Rosary Mysteries

Why 'Mysteries'? - 'Rosary Mysteries' refer to certain significant events or moments in the lives of Jesus & Mary, that embody salvation truths our minds cannot fully comprehend. Abiding in each of these events is phenomenal grace which transcends time, becoming available to all believers who contemplate and pray on them.

Spiritual Fruits - Each event was of a particular nature and circumstance in the lives of Our Lord and Our Lady, where humanity and the Divine were one. And so, each Mystery bears at least one specific, universally-recognized spiritual 'fruit' or benefit to the soul of s/he who prays on it by means of the Rosary (see 20+ 'Spiritual Fruits' listed below). Over time, honest contemplation of the Mysteries (one for each decade of rosary prayers) causes one's soul to grow in, and emulate the eternal graces & virtues inherent in these salvation events.

Joy . . . . . . . Sorrow . . . . . . . Glory

Why Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious...? - Traditionally, the Rosary prayers have accompanied 15 Mysteries - 3 sets of 5. The first set, the 'Joyful Mysteries', reflect 5 events from Jesus' birth and childhood. The second set, the 'Sorrowful Mysteries', focus on 5 events from Jesus' passion and death. And the third set, the 'Glorious Mysteries', present 5 events - from Jesus' Resurrection, to His Mother's ascent to Glory as Queen of Heaven and earth.
. . . . . . . . . . .   Light   . . . . . . . . . . .

...and now Luminous Mysteries? - In October 2002, Pope John Paul II issued his Apostolic Letter ‘Rosarium Virginis Mariae’, in which he introduced a fourth set of Rosary Mysteries, called 'Luminous' (of light). Bridging the gap between the Joyful Mysteries at the beginning of Christ's earthly life, and the Sorrowful Mysteries at the end, the new Luminous mysteries deal with events from Our Lord's three-year ministry. For, in the words of John Paul II, "‘it is during the years of His public ministry that the ministry of Christ is most evidently a mystery of light: ‘While I am in the world, I am the light of the world’ (John 9:15)".
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Rosary Prayer Schedule - Although many people pray the entire Rosary of 20 Mysteries each day, most others pray one set of 5 Mysteries at a time. Church Tradition has assigned the praying of each set of Mysteries - Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful, Glorious - to certain days of the week. The standard daily schedule for praying the Rosary is as follows:

You may pray any one, or set of Rosary Mysteries

here

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The following table lists each Rosary Mystery,
and it's corresponding spiritual fruit, or effect on the soul: