The Sorrowful Mysteries

Guide for prayer:

We begin each rosary with the sign of the cross and the creed.

Then we pray the Our Father and 3 Hail Marys, the first for the increase of Faith, the second for the increase of Hope and the third for the increase of Charity.

And then we begin with the 5 mysteries of the Rosary, saying for each mystery 1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory to the Father and the Prayer of Fatima.

On the crucifix, make the sign of the cross and then pray the Apostles’ Creed.

 

In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the holy Spirit. Amen 

Credo in Deum Patrem omnipotentem, Creatorem caeli et terrae. Et in Iesum Christum, Filium eius unicum, Dominum nostrum, qui conceptus est de Spiritu Sancto, natus ex Maria Virgine, passus sub Pontio Pilato, crucifixus, mortuus, et sepultus, descendit ad infernos, tertia die resurrexit a mortuis, ascendit ad caelos, sedet ad dexteram Dei Patris omnipotentis, inde venturus est iudicare vivos et mortuos. Credo in Spiritum Sanctum, sanctam Ecclesiam catholicam, sanctorum communionem, remissionem peccatorum, carnis resurrectionem, vitam aeternam. Amen.

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, Our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified; died, and was buried. He descended into Hell; the third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, sitting at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.


On the next large bead, say the Pater Noster (Our Father) 

Pater noster, qui es in caelis,
sanctificetur nomen tuum ;
adveniat regnum tuum ;
fiat voluntas tua
sicut in caelo et in terra.
Panem nostrum quotidianum
da nobis hodie,
et dimitte nobis debita nostra,
sicut et nos dimittimus
debitoribus nostris,
et ne nos inducas in tentationem
sed libera nos a malo. Amen.
iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
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Our Father, Who art in heaven, 
Hallowed be Thy Name. 
Thy Kingdom come. 
Thy Will be done, 
on earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread. 
And forgive us our trespasses, 
as we forgive those who trespass against us. 
And lead us not into temptation, 
but deliver us from evil. Amen.


Use the next three small beads as an indicator to pray the three Ave Maria (Hail Mary) 

Ave Maria, gratia plena,
Dominus tecum,
benedicta tu in mulieribus,
et benedictus fructus ventris tui Iesus.
Sancta Maria mater Dei,
ora pro nobis peccatoribus,
nunc, et in hora mortis nostræ.
Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

On the chain, pray the Gloria (Glory Be).

GLORIA PATRI, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto. Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

Glory be to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

On the large bead, meditate on the first mystery and pray the Our Father. Skip the centerpiece medallion, and on the ten beads after that, pray a Hail Mary on each bead; on the chain, pray a Glory Be. Although a decade is 10, these 12 prayers form a decade of the rosary. (Pater Noster + 10 Ave Maria + Gloria)

Many Catholics add the Fatima Prayer after the Glory Be and before the next Our Father. 

Oratio Fatimae : Domine Iesu, dimitte nobis debita nostra, salva nos ab igne inferiori, perduc in caelum omnes animas, praesertim eas, quae misericordiae tuae maxime indigent.

Fatima prayer : O My Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell and lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of Thy mercy. Amen.

Sorrowful Mysteries:

The Agony in the Garden


We offer you, Lord Jesus, this decade, in honour of your agony, and we ask you, through this mystery and through the intercession of your Most Blessed Mother, the grace to be contrite for our sins.

Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and agitated. Then he said to them, “I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay awake with me.” And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want.” - Matthew 26:36-39

 Pray the Pater Noster, 10 Ave Maria, the Gloria and the Fatima Prayer.  

 

The Scourging at the Pillar


We offer to you, Lord Jesus, this decade, in honour of the scourging of Jesus, and we ask you, through this mystery and through the intercession of your Most Blessed Mother, the grace of mortification of the senses.

Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. And the soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they dressed him in a purple robe. They kept coming up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and striking him on the face. John 19:1-3

 Pray the Pater Noster, 10 Ave Maria, the Gloria and the Fatima Prayer.  

 

The Crowning With Thorns


We offer you, Lord Jesus, this decade in honour of the crowning of thorns, and we ask you, through this mystery and through the intercession of your Most Blessed Mother, the grace of the love of humiliation.

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters,and they gathered the whole cohort around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on his head. They put a reed in his right hand and knelt before him and mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” Matthew 27:27-29

 Pray the Pater Noster, 10 Ave Maria, the Gloria and the Fatima Prayer.  

 

The Carrying of the Cross


We offer you, Lord Jesus, this decade, in honour of the carrying of the cross, and we ask you, through this mystery and through the intercession of your Most Blessed Mother, the grace of being patient in trials.

They compelled a passer-by, who was coming in from the country, to carry his cross; it was Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus. Then they brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means the place of a skull). Mark 15:21-22

 Pray the Pater Noster, 10 Ave Maria, the Gloria and the Fatima Prayer.  

 

The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus  


We offer you, Lord Jesus, this decade, in honour of the crucifixion, and we ask you, through this mystery and through the intercession of your Most Blessed Mother, the grace of knowing how to forgive offenses.

Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left ... It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land[h] until three in the afternoon, while the sun’s light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” Having said this, he breathed his last. Luke 23:32-33, 44-46

 Pray the Pater Noster, 10 Ave Maria, the Gloria and the Fatima Prayer.  

 

At the end of your Rosary, say the Salve Regina (Hail Holy Queen).

SALVE REGINA, Mater misericordiae. Vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve. Ad te clamamus exsules filii Hevae. Ad te Suspiramus, gementes et flentes in hac lacrimarum valle. Eia ergo, Advocata nostra, illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte. Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui, nobis post hoc exsilium ostende. O clemens, o pia, o dulcis Virgo Maria. 

V. Ora pro nobis, Sancta Dei Genitrix. 
R. Ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi.

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve, to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us; and after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb Jesus, O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.