Full prayers and meditations for each of the five mysteries, with scripture references.
The Sorrowful Mysteries lead us through the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ — from His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane to His death on Calvary. These mysteries are prayed on Tuesdays and Fridays, the traditional days of fasting in the Church. Meditating on the suffering of Christ in these five mysteries deepens our understanding of the price of our salvation and calls us to bear our own crosses with patience, courage, and love.
The complete Rosary consists of five decades. Each decade begins with the Our Father, followed by ten Hail Marys while meditating on the mystery, then the Glory Be and the Fatima Prayer. Begin the entire Rosary with the Opening Prayers and conclude with the Hail Holy Queen.
Our free interactive tool guides you step-by-step through every prayer. No account needed.
✦ Open the Interactive RosaryScripture quoted from the Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner revision), in the public domain.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prays in agony, knowing the suffering that awaits Him. His sweat falls to the ground like drops of blood. Despite His human fear He surrenders completely: "Not my will, but Yours be done." An angel from Heaven appears to strengthen Him. This mystery calls us to accept God's will in our own sufferings and to watch and pray in times of temptation.
“Saying: Father, if thou wilt, remove this chalice from me: but yet not my will, but thine be done.”— Luke 22:42
“And his sweat became as drops of blood, trickling down upon the ground.”— Luke 22:44
“Watch ye, and pray that ye enter not into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh weak.”— Matthew 26:41
Read one verse aloud before the 1st, 4th and 7th Hail Mary, then let it stay with you through the decade.
Pray 10 Hail Marys while meditating on this mystery:
By order of Pontius Pilate, Jesus is bound to a pillar and mercilessly flogged by Roman soldiers. He accepts this brutal punishment in silence, offering every stroke as an act of atonement for the sins of humanity. This mystery invites us to mortify our senses and to unite our bodily sufferings with those of Christ for the salvation of souls.
“Then he released to them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him unto them to be crucified.”— Matthew 27:26
“But he was wounded for our iniquities, he was bruised for our sins: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his bruises we are healed.”— Isaias 53:5
“Then therefore, Pilate took Jesus, and scourged him.”— John 19:1
Read one verse aloud before the 1st, 4th and 7th Hail Mary, then let it stay with you through the decade.
Pray 10 Hail Marys while meditating on this mystery:
The Roman soldiers weave a crown of sharp thorns and press it onto the head of Christ. They place a scarlet robe around His shoulders, thrust a reed into His hand as a mock sceptre, and kneel before Him in cruel mockery: "Hail, King of the Jews!" In this mystery we are called to endure humiliation patiently and to value the kingship of Christ over every worldly honour.
“And platting a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand. And bowing the knee before him, they mocked him, saying: Hail, king of the Jews.”— Matthew 27:29
“And spitting upon him, they took the reed, and struck his head.”— Matthew 27:30
“(Jesus therefore came forth, bearing the crown of thorns and the purple garment.) And he saith to them: Behold the Man.”— John 19:5
Read one verse aloud before the 1st, 4th and 7th Hail Mary, then let it stay with you through the decade.
Pray 10 Hail Marys while meditating on this mystery:
Jesus shoulders the heavy Cross and walks the Via Dolorosa through the streets of Jerusalem toward Calvary. He falls three times beneath its weight, yet rises each time. Simon of Cyrene is compelled to help carry the Cross. This mystery invites us to embrace the daily crosses of our life with love, knowing that Christ walks alongside us in our struggles.
“And bearing his own cross, he went forth to that place which is called Calvary, but in Hebrew Golgotha.”— John 19:17
“And he said to all: If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”— Luke 9:23
“But Jesus turning to them, said: Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not over me; but weep for yourselves, and for your children.”— Luke 23:28
Read one verse aloud before the 1st, 4th and 7th Hail Mary, then let it stay with you through the decade.
Pray 10 Hail Marys while meditating on this mystery:
At nine in the morning, Jesus is nailed to the Cross on the hill of Calvary between two criminals. From the Cross He forgives His executioners, entrusts His mother to the beloved disciple, and at three in the afternoon commits His spirit to the Father: "It is finished." The earth shakes, the Temple veil is torn in two, and tombs are opened. This greatest mystery of love calls us to die to self and to live for God alone.
“And Jesus said: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”— Luke 23:34
“When Jesus therefore had seen his mother and the disciple standing whom he loved, he saith to his mother: Woman, behold thy son. After that, he saith to the disciple: Behold thy mother.”— John 19:26–27
“And Jesus crying out with a loud voice, said: Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.”— Luke 23:46
Read one verse aloud before the 1st, 4th and 7th Hail Mary, then let it stay with you through the decade.
Pray 10 Hail Marys while meditating on this mystery:
Each mystery of the Rosary is traditionally associated with a particular virtue to cultivate through meditation:
The Holy Rosary has four sets of mysteries, each prayed on specific days of the week:
Our free interactive rosary tool guides you step by step through every prayer, with the full text displayed on screen. Available in English and Spanish, with no account required.
Our interactive tool guides you step-by-step through all five the sorrowful mysteries with the full text of every prayer.
✦ Pray the Tue & Fri Rosary