The Sorrowful Mysteries

Scripturally Based

(Numbers other than the 10 Hail Marys refer to the numbers pointing to the beads in the above illustration.)

1) Make the Sign of the Cross and pray the Apostles’ Creed.

2) Pray the Our Father.

3) Pray three Hail Marys for Faith, Hope, and Charity.

4) Pray the Glory Be.

5) Announce “The First Sorrowful Mystery – The Agony of JESUS” and then pray the Our Father.

6) Pray ten Hail Marys while meditating on the Mystery.

Spiritual Fruit: Sorrow for Sin

  1. Jesus and His Apostles go to Gethsemane to pray. Mat. 26:36
  2. With Peter, James and John, He enters the olive grove. Mat. 26:37
  3. “My soul is sorrowful unto death.” Mat. 26:38
  4. “Father, if it be Thy will, let this cup pass from Me.” Mat. 26:39
  5. “Yet, not My will, but Thine be done.” Mat. 26:39
  6. “Could you not watch one hour with Me?” Mat. 26:40
  7. “Watch and pray that you enter not into temptation.” Mat. 26:41
  8. Judas betrays Jesus with a kiss. Mat. 26:48
  9. “Having seized Jesus, they led Him away to the high priest’s house.” Lk. 22:54
  10. His disciples abandon Him. Mat. 26:56

7) Pray the Glory Be

Optional: Pray the Fatima prayer Oh My Jesus.


8) Announce “The Second Sorrowful Mystery – JESUS is Scourged” and then pray the Our Father.

Pray ten Hail Marys while meditating on the Mystery.

Spiritual Fruit: Purity

  1. Before the high priest Annas, one of the guards strikes Jesus in the face. Jn. 18:22
  2. Annas sends Jesus, bound, to the high priest Caiphas. Jn. 18:24
  3. They sought false witnesses against Jesus that they might put Him to death. Mat. 26:59
  4. Peter denies three times that he is a disciple of Jesus. Jn. 18:17,25,27
  5. Jesus is brought before Pilate, for only he can issue a death sentence. Jn. 18:31
  6. Pilate can find no guilt in Jesus. Jn. 18:39
  7. To appease the Jews, Pilate has Jesus scourged. Jn. 19:1
  8. “It was our infirmities that He bore, our sufferings that He endured.” Is. 53:4
  9. “He was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins.” Is. 53:5
  10. “By His stripes we were healed.” Is. 53:5

Pray the Glory Be

Optional: Pray the Oh My Jesus


Announce “The Third Sorrowful Mystery – JESUS is Crowned” and then pray the Our Father.

Pray ten Hail Marys while meditating on the Mystery.

Spiritual Fruit: Courage

  1. Jesus answers Pilate that He is a king, but His kingdom is not of this world. Jn. 18:36
  2. In mockery the soldiers place a crown of thorns on His head. Mat. 27:29
  3. They put a reed in His right hand, a symbol of authority. Mat. 27:29
  4. They kneel before Him in derision: “Hail, King of the Jews.” Mat. 27:29
  5. They spit on Him and taking the reed, strike Him on the head. Mat. 27:30
  6. Pilate presents Jesus to the crowd and says “Behold the Man.” Jn. 19:5
  7. The crowd shouts: “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” Jn. 19:6
  8. Pilate asks: “Shall I crucify your King?” Jn. 19:15
  9. They respond: “We have no king but Caesar.” Jn. 19:15
  10. “Though He was harshly treated, He submitted, and opened not His mouth.” Is. 53:7

Pray the Glory Be

Optional: Pray the Oh My Jesus


Announce “The Fourth Sorrowful Mystery – JESUS Carries His Cross” and then pray the Our Father.

Pray ten Hail Marys while meditating on the Mystery.

Spiritual Fruit: Patience

  1. Jesus carries His Cross to Calvary. Jn. 19:17
  2. “He who does not carry his cross and follow Me, cannot be My disciple.” Lk. 14:27
  3. “Take My yoke upon you… your souls will find rest.” Mat. 11:29
  4. “My yoke is easy, and My burden light.” Mat. 11:30
  5. “He who loses his life for My sake will find it.” Mat. 10:39
  6. What we suffer now can never compare to the glory that awaits us. Rom. 8:18
  7. Simon the Cyrenean helps Jesus carry the Cross to Calvary. Lk. 23:26
  8. “Weep not for Me, but for your children.” Lk. 23: 28
  9. “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of Christ.” Gal. 6:14
  10. The worldly person is an “enemy of the Cross of Christ.” Phil. 3:18

Pray the Glory Be

Optional: Pray the Oh My Jesus


Announce “The Fifth Sorrowful Mystery – JESUS Dies on the Cross” and then pray the Our Father.

Pray ten Hail Marys while meditating on the Mystery.

Spiritual Fruit: Perseverance

  1. Jesus is nailed to the Cross. Lk. 23:33
  2. He prays: “Father, forgive them…” Lk. 23:34
  3. Jesus says to the repentant thief: “This day you will be with Me in paradise.” Lk. 23:43
  4. Looking down at Mary His Mother, He says: “Woman, there is your son.” Jn. 19:26
  5. Looking at the beloved disciple, He says: “There is your Mother.” Jn. 19:27
  6. Jesus endures the terrible torture of the Cross for three hours. Mat. 27:45
  7. Nature itself seemed in mourning, for darkness covered the earth. Mat. 27:45
  8. “There is no greater love than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Jn. 15:13
  9. Having completed His redeeming mission, Jesus cried out: “It is finished.” Jn. 19:30
  10. “Father, into Your hands, I commend My spirit.” Lk. 23:46

Pray the Glory Be

Optional: Pray the Oh My Jesus

Closing Prayers

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 vale 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.

Final Prayer
Let us pray. O God, whose only begotten Son, by His life, death, and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life, grant, we beseech Thee, that meditating upon 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.

Make the Sign of the Cross.

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Optional Additional Prayers

 

Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary

 

St Michael Prayer

 

Prayer to Saint Joseph

 

 

 

Litany of The Blessed Virgin Mary

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ hear us.

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, graciously hear us.

God the Father of heaven, Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, Have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, Pray for us. (repeat after each line)
Holy Mother of God,
Holy Virgin of virgins,

Mother of Christ,
Mother of the Church,
Mother of Mercy,
Mother of Divine Grace,
Mother of Hope,
Mother Most Pure,
Mother Most Chaste,
Mother Inviolate,
Mother Undefiled,
Mother Most Amiable,
Mother Most Admirable,
Mother of Good Counsel,
Mother of our Creator,
Mother of our Savior,

Virgin Most Prudent,
Virgin Most Venerable,
Virgin Most Renowned,
Virgin Most Powerful,
Virgin Most Merciful,
Virgin Most Faithful,

Mirror of Justice,
Seat of Wisdom,
Cause of Our Joy,
Spiritual Vessel,
Vessel of Honor,
Singular Vessel of Devotion,
Mystical Rose,
Tower of David,
Tower of Ivory,
House of Gold,
Ark of the Covenant,
Gate of Heaven,
Morning Star,

Health of the Sick,
Refuge of Sinners,
Solace of Migrants,
Comforter of the afflicted,
Help of Christians,

Queen of Angels,
Queen of Patriarchs,
Queen of Prophets,
Queen of Apostles,
Queen of Martyrs,
Queen of Confessors,
Queen of Virgins,
Queen of all Saints,
Queen conceived without Original Sin,
Queen assumed into heaven,
Queen of the Most Holy Rosary,
Queen of Families,
Queen of Peace,

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us.

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

Let us pray, Grant, we beseech you, O Lord God, that we your servants may enjoy lasting health of mind and body and, by the glorious intercession of Blessed Mary, ever Virgin, may we be delivered from present sorrow to delight in joy eternal. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

 

 

St Michael Prayer

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls.

Amen.

 

 

 

Prayer to Saint Joseph

To you, O blessed Joseph, do we come in our tribulation, and having implored the help of your most holy Spouse, we confidently invoke your patronage also.
Through that charity which bound you to the Immaculate Virgin Mother of God and through the paternal love with which you embraced the Child Jesus, we humbly beg you graciously to regard the inheritance which Jesus Christ has purchased by his Blood, and with your power and strength to aid us in our necessities.

O most watchful guardian of the Holy Family, defend the chosen children of Jesus Christ; O most loving father, ward off from us every contagion of error and corrupting influence; O our most mighty protector, be kind to us and from heaven assist us in our struggle with the power of darkness.
As once you rescued the Child Jesus from deadly peril, so now protect God's Holy Church from the snares of the enemy and from all adversity; shield, too, each one of us by your constant protection, so that, supported by your example and your aid, we may be able to live piously, to die in holiness, and to obtain eternal happiness in heaven.

Amen.