Rosary Prayers: Complete Text of Every Prayer
The rosary includes seven distinct prayers, repeated in a specific pattern across each set of mysteries. This page provides the complete, exact text of every rosary prayer in order — from the Sign of the Cross that opens the rosary to the one that closes it. Each prayer is followed by a brief note on its meaning and origin. If you are learning the rosary for the first time, or simply need a reliable reference, this is the page to bookmark. For a step-by-step guide to the full rosary sequence, see how to pray the rosary.
The Sign of the Cross
The Sign of the Cross opens and closes the rosary. You make it by touching your forehead, chest, left shoulder, and right shoulder while speaking the words.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
This is the most fundamental Christian prayer — a profession of faith in the Trinity compressed into a single gesture and sentence. Its origins reach back to the earliest centuries of the Church. Tertullian, writing around 200 AD, noted that Christians marked themselves with the sign of the cross throughout the day. It is not simply a ritual motion. It is a declaration: everything that follows belongs to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The Apostles’ Creed
The Apostles’ Creed is prayed once, at the very beginning of the rosary, while holding the crucifix. It is a summary of the core beliefs of the Christian faith.
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 Apostles’ Creed is one of the oldest statements of Christian belief, dating in its earliest form to the second century. Tradition holds that the twelve apostles each contributed a line, though scholars attribute its development to the baptismal formulas of the early Roman Church. Praying it at the start of the rosary grounds everything that follows in the faith of the Church — you are not just reciting prayers, but professing what you believe before you begin to meditate on the life of Christ.
The Our Father (The Lord’s Prayer)
The Our Father is prayed at the beginning of each decade (group of ten Hail Marys) and once during the opening prayers. It is the prayer Jesus himself taught his disciples.
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.
This prayer comes directly from scripture. In the Gospel of Matthew, when the disciples ask Jesus how to pray, he gives them these words (Matthew 6:9-13). Luke records a shorter version (Luke 11:2-4). It is the only prayer in the rosary that Christ himself composed. Every line is a petition — for God’s reign, for sustenance, for mercy, for protection. When you pray it before each decade, you are placing the mystery you are about to meditate on within the framework of Christ’s own prayer. It is a reset, a reorientation toward God before each new contemplation.
The Hail Mary
The Hail Mary is the prayer you will say most often during the rosary — ten times per decade, fifty times in a complete five-decade rosary. It is prayed on each of the small beads.
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 Hail Mary prayer draws from two passages in the Gospel of Luke. The first half — “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee” — is the greeting the angel Gabriel speaks to Mary at the Annunciation (Luke 1:28). The second line — “Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb” — comes from Elizabeth’s greeting when Mary visits her (Luke 1:42). These are words spoken to Mary by an angel and by a saint filled with the Holy Spirit. The second half of the prayer — “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death” — was added by the Church over the centuries, formalized in the sixteenth century. It is a simple request for Mary’s intercession: pray for us now, and when we die.
The repetition of the Hail Mary is the heartbeat of the rosary. It is not mindless repetition. Each Hail Mary is prayed while meditating on a mystery — a specific event from the life of Christ and Mary. The words remain the same, but what you see in them changes with each mystery and with whatever intention you bring. To learn more about this, see our guide on what to meditate on during the rosary.
The Glory Be (The Doxology)
The Glory Be is prayed at the end of each decade, after the ten Hail Marys. It is a brief hymn of praise to the Trinity.
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.
This prayer, known formally as the Gloria Patri or the Lesser Doxology, has been part of Christian worship since at least the fourth century. It emerged during the Trinitarian debates of the early Church as an affirmation that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit share equal glory. In the rosary, it serves as a moment of praise after each decade — a pause to step back from petition and meditation and simply give glory to God. It is one sentence, but it spans all of time: as it was, is now, and ever shall be.
The Fatima Prayer
The Fatima Prayer is prayed after the Glory Be at the end of each decade. It is the most recent addition to the standard rosary sequence.
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, and lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of Thy mercy.
This prayer originates from the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal in 1917. According to the three shepherd children — Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta — Mary asked that this prayer be added after each decade of the rosary. It was not part of the original rosary structure and some Catholics omit it, though most include it. The prayer is striking in its directness: it asks for forgiveness, for salvation, and for mercy on behalf of all souls. It shifts the rosary’s focus outward — you are no longer praying only for yourself, but for everyone.
The Hail Holy Queen (Salve Regina)
The Hail Holy Queen is prayed once, at the very end of the rosary, after the fifth decade is complete. It is the closing prayer of the rosary.
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.
The Salve Regina dates to at least the eleventh century and is one of the four Marian antiphons of the Catholic Church. Its authorship is traditionally attributed to Hermann of Reichenau, a Benedictine monk. The language is more poetic and emotionally charged than the other rosary prayers — “poor banished children of Eve,” “mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.” It gives voice to the human experience of exile, longing, and hope. Closing the rosary with this prayer places everything you have just prayed within the larger arc of salvation: we are still in the valley, but we are not alone, and we are heading somewhere.
The Order of Prayers in the Rosary
Here is how these prayers fit together in the complete rosary sequence. For a full walkthrough with instructions for each step, see how to pray the rosary.
Opening Prayers:
- Sign of the Cross
- Apostles’ Creed (on the crucifix)
- Our Father (first bead)
- Three Hail Marys (next three beads — for faith, hope, and charity)
- Glory Be
Each of the Five Decades:
- Announce the mystery and pause to meditate
- Our Father (large bead)
- Ten Hail Marys (small beads)
- Glory Be
- Fatima Prayer
Closing Prayers:
- Hail Holy Queen
- Sign of the Cross
The entire sequence takes about 15 to 20 minutes at a moderate pace. For more on timing, see how long the rosary takes.
A Note on Meditation
The prayers listed above are the spoken words of the rosary, but they are only half of it. The other half is meditation — the silent, interior contemplation of the mysteries of the rosary that happens while you pray. Each decade is dedicated to a specific event from the lives of Christ and Mary: the Annunciation, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection, and so on. The words of the Hail Mary become a rhythm that frees your mind to dwell on these scenes.
If you bring a personal intention to your prayer — something weighing on your heart — the meditations become even more personal. Your intention meets the mystery, and the mystery speaks back to your life. This is what transforms the rosary from a sequence of prayers into a contemplative experience.
Memorare generates personalized meditations for each mystery based on whatever intention you bring, connecting what is on your heart to Christ’s experience in each mystery.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most important prayer in the rosary?
The Hail Mary is the central prayer of the rosary — you pray it 53 times in a complete five-decade rosary (50 during the decades plus 3 in the opening). However, the Our Father, which Christ himself taught, holds a unique place as the prayer that opens each decade. Every prayer in the rosary serves a purpose within the whole.
Do I have to memorize all the rosary prayers?
Not before you start. Many people pray with a printed guide or an app beside them until the prayers become familiar. The Hail Mary and Our Father are typically the first two people memorize, since they are repeated most often. The rest come naturally with practice.
Can I pray the rosary in my own words?
The traditional prayers have specific, established texts, and most Catholics pray them as written. However, the meditations between prayers — the reflections on each mystery — are entirely your own. You can also add personal prayers before or after the rosary. The structure is a framework, not a cage.
Is the Fatima Prayer required?
The Fatima Prayer was requested by Our Lady of Fatima in 1917 and is widely included in the rosary today, but it is not part of the original structure. Some Catholics omit it, particularly when praying older forms of the rosary. Including it is recommended but not obligatory.
Where can I find the rosary prayers in Latin?
The Latin versions of these prayers — the Pater Noster, Ave Maria, Gloria Patri, and Salve Regina — are available in many Catholic prayer books and online. Praying in Latin is a beautiful tradition, particularly for the Salve Regina, which has a musical setting used in monasteries around the world.
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