Monday Rosary: Joyful Mysteries for Monday, Step by Step

On Monday the Rosary is prayed with the Joyful Mysteries. Many Catholics offer Monday, the first day of the working week, for the holy souls in purgatory, and begin the week with Mary’s “yes”. Below is the whole Monday Rosary, step by step: the opening prayers, the five Joyful Mysteries with their Scripture passages and a short meditation for Monday, the closing prayers, and Monday’s traditional devotion to the holy souls in purgatory. It takes about 20 minutes. The same mysteries are prayed on Saturday.

Decade	Joyful Mystery	Scripture	Fruit
1	The Annunciation	Luke 1:26–38	Humility
2	The Visitation	Luke 1:39–56	Love of neighbor
3	The Nativity	Luke 2:1–20	Poverty of spirit
4	The Presentation in the Temple	Luke 2:22–38	Obedience
5	The Finding of Jesus in the Temple	Luke 2:41–52	Joy in finding Jesus

Rosary for each day: Monday · Tuesday · Wednesday · Thursday · Friday · Saturday · Sunday

Offering for the Monday Rosary

Before you begin, offer the Rosary for an intention. A Monday offering, written for this page:

Lord Jesus, at the beginning of this week I offer you this Rosary, with Mary, for the holy souls in purgatory, especially [names], and for the work and the people this week will bring me. Amen.

Opening prayers

1. On the crucifix, make the Sign of the Cross:

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

2. Still holding the crucifix, pray 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 Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified;
died, and was buried.
He descended into hell;
the third day He arose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty;
from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.
Amen.

3. On the first large bead, pray 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.

4. On the next three beads, pray three Hail Marys, traditionally for an increase of faith, hope and charity:

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst 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.

5. Pray the Glory Be:

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

The five Joyful Mysteries

For each decade: announce the mystery, read or recall the Scripture, pause on the meditation, then pray one Our Father on the large bead, ten Hail Marys on the small beads, the Glory Be, and the Fatima Prayer:

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.

The meditations below were written for Monday. For a longer reflection on each mystery, see our page on the Joyful Mysteries.

First Joyful Mystery: The Annunciation

Scripture: Luke 1:26–38 · Fruit of the mystery: Humility

As the week begins, Mary teaches us to begin with “yes”: whatever God asks of me this week, let it be done.