to use the rosary as a way of integrating Marian prayer into their lives and contemplating different events from the life of Jesus. Although the practice of praying with beads or stones is quite ancient and is present in many religions, it has a unique role within Christianity.

Early Marian Prayer

Within Christianity, prayers to Mary have existed since at least the second century, and many of the earliest churches were dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The oldest known Marian prayer dates back to at least the fourth century and is still often sung in conjunction with bedtime prayer (the Compline service) in the Eastern Orthodox Church. This prayer is preserved in Greek on a piece of papyrus. The words of this prayer are: “Beneath your compassion, we take refuge, Mother of God. Do not reject our prayer in our necessities, but deliver us from harm, O pure and blessed One.”

The rosary may be loosely related to the ancient Jesus Prayer, which is still used widely in the Eastern Orthodox Church. This kind of prayer became popular in early desert monasticism, and was explicitly mentioned by the fifth century when Diodochos of Photiki taught that repeating this prayer could lead to inner stillness.

In its most popular form, the words of the Jesus Prayer are: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” Especially within monastic practice, a small prayer bracelet has been used for keeping count of prayers. This simple prayer is intended to be repeated over and over until it permeates all of life's decisions, thoughts, and actions.

The Origins of the Rosary

According to one legend, the rosary in its present form may have originated with Saint Dominic de Guzman (1170–1221), the founder of the Dominican Order. This legend states that Saint Dominic's devotion to the rosary began as the result of a series of revelations from the Virgin Mary in which she revealed the rosary to him.

This pious legend, however, seems to have little basis in historical fact. The story originated with a Dominican named Alain de la Roche abound two hundred years after Saint Dominic's death. Although the practice of saying the rosary dates back to at least the ninth century, the present form of the rosary dates back to the fifteenth century. In 1562, Pope Pius V issued an official statement about the rosary, in which he detailed the fifteen mysteries that are to meditated upon as a person repeats the prayers of the rosary.

Many believe that saying the rosary will bring them special protection. When the atomic bomb exploded in Hiroshima, Japan, there was a house located just eight blocks (one kilometer) from the spot where the bomb exploded. All of the other houses and buildings in the area were obliterated, and the church that was attached to the house was destroyed. The house, however, survived, along with the eight German Jesuit priests who lived there and prayed the rosary each day. Many scientists continue to be puzzled by the fact that not only did these men survive with only minor injuries, but they all lived many more years without developing radiation sickness or loss of hearing as a result of the exposure.

How the Rosary Works

The rosary is a chain, much like a necklace, of about fifty beads with a crucifix on the end. The beads are broken into sections of ten beads each that are called decades. The decades are separated by larger beads. Each decade corresponds to a different event in the life of Christ, which is taken from the Gospel accounts. Many Roman Catholics believe that the rosary helps them to draw close to Christ and Mary and to enter into the central events in the life of Christ — to effectively integrate these pivotal moments into their own lives.

Saying the Rosary

The first step in saying the rosary is to say the Apostles' Creed, a statement of faith that originated as a baptismal formula in ancient times. Then, for each special bead separating the decades, the Lord's Prayer is said, followed by ten recitations of the Hail Mary (one for each bead in the decade). Then, at the end of each decade, the mystery from the life of Christ is meditated upon. There are four different sets of mysteries that have been prescribed by popes to correspond with different days of the week. Each mystery corresponds to a different phase of Jesus' life. The first set of mysteries is related to the very beginning of Jesus' earthly life. It includes:

• The Annunciation

• The Visitation of Mary with Elizabeth

• The Nativity of Jesus

• The Presentation of Christ in the Temple

• The Finding of Jesus in the Temple

The second set of mysteries is related to Jesus' public ministry. This set includes:

• Jesus' Baptism

• Jesus' First Miracle at Cana

• Jesus' Teaching Related to Repentance and the Kingdom

• The Transfiguration

• The Last Supper

The third set of mysteries is called the Sorrowful Mysteries. It includes:

• Jesus' Agony in the Gethsemane

• The Scourging of Jesus

• The Crowning of Jesus with Thorns

• Jesus' Carrying of the Cross

• The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus

The fourth set is referred to as the Glorious Mysteries. It includes:

• Jesus' Resurrection

• Jesus' Ascension

• The Coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost

• Mary's Assumption into Heaven

• The Coronation of Mary and Glory of All the Saints

In 2002, Pope John Paul II proposed an additional, fifth set of “Luminous Mysteries” for the rosary. This set includes:

• The Baptism of the Lord

• The Wedding at Cana

• The Proclamation of the Kingdom of God

• The Transfiguration

• The Institution of the Eucharist

Of these mysteries, some who pray the rosary may simplify their daily prayer by just selecting five mysteries for meditation. Different sets of mysteries may also be prescribed for different days.

According to Roman Catholic teaching, it is extremely important to pray the rosary in a way that is consistent, intentional, prayerful, and meditative. According to Pope Paul IV, if Catholics do not take time to ponder each mystery with awe, the rosary loses much of its power. It becomes “a body without a soul” and “a mechanical repetition of formulas, counter to the warning of Christ, who said, ‘in praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will win a hearing by their many words'” (Pope Paul IV, Marialis Cultus 47, citing Matthew 6:7).