Today, April 28, is the Memorial of St. Louis de Montfort, great promoter of devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and to the Rosary.

“Recite your Rosary with faith, with humility, with confidence, and with perseverance.” – St. Louis de Montfort

What better way to honor St. Louis than to offer here a lesson on how to pray the Rosary:

Prayers of the Rosary

Apostles’ Creed

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 Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty. From thence 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.

The Lord’s Prayer (Our Father)

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.

The Hail Mary

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among 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.

The Glory Be

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

The Fatima Prayer

O my Jesus, forgive us our sins; save us from the fires of hell; lead all souls into heaven, especially those in most need of Thy mercy. Amen.

The Hail Holy Queen

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! Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen.

Closing Prayer

O God, Whose only-begotten Son, by His life, death, and resurrection has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life; grant, we beseech You, that, meditating on these mysteries of the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain, and obtain what they promise. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Mysteries of the Rosary

The Joyful Mysteries (Mondays)

The Annunciation (the Archangel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will be the mother of Jesus)

The Visitation (Mary visits her cousin, Elizabeth, who is pregnant with John the Baptist)

The Nativity (the birth of Jesus)

The Presentation in the Temple (Mary & Joseph bring Jesus to the Temple to present Him to the Lord)

The Finding in the Temple (Mary & Joseph, after losing Jesus, find Him in the Temple with the elders)

The Luminous Mysteries (Thursdays)

The Baptism in the Jordan (Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River)

The Wedding at Cana (Jesus turns water into wine, His first miracle, at a wedding in Cana)

The Proclamation of the Kingdom (Jesus preaches the coming of the Kingdom of God)

The Transfiguration (Jesus is transfigured before His disciples; Moses & Elijah appear with Him)

The Eucharist (Jesus establishes the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper – His Body & Blood given to us)

The Sorrowful Mysteries (Tuesdays & Fridays)

The Agony in the Garden (Jesus prays to His Father in anticipation of His passion in Gethsemene)

The Scourging (Jesus is whipped by the Roman soldiers at the command of Pontius Pilate)

The Crown of Thorns (Jesus is mocked for the charge of being a king with a crown of thorns)

The Way of the Cross (Jesus carries His cross to Calvary)

The Crucifixion (Jesus is crucified on Calvary)

The Glorious Mysteries (Wednesdays, Saturdays & Sundays)

The Resurrection (Jesus is raised from the dead on the third day, conquering sin and death)

The Ascension (Jesus ascends into heaven before His disciples)

The Descent of the Holy Spirit (The Holy Spirit descends on Mary and the Apostles at Pentecost)

The Assumption (Mary is assumed body and soul into heaven)

The Coronation of Mary (Mary is crowned Queen of Heaven)

Mary, Mother of God and our Mother, pray for us! St. Louis de Montfort, pray for us!

Be Christ for all. Bring Christ to all. See Christ in all.