The Sorrowful Mysteries contemplate the Passion and death of Jesus: His agony in Gethsemane, the scourging, the crowning with thorns, the way of the Cross and the Crucifixion. They are prayed on Tuesdays and Fridays, and many Catholics also pray them on the Sundays of Lent. They are a natural Rosary to offer for the sick, the suffering and the dying.
The five Sorrowful Mysteries are:
- The Agony in the Garden
- The Scourging at the Pillar
- The Crowning with Thorns
- The Carrying of the Cross
- The Crucifixion and Death of Our Lord
The Sorrowful Mysteries show how far God’s love goes: all the way to the Cross. Praying them teaches us to unite our own sufferings to Christ’s and to stand, like Mary, beside those who suffer.
First Mystery: The Agony in the Garden
Scripture: Matthew 26:36–46; Luke 22:39–46 · Fruit of the mystery: Conformity to God’s will
Father, if thou wilt, remove this chalice from me: but yet not my will, but thine be done. (Luke 22:42)
On the night before He dies, Jesus prays in the garden of Gethsemane, so overwhelmed that His sweat becomes like drops of blood. He asks His friends to watch with Him, and they fall asleep. He does not pretend to be untroubled; He prays honestly, and then He surrenders to the Father. In this mystery we ask for the grace to pray in our own anguish and to say, ‘Thy will be done.’
Jesus, in my hours of fear, teach me to pray as you prayed.
Then pray one Our Father, ten Hail Marys and a Glory Be.
Second Mystery: The Scourging at the Pillar
Scripture: Matthew 27:26; John 19:1 · Fruit of the mystery: Purity and mortification
Then therefore, Pilate took Jesus, and scourged him. (John 19:1)
Pilate has Jesus scourged, a punishment so brutal that some did not survive it. The body of the Son of God is torn for the sins committed through our bodies. ‘By his bruises we are healed’ (Isaiah 53:5). We ask in this mystery for purity of heart and for the self-control to master our desires rather than be mastered by them.
Jesus, scourged for my sins, give me purity of heart and body.
Then pray one Our Father, ten Hail Marys and a Glory Be.
Third Mystery: The Crowning with Thorns
Scripture: Matthew 27:27–31 · Fruit of the mystery: Moral courage
And platting a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand. And bowing the knee before him, they mocked him, saying: Hail, king of the Jews. (Matthew 27:29)
The soldiers mock Jesus as a king: a crown of thorns, a reed for a scepter, a cloak for a royal robe. He is the true King of the universe, and He accepts humiliation in silence. This mystery asks for courage to stand for the truth when it is mocked, and for humility when we ourselves are ridiculed or misunderstood.
Jesus, crowned with thorns, give me courage to be faithful when faith is mocked.
Then pray one Our Father, ten Hail Marys and a Glory Be.
Fourth Mystery: The Carrying of the Cross
Scripture: Luke 23:26–32; John 19:16–17 · Fruit of the mystery: Patience
And bearing his own cross, he went forth to that place which is called Calvary, but in Hebrew Golgotha. (John 19:17)
Weakened by the scourging, Jesus carries His Cross through the streets of Jerusalem. Simon of Cyrene is made to help Him; the women of Jerusalem weep; tradition remembers that He met His Mother on the way. Everyone has a cross. This mystery asks for patience in carrying ours, and for the generosity to be a Simon for someone else.
Jesus, help me carry my cross with patience, and to help others carry theirs.
Then pray one Our Father, ten Hail Marys and a Glory Be.
Fifth Mystery: The Crucifixion and Death of Our Lord
Scripture: Luke 23:33–46; John 19:17–30 · Fruit of the mystery: Perseverance and love of the Cross
Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. (Luke 23:46)
Jesus is nailed to the Cross between two thieves. He forgives His executioners, promises paradise to the good thief, gives His Mother to the beloved disciple and, after three hours, commends His spirit to the Father. Mary stands at the foot of the Cross. Here we contemplate the price of our redemption and ask for perseverance to the end, and for a holy death.
Jesus, crucified for me, keep me faithful until the end. Mary, stand by me at the hour of my death.
Then pray one Our Father, ten Hail Marys and a Glory Be.
How to pray the Sorrowful Mysteries
- Begin with the Sign of the Cross and the Apostles’ Creed.
- Pray an Our Father, three Hail Marys (for faith, hope and charity) and a Glory Be.
- Announce the first mystery, read its Scripture or meditation above, then pray an Our Father, ten Hail Marys and a Glory Be. Many add 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.”
- Continue in the same way through the fifth mystery.
- Close with the Hail, Holy Queen and the final prayer.
To be guided bead by bead, use the interactive Rosary. To see which mysteries are prayed today, open today’s Rosary mysteries.
Closing prayer
O God, whose only-begotten Son, by his life, death and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life,
grant, we beseech thee, that meditating upon these mysteries of the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Frequently asked questions
What days are the Sorrowful Mysteries prayed?
On Tuesdays and Fridays, following the schedule proposed by Pope St. John Paul II in 2002 (Rosarium Virginis Mariae 38). The schedule is a help, not a rule: you may pray any mysteries on any day.
How long does it take to pray the Sorrowful Mysteries?
About 15 to 20 minutes for all five decades, a little longer if you read the meditations.
What are the other mysteries of the Rosary?
The four sets are the Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious and Luminous Mysteries. See Joyful Mysteries, Glorious Mysteries, Luminous Mysteries, or all twenty together on the Mysteries of the Rosary.
More Lent and Holy Week pages
- Good Friday 2027: liturgy and the Seven Last Words
- Holy Week 2027
- The Seven Sorrows Rosary
- The prayers of the Rosary
Sources
- John Paul II, Rosarium Virginis Mariae (2002)
- Scripture quotations from the Douay-Rheims Bible (public domain)
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2678 and 2708