Wednesday Rosary: Glorious Mysteries for Wednesday, Step by Step

On Wednesday the Rosary is prayed with the Glorious Mysteries. Wednesday is traditionally devoted to St. Joseph, the guardian of the Holy Family, and the Glorious Mysteries lift our hope to heaven in the middle of the week. Below is the whole Wednesday Rosary, step by step: the opening prayers, the five Glorious Mysteries with their Scripture passages and a short meditation for Wednesday, the closing prayers, and Wednesday’s traditional devotion to St. Joseph. It takes about 20 minutes. The same mysteries are prayed on Sunday.

Decade	Glorious Mystery	Scripture	Fruit
1	The Resurrection	Matthew 28:1–10; John 20:1–18	Faith
2	The Ascension	Acts 1:6–11	Hope
3	The Descent of the Holy Spirit	Acts 2:1–13	Love of God
4	The Assumption of Mary	Revelation 12:1; Psalm 45:10–15	Grace of a holy death
5	The Coronation of Mary	Revelation 12:1	Trust in Mary’s intercession

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

Offering for the Wednesday Rosary

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

Lord Jesus, I offer you this Rosary in honor of your Resurrection and of your Mother’s glory. St. Joseph, guardian of the Holy Family, protect my family, my work and my home. 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 Glorious 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 Wednesday. For a longer reflection on each mystery, see our page on the Glorious Mysteries.