THE MYSTERIES OF THE HOLY ROSARY by Atty. Marwil Llasos

The Madonna of the Rosary

The four mysteries of the Holy Rosary are the events in the life of Our Lord and His mother. We contemplate and meditate on each event as we “tell our beads.”

For reflections on the mysteries of the Rosary, please refer to Edgardo C. De Vera’s Mysteries of Salvation History – Promise and Fulfillment in the Holy Rosary (San Juan: Totus Bookstore and Publishing House, 2006).

All the mysteries of the Rosary are biblical. Except for the last two glorious mysteries, all the mysteries are explicitly mentioned. The Assumption and Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary are implicitly taught in Scripture (cf. Rev. 12:1).

The Rosary is indeed a Biblical prayer through and through.For those who pray the “scriptural” Rosary (reflecting on scriptural passages while praying the Holy Rosary), the following are some biblical citations for each mystery:

Joyful Mysteries (Mondays and Saturdays)

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1. The Annunciation of the Angel Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin Mary (Lk. 1:26-36).

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2. The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to St. Elizabeth (Lk. 1:39-56).

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3. The Birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ in Bethlehem (Lk. 2:1-21).

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4. The Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple (Lk. 2:22-22-40)

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5. The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple (Lk. 2:41-52).

The Wedding at Cana with Jesus and Mary by Duccio di Buoninsegna

Luminous Mysteries (Thursdays) – added by Pope John Paul the Great on 16 October 2002 through the encyclical Rosarium Virginis Mariae.

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1. The Baptism of Our Lord in the River Jordan (Mt. 3:13-17; Mk. 1:9-11; Lk. 3:21-22; Jn. 1:31-34).

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2. The Self-Manifestation of Christ in the Wedding at Cana (Jn. 2:1-11).

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3. The Proclamation of the Kingdom of God, with the call for prayer and repentance (Mt. 3:2; Mk. 1:14-15; 2:3-13; Lk. 7:47-48; 10:11; Jn. 20:22-23).

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4. The Transfiguration of Our Lord at Mt. Tabor (Mt. 17:1-8; Mk. 9:2-8; Lk. 9:28-36; 2 Pt. 1:16-19).

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5. The Institution of the Holy Eucharist during the Last Supper (Mt. 26:27-29; Mk. 14:22-25; Lk. 22:14-20; 1 Cor. 11:23-26).

Mary at the Foot of the Cross

Sorrowful Mysteries (Tuesdays)

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1. The Agony of Our Lord in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mt. 26:36-56; Mk. 14:32-50; Lk. 22:39-53; Jn. 18:1-11).

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2. The Scourging of Our Lord at the Pillar (Mt. 27:24-26; Mk. 15:1-15; Lk. 22:63-65; 23:13-25; Jn. 18:28-19:1; cf. Isa. 53:5).

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3 The Crowning Our Lord with Thorns (Mt. 27:11-27).

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4. The Carrying of the Cross by Jesus to Mt. Calvary (Lk. 23:26-32).

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5. The Crucifixion and Death of Our Lord (Mt. 27:33-61; Mk. 15:22-47; Lk. 23:33-56; Jn. 19:18-42).

Mary with the Apostles during the Pentecost

Glorious Mysteries (Wednesdays and Sundays)

1. The Glorious Resurrection of Our Lord (Mt. 27:62-28:15; Mk. 16:1-14; Lk. 23:54-24:43; Jn. 20:1-29; cf. 1 Cor. 15).

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2. The Ascension of Our Lord (Mt. 28:16-20; Mk. 16:15-19; Lk. 24:44-53; Jn. 21:1-23; Acts 1:32-12).

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3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit Upon the Apostles at Pentecost (Acts 1;12-2:27)

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4. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven (Rev. 11:19-12:17; cf. Song 2:10; Ps. 132:8).

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5. The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth (Rev. 12:1; cf. Song 4:8 (Douay-Rheims); Ps. 45:9; Jdt. 13:18; 15:9).

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The four-fold sets of mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary are structured to follow the pattern enunciated by Paul in Romans 8:30: “And those he predestined [joyful], he also called [sorrowful], those he called, he also justified [luminous]; those he justified, he also glorified [glorious]."