Prayers
The Rosary prayers in order
The short answer
The order is: Sign of the Cross, Apostles’ Creed, Our Father, three Hail Marys, Glory Be. Then for each of the five decades: an Our Father, ten Hail Marys, and a Glory Be. The Rosary ends with the Hail Holy Queen, a short versicle and response, a concluding prayer, and the Sign of the Cross.
The order at a glance
- Sign of the Cross.
- Apostles’ Creed, prayed on the crucifix.
- Our Father on the first large bead.
- Three Hail Marys on the next three beads.
- Glory Be.
- For each of five decades: announce the mystery, pray an Our Father, ten Hail Marys, then a Glory Be. The Fatima Prayer may follow.
- Hail Holy Queen.
- Versicle and response: “Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.” “That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.”
- Concluding prayer, then the Sign of the Cross.
Where each of these falls on the beads is set out on the bead-by-bead map. If you are still learning the shape of the prayer, the step-by-step walkthrough explains why the sequence turns where it does.
The prayers in full
These are the traditional English texts as published by the USCCB. Where a line is broken across several lines below, it is for readability on a small screen rather than a change to the prayer.
The Apostles’ Creed
On the crucifixI 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; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he will 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 Our Father
First large bead, and the start of every decadeOur 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
Three opening beads, then ten beads in every decadeHail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
The Glory Be
After the opening Hail Marys, and at the end of each decadeGlory be to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
The Hail Holy Queen
After the fifth decadeHail, holy Queen, mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To you we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to you we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn, then, most gracious advocate, your eyes of mercy toward us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
The concluding prayer
After the Hail Holy QueenLet 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 while 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.
Is the Fatima Prayer required in every decade?
No. The Fatima Prayer is a customary addition to the Rosary, not part of the basic sequence. The USCCB presents it as a prayer that some people say after finishing each decade, and Teresa Lavin’s guide likewise treats it as optional rather than mandatory.
The Fatima Prayer
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell; lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who have most need of your mercy.
If you are praying with a group, it is worth settling beforehand whether the group includes it, so nobody has to guess mid-decade. The book’s guidance on shared leadership in group prayer covers that kind of practical coordination.
Which wording should you use?
English translations of the Rosary prayers vary in small ways. Some versions use “you” where others use “thee” and “thou”; the Hail Mary and the Our Father are the prayers where the difference is most noticeable. The USCCB wording above is one common traditional English version, not the only valid one.
The book addresses differences between prayer translations directly, alongside explanations of the phrases concerning sin, death and hell. If unfamiliar wording has ever made you feel like you were praying someone else’s prayer, that material is aimed at you.
Keep the words with you
The book collects the prayers so a beginner can pray without stopping to search for the next line, and explains the parts of the wording that are easy to misunderstand.
Sources
The prayer texts and the note on the Fatima Prayer come from the USCCB’s pages on the prayers of the Rosary and on praying the Rosary. Statements about the book come from its Amazon listing.
Where to find it
Every prayer, in the order you pray it.
The guide keeps the texts alongside the sequence, so learning the Rosary does not depend on memory or on a second screen.
How to Pray the Rosary for Beginners by Teresa Lavin · ASIN B0HQ2B4XTP