THE HOLY ROSARY

Pray one of the most beautiful and powerful devotions of all time, brimming with inspiring sacred art!

THE BENEFIT OF PRAYING WITH SACRED ART

I cannot even begin to describe just how helpful sacred art has been to my prayer life. What you may notice gradually, perhaps even imperceptibly, over time is that the sacred art will help you develop a stronger relationship with Our Lord, with Our Lady, and even with the saints. Just as we like to have pictures of our loved ones at our office desk when we cannot see them in person, similarly having sacred art in front of us when we pray can be very consoling and comforting.

THE JOYFUL MYSTERIES

*TO BE PRAYED ON MONDAYS AND SATURDAYS*

INTRODUCTORY PRAYERS: OUR FATHER, HAIL MARY (3), & GLORY BE

SACRED ART: "The Coronation of the Virgin" by Pedro de Calabria

https://www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/the-coronation-of-the-virgin/0055a585-4c6e-48ae-935a-0ac083d819ef

FIRST DECADE: the annunciation

SACRED ART: “The Annunciation” by Giovanni Lanfranco

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Annunciation_(Giovanni_Lanfranco,_San_Carlo_ai_Catinari)#/media/File:Giovanni_Lanfranco_-_The_Annunciation_-_WGA12446.jpg

(For optimal viewing, click once or twice on the painting)

SECOND DECADE: the visitation

SACRED ART: “The Visitation” by Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino (Raphael)

https://www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/the-visitation/c02d195f-fdc4-4c61-bedf-e19216dd7335

THIRD DECADE: the nativity

SACRED ART: “Adoration of the Shepherds” by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo

https://www.wikiart.org/en/bartolome-esteban-murillo/adoration-of-the-shepherds-1

(For optimal viewing, click once on the painting)

FOURTH DECADE: the presentation in the temple

SACRED ART: “Presentation in the Temple” by Franz Borgias Mayer

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presentation_of_Jesus_at_the_Temple#/media/File:Presentation_at_the_Temple_St.Michael_Toronto.jpg

(For optimal viewing, click twice on the painting)

FIFTH DECADE: the finding of jesus in the temple

SACRED ART: “Jesus in the Temple” by Heinrich Hofmann

https://mariateresadebracamonte.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/2jesus_in_the_temple_hofmann.jpg

concluding prayer: the memorare

SACRED ART: “The Madonna of the Magnificat” by Sandro Botticelli

https://www.wikiart.org/en/sandro-botticelli/madonna-of-the-magnificat-1481

(For optimal viewing, click twice on the painting)

THE LUMINOUS MYSTERIES

*TO BE PRAYED ON THURSDAYS*

iNTRODUCTORY PRAYERS: OUR FATHER, HAIL MARY (3), & GLORY BE

SACRED ART: "The Coronation of the Virgin" by Pedro de Calabria

https://www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/the-coronation-of-the-virgin/0055a585-4c6e-48ae-935a-0ac083d819ef

FIRST DECADE: the baptism of jesus

SACRED ART: “The Baptism of Christ” by Antoine Coypel

https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/the-baptism-of-christ-antoine-coypel/LgHelLtisHOerA?hl=en&ms=%7B%22x%22%3A0.5%2C%22y%22%3A0.5%2C%22z%22%3A10%2C%22size%22%3A%7B%22width%22%3A2.137787056367432%2C%22height%22%3A0.8067669172932331%7D%7D

(For optimal viewing, click and hold the white tab on the slider bar in the mini picture, then drag it left or right to adjust the size; afterwards, click and hold the rectangle in the mini picture, then drag it up or down to adjust the perspective)

SECOND DECADE: the wedding feast at cana

SACRED ART: “The Marriage Feast at Cana” by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/18/The_Barber_Institute_of_Fine_Arts_-_Bartolom%C3%A9_Esteban_Murillo_-_The_Marriage_Feast_at_Cana.jpg

(For optimal viewing, click once on the painting)

THIRD DECADE: the proclamation of the kingdom of god

SACRED ART: “Sermon on the Mount” by Carl Bloch

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/Bloch-SermonOnTheMount.jpg

(For optimal viewing, click once on the painting)

FOURTH DECADE: the transfiguration

SACRED ART: “Transfiguration” by Peter Paul Rubens

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transfiguration_(Rubens)#/media/File:Transfiguration-Rubens.JPG

(For optimal viewing, click twice on the painting)

FIFTH DECADE: the institution of the eucharist

SACRED ART: “The Last Supper” by Juan de Juanes

https://www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/the-last-supper/2800c04d-a3ad-41eb-a75b-fe359d7d1dde

concluding prayer: the memorare

SACRED ART: “The Madonna of the Magnificat” by Sandro Botticelli

https://www.wikiart.org/en/sandro-botticelli/madonna-of-the-magnificat-1481

(For optimal viewing, click twice on the painting)

THE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES

*TO BE PRAYED ON TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS*

iNTRODUCTORY PRAYERS: OUR FATHER, HAIL MARY (3), & GLORY BE

SACRED ART: "The Coronation of the Virgin" by Pedro de Calabria

https://www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/the-coronation-of-the-virgin/0055a585-4c6e-48ae-935a-0ac083d819ef

FIRST DECADE: the agony in the garden

SACRED ART: “Gethsemane” by Carl Bloch

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/53/Gethsemane_Carl_Bloch.jpg

(For optimal viewing, click once on the painting)

SECOND DECADE: the scourging at the pillar

SACRED ART: “Flagellation” by Lodovico Carracci

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Douai_chartreuse_carracci_flagellation.jpg

(For optimal viewing, click once on the painting)

THIRD DECADE: the crowning with thorns

SACRED ART: “Ecce Homo” by Antonio Ciseri

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/Ecce_homo_by_Antonio_Ciseri_%281%29.jpg

FOURTH DECADE: the carrying of the cross

SACRED ART: “Christ Carrying the Cross” by El Greco

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ_Carrying_the_Cross_(El_Greco,_New_York)#/media/File:Cristo_abrazado_a_la_cruz_El_Greco.jpg

(For optimal viewing, click twice on the painting)

FIFTH DECADE: the crucifixion

SACRED ART: “Christ Crucified” by Diego Velazquez

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ_Crucified_(Vel%C3%A1zquez)#/media/File:Cristo_crucificado.jpg

(For optimal viewing, click twice on the painting)

concluding prayer: the memorare

SACRED ART: “The Madonna of the Magnificat” by Sandro Botticelli

https://www.wikiart.org/en/sandro-botticelli/madonna-of-the-magnificat-1481

(For optimal viewing, click twice on the painting)

THE GLORIOUS MYSTERIES

*TO BE PRAYED ON WEDNESDAYS AND SUNDAYS*

iNTRODUCTORY PRAYERS: OUR FATHER, HAIL MARY (3), & GLORY BE

SACRED ART: "The Coronation of the Virgin" by Pedro de Calabria

https://www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/the-coronation-of-the-virgin/0055a585-4c6e-48ae-935a-0ac083d819ef

FIRST DECADE: the resurrection

SACRED ART: “The Supper at Emmaus” by Peter Paul Rubens

https://www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/the-supper-at-emmaus/1086e8ad-8cda-424d-860c-3d147545ae48

(For optimal viewing, click once on the minus sign to the right, and then once on the plus sign)

SECOND DECADE: the ascension

SACRED ART: “The Ascension” by Benjamin West

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/The_Ascension%29_by_Benjamin_West%2C_PRA.jpg

(For optimal viewing, click once on the painting)

THIRD DECADE: the descent of the holy spirit

SACRED ART: “Pentecost” by Jean Restout

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_II_Restout#/media/File:Jean_II_Restout_-_Pentecôte.jpg

(For optimal viewing, click once on the painting)

FOURTH DECADE: the assumption of the blessed virgin mary

SACRED ART: “The Assumption of the Virgin” by Mariano Salvador Maella

https://www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/the-assumption-of-the-virgin/08757315-ea12-4c06-82c6-2919af4b5fa1

(For optimal viewing, click twice on the minus sign to the right, and then once on the plus sign, then left-click and hold as you drag the painting higher or lower to suit your taste)

FIFTH DECADE: the coronation of the blessed virgin mary

SACRED ART: “The Coronation of the Virgin” by Pedro de Calabria

https://www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/the-coronation-of-the-virgin/0055a585-4c6e-48ae-935a-0ac083d819ef

concluding prayer: the memorare

SACRED ART: “The Madonna of the Magnificat” by Sandro Botticelli

https://www.wikiart.org/en/sandro-botticelli/madonna-of-the-magnificat-1481

(For optimal viewing, click twice on the painting)

HOLY ROSARY & HOLY CHAPLET of the hours

A beautiful intertwining of the Holy Rosary and the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy

Now let me tell you about the Holy Rosary & Holy Chaplet of the Hours. But let me preface my remarks by saying that this is not for everyone. Part I, arguably the most important, is probably the easiest one to do; Part II requires much greater flexibility in terms of time. As St. Francis de Sales pointed out, each of us is called to live his or her faith in a somewhat different way. He tells us, for example, that a king (or a president or world leader nowadays) is called to live his or her faith differently from a priest or a nun. And he cites many other examples in his spiritual classic entitled Introduction to the Devout Life.

Anyway, when prayed well, the Holy Rosary is such a magnificently beautiful prayer. But for a long, long time — in fact, for decades — I rarely prayed it at all. I honestly didn’t know how to do it well, and so my prayer was extremely dry. Perhaps St. Ignatius of Loyola would describe this as an example of desolation in prayer.

Part I

Before using sacred art, my meditations on the mysteries probably lasted a few seconds — if I meditated on them at all — certainly not a very fruitful practice. But, by the grace of God, my first real step forward was learning to incorporate classic sacred art into this prayer. Finally, I could really begin to meditate on the mysteries of the Rosary. This helped a great deal, but my meditations still lacked focus.

So since I have a great love for the fruit of the Spirit that St. Paul mentions in his letter to the Galatians (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control), I decided to blend these in as well. In fact, since I also love Divine Mercy and Divine Wisdom, I added these in, too.

The result has been indescribable. I cannot even begin to tell you just how much more alive the Holy Rosary is for me now. When I pray a mystery of the Rosary, this is essentially what each of the decades looks like for me:

Our Father — I focus on the words of this prayer Hail Mary #1 — I look for love in the sacred art that represents the mystery Hail Mary #2 — I look for joy in the sacred art that represents the mystery Hail Mary #3 — I look for peace in the sacred art that represents the mystery Hail Mary #4 — I look for patience in the sacred art that represents the mystery Hail Mary #5 — I look for kindness in the sacred art that represents the mystery Hail Mary #6 — I look for generosity in the sacred art that represents the mystery Hail Mary #7 — I look for faithfulness in the sacred art that represents the mystery Hail Mary #8 — I look for gentleness in the sacred art that represents the mystery Hail Mary #9 — I look for self-control in the sacred art that represents the mystery Hail Mary #10 — I look for divine wisdom in the sacred art that represents the mystery Glory Be — I look for divine mercy in the sacred art that represents the mystery O My Jesus — I focus on the words of this prayer

I find this to be wonderful. The meditations always seem to be fresh, and it feels like no two days are exactly the same.

Then, on the other hand, when I recite each of the short prayers of the Chaplet decades, I offer up a single petition or intercession for each prayer. I like to pray for as many different needs as I can, and, to the best of my ability, I use St. John Paul II as my guide, praying for myself, for my family, for my faith community, for the world, and for the poor souls of Purgatory. In other words, I am essentially praying for a different intention on each bead of the Chaplet decades.

So, to put things in better perspective, I meditate upon the mysteries during the Rosary decades, and then I offer up petitionary prayers and/or intercessory prayers during the Chaplet decades. I very much like the balance this creates in my prayer life.

Part II

However, at this point, you might be wondering why this section is entitled the “Holy Rosary & Holy Chaplet of the Hours.” Well, I didn’t want to have a prayer life that was separate from the rest of my life. So I started to spread out the Rosary though the entire day, and I did the same with the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy. In this respect, it’s a bit similar to the Liturgy of the Hours (otherwise known as The Divine Office).

And so I intertwined the Holy Rosary and the Holy Chaplet together, creating the Holy Rosary & Holy Chaplet of the Hours. And now I alternate praying decades of the Rosary and then the Chaplet, off and on, all day long. As soon as I wake up, while I’m still in bed, I recite the introductory prayers for the Rosary as well as for the Chaplet. Then, periodically throughout the day, I alternate between a decade of the Rosary and a decade of the Chaplet.

Consequently, I no longer pray the Rosary and the Chaplet — I live them. Now Our Lord and Our Lady are with me all day long, not just during “prayer time” in the morning or evening, and the Holy Rosary & Holy Chaplet of the Hours is woven into the very fabric of my life.

I like it because it helps me to stay focused, and helps me to pray more from the heart. Quite honestly, I can get weary very quickly by praying nonstop for 20 or 30 minutes straight. So this way I pray for about five minutes at a time (for each Rosary decade) and one minute at a time (for each Chaplet decade), but I do it periodically throughout the day. It’s remarkable how it can refresh the spirit every hour and a half or so, reminding me of what really and truly matters in my life. Otherwise, it can feel like I’m living in a time-management hurricane, in which my life runs me, instead of me running my own life.

So, in short, if you have stayed away from the Rosary, and maybe even the Chaplet, please do so no longer! They are amazing — and powerful — prayers.

Let me close with the wise words of St. Teresa of Avila, who once said the following in her classic book on prayer, entitled The Interior Castle: "If you find anything in the plan of this treatise which helps you to know Him better, be certain that it is sent by His Majesty to encourage you, and that whatever you find amiss in it is my own.... If these writings contain any error, it is through my ignorance; I submit in all things to the teachings of the holy Catholic Roman Church.... May our Lord God be forever praised and blessed! Amen, Amen." 

I feel very much the same way. It is my hope that this may potentially help you in your prayer life, as it has helped me in my own. It is my sincerest hope that the Our Lord and Our Lady will always be with you. May God bless you, and may Our Lady, the Queen of All Hearts, sweetly shower God's graces upon you!