Friday Rosary: Sorrowful Mysteries for Friday, Step by Step

On Friday the Rosary is prayed with the Sorrowful Mysteries. Friday is the day Jesus died for us. Every Friday the Church remembers his Passion, so the Sorrowful Mysteries are the natural prayer of the day. Below is the whole Friday Rosary, step by step: the opening prayers, the five Sorrowful Mysteries with their Scripture passages and a short meditation for Friday, the closing prayers, and Friday’s traditional devotion to the Passion of Jesus. It takes about 20 minutes. The same mysteries are prayed on Tuesday.

Decade	Sorrowful Mystery	Scripture	Fruit
1	The Agony in the Garden	Matthew 26:36–46; Luke 22:39–46	Conformity to God’s will
2	The Scourging at the Pillar	Matthew 27:26; John 19:1	Purity
3	The Crowning with Thorns	Matthew 27:27–31	Courage
4	The Carrying of the Cross	Luke 23:26–32; John 19:17	Patience
5	The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus	Luke 23:33–46; John 19:25–30	Perseverance

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

Offering for the Friday Rosary

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

Lord Jesus, on this day of your Passion I offer you this Rosary in reparation for my sins and the sins of the world, and for all who are suffering today. 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 Sorrowful 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 Friday. For a longer reflection on each mystery, see our page on the Sorrowful Mysteries.