The rosary beads comprise decades of beads.
Each decade reflects on one rosary mystery.
The decades are separated by a single large bead, and on each bead one of the rosary prayers are said.
Before each decade is said the our father – the prayer instituted by Christ himself in Matthew 6:9
And without wanting to argue about differences in versions over history it is:
Our Father, which art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done,
in earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive them that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
Later anglican versions include
For thine is the kingdom,
the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever
Which is also the pater noster of latin canon and liturgy.
Pater noster, qui es in caelis:
sanctificetur Nomen Tuum;
adveniat Regnum Tuum;
fiat voluntas Tua,
sicut in caelo, et in terra.
Panem nostrum cotidianum da nobis hodie;
et dimitte nobis debita nostra,
Sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris;
et ne nos inducas in tentationem;
sed libera nos a Malo
On each of the ten rosary beads in each decade of the catholic rosary is said the Hail Mary. Whilst “hail full of grace” dates back to gospel times the prayer as a whole is not formed as a complete entity in the form it is known till perhaps 1000 AD
Hail Mary full of grace,
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb,
Then the request for intercession.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us sinners.Now and at the hour of our death.
Finally in the catholic rosary the last of the prayers is the Gloria – in Latin and English.
- Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto,
- Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
- Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
- As it was in the beginning, both now and always, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Each Decade is often also completed by the fatima prayer, and the rosary completed with completion prayers – each dealt with in a separate post.
