Rosary for Today: Which Mysteries to Pray Each Day (2026 Guide)

The rosary for today depends on the day of the week. Catholics pray the Joyful Mysteries on Monday and Saturday, the Sorrowful Mysteries on Tuesday and Friday, the Glorious Mysteries on Wednesday and Sunday, and the Luminous Mysteries on Thursday. Find today in the table below, then open that day’s page for the full step-by-step rosary.

This weekly pattern was proposed by St. John Paul II in his apostolic letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae (2002). It is a helpful guide, not a strict rule. You may always pray whichever mysteries your heart needs today.

Which Mysteries of the Rosary Are Prayed Today?

Here are the rosary mysteries by day, with a link to the full guide for each day.

Day	Mysteries	Full guide
Sunday	Glorious	Rosary for Sunday
Monday	Joyful	Rosary for Monday
Tuesday	Sorrowful	Rosary for Tuesday
Wednesday	Glorious	Rosary for Wednesday
Thursday	Luminous	Rosary for Thursday
Friday	Sorrowful	Rosary for Friday
Saturday	Joyful	Rosary for Saturday

An easy way to remember it: the week begins with joy (Monday), turns to the Passion (Tuesday), rises to glory (Wednesday), walks with Jesus in His public ministry (Thursday), returns to the Cross on Friday, the day Jesus died, and rests with Mary on Saturday, the day traditionally dedicated to her.

Seasonal Exceptions on Sundays

Many Catholics follow a long-standing custom of changing the Sunday mysteries with the seasons of the Church year. This custom is not a law of the Church, but it helps the rosary breathe with the liturgy.

• Sundays of Advent and the Christmas season: the Joyful Mysteries, which tell of the Annunciation and the birth of Jesus. In 2026, Advent begins on Sunday, November 29.
• Sundays of Lent: the Sorrowful Mysteries, to walk with Jesus toward the Cross.
• Sundays of the Easter season and Ordinary Time: the Glorious Mysteries, which celebrate the Resurrection.

On weekdays, most people keep the regular schedule all year round.

What Are the Four Sets of Mysteries?

A “mystery” of the rosary is an event in the life of Jesus or Mary that we hold in our hearts while we pray. Each set has five mysteries, and each mystery is one decade. The Catechism calls the rosary an “epitome of the whole Gospel” (CCC 971), because these twenty mysteries walk us through the whole story of our salvation.

The Joyful Mysteries (Monday and Saturday)

1. The Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38)
2. The Visitation (Luke 1:39-56)
3. The Nativity of Our Lord (Luke 2:1-20)
4. The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:22-38)
5. The Finding of Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:41-52)

The Luminous Mysteries (Thursday)

1. The Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan (Matthew 3:13-17)
2. The Wedding at Cana (John 2:1-11)
3. The Proclamation of the Kingdom of God (Mark 1:14-15)
4. The Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-8)
5. The Institution of the Eucharist (Matthew 26:26-28)

St. John Paul II added these “mysteries of light” in 2002, so that the rosary would also include the public life of Jesus.

The Sorrowful Mysteries (Tuesday and Friday)

1. The Agony in the Garden (Luke 22:39-46)
2. The Scourging at the Pillar (John 19:1)
3. The Crowning with Thorns (Matthew 27:27-31)
4. The Carrying of the Cross (Luke 23:26-32)
5. The Crucifixion and Death of Our Lord (Luke 23:33-46)

The Glorious Mysteries (Wednesday and Sunday)

1. The Resurrection (Matthew 28:1-10)
2. The Ascension (Acts 1:6-11)
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4)
4. The Assumption of Mary into Heaven (CCC 966)
5. The Coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth (Revelation 12:1; CCC 966)

How Did the Schedule Change in 2002?

Before 2002, the rosary had three sets of mysteries. The Joyful Mysteries were prayed on Monday and Thursday, the Sorrowful on Tuesday and Friday, and the Glorious on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.

When St. John Paul II introduced the Luminous Mysteries, he suggested a new weekly pattern so that each set has its place: Thursday became the day of the Luminous Mysteries, and Saturday moved to the Joyful Mysteries. He added that this suggestion is not meant to limit “a rightful freedom” in personal and community prayer (Rosarium Virginis Mariae, 38). Some Catholics still pray the older pattern, and that is perfectly fine.

How to Pray the Holy Rosary for Today, Step by Step

The holy rosary for today follows the same simple pattern every day; only the mysteries change.

1. Make the Sign of the Cross and pray the Apostles’ Creed on the crucifix.
2. On the first large bead, pray an Our Father.
3. On the next three small beads, pray three Hail Marys (often for an increase in faith, hope and charity).
4. Pray a Glory Be.
5. Announce the first mystery of the day, then pray an Our Father, ten Hail Marys and a Glory Be. Many add the Fatima Prayer after each decade.
6. Repeat for the second through fifth mysteries.
7. Finish with the Hail, Holy Queen and the closing prayer, then the Sign of the Cross.

A full rosary of five decades takes about 15 to 20 minutes. If you are pressed for time, one decade prayed with love is a real prayer. You can pray the other decades later in the day.

The Prayers of the Rosary

Here are the main prayers in their standard English wording. Each day’s page has the full rosary with every prayer in order.

The Apostles’ Creed

I 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

Our 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

Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

The Glory Be

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

The Fatima Prayer

This short prayer is traditionally said after each decade. It comes from the apparitions of Our Lady at Fatima in 1917.

O my Jesus, forgive us our sins,
save us from the fires of hell,
lead all souls to heaven,
especially those in most need of thy mercy.
Amen.

The 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 valley 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.

Closing Prayer of the Rosary

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 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.

A Prayer Before Today’s Rosary (Original Prayer)

Holy Mary, Mother of God,
I give you this day and this rosary.
Take my hand as I pray these mysteries,
and help me see your Son more clearly in each one.
I bring you the people I love,
the worries I carry,
and the souls who have no one to pray for them.
Lead me closer to Jesus,
today and every day.
Amen.

Tips for Praying the Rosary Every Day

• Choose a set time. Morning coffee, a walk, the drive to Mass, or just before bed. A fixed time turns the rosary into a habit.
• Offer an intention for each decade. A sick friend, a grandchild, a marriage, the souls in purgatory, the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV.
• Read the Scripture first. Read the short Gospel passage for each mystery before the decade. It gives your mind something to rest on.
• Pray with others when you can. The Church grants a plenary indulgence, under the usual conditions, for the rosary prayed in a church or oratory, or together in a family, religious community or pious association.
• Don’t worry about distractions. Gently return to the mystery. Our Lady sees the effort, not only the result.

Meditating on the mysteries is itself a form of prayer the Church warmly recommends (CCC 2708). To understand why Catholics turn to Mary in this way, see why Catholics pray to Mary.