Medalla de la Virgen del Carmen con perlas naturales – Khartes Madrid

November 13, 2026

How to pray the Rosary step by step and which mysteries to pray today

The Rosary is the most prayed Marian prayer in the world, and also one of the simplest: you can learn it in an afternoon and it will accompany you all your life. Here is which mysteries are prayed today and how to pray it step by step.

Which mysteries of the Rosary are prayed today

Mondays and Saturdays: joyful mysteries.
Tuesdays and Fridays: sorrowful mysteries.
Wednesdays and Sundays: glorious mysteries.
Thursdays: luminous mysteries.

How to pray the Rosary, step by step

Sign of the cross and, if you wish, your intention.
To begin, many people pray the Creed, an Our Father, three Hail Marys, and a Glory Be.
Announce the first mystery and think about that scene for a moment.
Pray an Our Father, ten Hail Marys, and a Glory Be. This is called a decade.
Repeat the same with the other four mysteries.
End with the Hail Holy Mary and, if you wish, the litany to the Virgin.

The beads are used so you don't have to keep count in your head: one large bead for each Our Father and ten small ones for the Hail Marys. If you don't have a rosary at hand, your fingers will do. And if you don't have time for all five mysteries, pray one: that counts too.

The twenty mysteries

Joyful mysteries (Mondays and Saturdays)

The Incarnation of the Son of God.
The Visitation of Mary to her cousin Elizabeth.
The Birth of Jesus.
The Presentation of Jesus in the temple.
The Child Jesus lost and found in the temple.

Sorrowful mysteries (Tuesdays and Fridays)

Jesus' prayer in the garden.
The scourging.
The crowning with thorns.
Jesus carrying the cross.
The crucifixion and death of Jesus.

Glorious mysteries (Wednesdays and Sundays)

The Resurrection.
The Ascension.
The coming of the Holy Spirit.
The Assumption of the Virgin.
The coronation of Mary as Queen.

Luminous mysteries (Thursdays)

The Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan.
The wedding at Cana.
The announcement of the Kingdom of God.
The Transfiguration.
The institution of the Eucharist.

The luminous mysteries are the most recent: they were added by Saint John Paul II in 2002.

Praying with your medal

Many people pray the Rosary wearing their Virgin's medal: Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Our Lady of the Pillar, Our Lady of El Rocío, Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. It is a way to keep her devotion with you always, even after you finish praying. If you like praying throughout the day, also check out the Angelus prayer and the Fatima prayer, which is prayed at the end of each mystery.