How to pray the Rosary, a step-by-step visual guide
The origin of the Rosary dates back to the year 800, but it has evolved throughout the centuries to the Rosary we know today. The Rosary invites us to meditate on the life of Jesus and the Holy Virgin Mary. Whether we pray it alone or with others, we can offer our Rosary for many intentions, always asking the intercession of Our Lady.
Today’s Rosary was given by the Virgin Mary herself to Saint Dominic of Guzman in the year 1214. She handed it to him in order to fight the heretics and sinners of the times, and she also asked him to teach people how to pray it and spread this devotion throughout the world. Spreading the devotion to the Holy Rosary remains a responsibility of all Catholics. Ever since those times, Christians pray the Rosary along with meditation on 15 mysteries about the life of Our Lord Jesus and the Virgin Mary. In 2002, Saint Pope John Paul II introduced five additional mysteries: the Luminous Mysteries. So, we now meditate on 20 mysteries.
The link below takes us through the Rosary. If you are a beginner, you can start by praying one mystery (or one “decade” of 10 Hail Marys) a day, until you build up your stamina. It’s never too late to start.
Pray the Rosary visual guide at Catholic Link