The prayers below are listed in the order they appear in the Rosary. For a step-by-step guide to praying them, see How to Pray the Rosary. Orabimus provides audio narration of all prayers in both English and Latin.
The Sign of the Cross — Signum Crucis
The Rosary begins and ends with the Sign of the Cross. It is the oldest Christian prayer, tracing the mystery of the Trinity and the Redemption upon the body.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.
The Apostles' Creed — Symbolum Apostolorum
Prayed while holding the Crucifix at the start of the Rosary. The Apostles' Creed is a summary of the core beliefs of the Christian faith, dating to the early centuries of the Church. It is called "apostolic" because it expresses the faith handed on by the Apostles.
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 Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; He descended into hell; on the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.
Credo in Deum Patrem omnipotentem, Creatorem caeli et terrae. Et in Iesum Christum, Filium eius unicum, Dominum nostrum: qui conceptus est de Spiritu Sancto, natus ex Maria Virgine, passus sub Pontio Pilato, crucifixus, mortuus, et sepultus; descendit ad inferos; tertia die resurrexit a mortuis; ascendit ad caelos, sedet ad dexteram Dei Patris omnipotentis; inde venturus est iudicare vivos et mortuos. Credo in Spiritum Sanctum, sanctam Ecclesiam catholicam, sanctorum communionem, remissionem peccatorum, carnis resurrectionem, vitam aeternam. Amen.
The Our Father — Pater Noster
Prayed once before each decade. Jesus gave us this prayer directly in the Gospel — it is called the Lord's Prayer because He taught it to His disciples (Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 11:2-4). It is prayed once on the large bead before each Mystery.
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.
Pater noster, qui es in caelis, sanctificetur nomen tuum. Adveniat regnum tuum. Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in caelo et in terra. Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie, et dimitte nobis debita nostra sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. Et ne nos inducas in tentationem, sed libera nos a malo. Amen.
The Hail Mary — Ave Maria
The central prayer of the Rosary — prayed ten times in each decade, fifty times in a full Rosary. The first part is drawn from the Gospel of Luke: the words of the Angel Gabriel (Luke 1:28) and the words of Elizabeth (Luke 1:42). The second part — "Holy Mary, Mother of God" — was added by the Church in the 15th century. The prayer is simultaneously a greeting to Mary, a proclamation of her identity, and an intercession for sinners at the hour of death.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among 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.
Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum. Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.
The Glory Be — Gloria Patri
Prayed after each decade. A brief doxology — a prayer of praise — glorifying the Holy Trinity. It closes each decade of the Rosary by lifting the meditation on Mary and Jesus toward the God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto. Sicut erat in principio, et nunc et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
The Fatima Prayer — Oratio Fatimensis
Optionally prayed after the Glory Be at the end of each decade. On 13 July 1917, Our Lady appeared to the three shepherd children at Fátima, Portugal — Lúcia dos Santos, Francisco Marto, and Jacinta Marto — and asked that this prayer be added to the Rosary after each decade. It is an intercession for the salvation of all souls, with special mercy for those most in danger. Unlike the other Rosary prayers, this prayer was revealed in Portuguese, not in Latin; the Latin versions are translations, and several variants exist among traditional Catholic sources.
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who have most need of Thy mercy. Amen.
Domine Iesu, dimitte nobis debita nostra, salva nos ab igne inferni, perduc in caelum omnes animas, praesertim eas quae misericordiae tuae maxime indigent. Amen.
Note: A second widely-used variant reads ab igne inferiori (from the fires below) rather than ab igne inferni (from the fires of hell). EWTN and many traditional sources prefer inferni, which corresponds directly to the original Portuguese inferno. Both forms are in common traditional use.
The Hail Holy Queen — Salve Regina
Prayed after the fifth decade, closing the Rosary. The Salve Regina is one of the most ancient Marian antiphons of the Church, dating to the 11th century — attributed to Hermann of Reichenau, though its origin is uncertain. It has been sung daily in monasteries for nearly a thousand years. In the Rosary it gathers all the prayers of the Rosary and entrusts them to Mary's intercession as the prayer draws to a close.
Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us; and after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiae, vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve. Ad te clamamus exsules filii Hevae. Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes in hac lacrimarum valle. Eia, ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte. Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui, nobis post hoc exsilium ostende. O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria.
V. Ora pro nobis, sancta Dei Genitrix.
R. Ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi.
The Closing Prayer — Oratio Post Rosarium
Prayed after the Hail Holy Queen, before the concluding Sign of the Cross. This prayer asks God that the meditation on the Mysteries of the Rosary bear fruit in imitation and in the fulfilment of what the Mysteries promise.
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 while meditating on 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.
Deus, cuius Unigenitus per vitam, mortem et resurrectionem suam nobis salutis aeternae praemia comparavit, concede, quaesumus: ut haec mysteria sacratissimo beatae Mariae Virginis Rosario recolentes, et imitemur quod continent, et quod promittunt assequamur. Per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.
Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel
This prayer is sometimes added at the end of the Rosary. Pope Leo XIII ordered it said after Mass in 1884; it remains a traditional closing devotion after the Rosary in many communities.
St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan, and all the evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
Sancte Michael Archangele, defende nos in proelio; contra nequitiam et insidias diaboli esto praesidium. Imperet illi Deus, supplices deprecamur: tuque, Princeps militiae caelestis, Satanam aliosque spiritus malignos, qui ad perditionem animarum pervagantur in mundo, divina virtute, in infernum detrude. Amen.
Full page: Hail Mary Prayer — Ave Maria (with word-by-word translation)
Full page: The Apostles' Creed — Symbolum Apostolorum
Full page: Hail Holy Queen — Salve Regina
Pronouncing the Rosary in Latin
Ecclesiastical Latin — the Latin of the Church's liturgy and prayer — is pronounced consistently and is easier to learn than Classical Latin. The key rule: every letter is always pronounced the same way. There are no silent letters.
A phonetic guide to the key prayers:
Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum. Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.
AH-veh Mah-REE-ah, GRAH-tsee-ah PLEH-nah, DOH-mee-noos TEH-koom.
Beh-neh-DEE-ktah too in moo-lee-EH-ree-boos, et beh-neh-DEE-ktoos FROOK-toos VEN-tris TOO-ee, YEH-soos.
SAHN-ktah Mah-REE-ah, MAH-tehr DEH-ee, OR-ah proh NOH-bees pek-kah-TOH-ree-boos, noonk et in HOH-rah MOR-tis NOS-treh. Ah-MEN.
Pater noster, qui es in caelis, sanctificetur nomen tuum. Adveniat regnum tuum. Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in caelo et in terra. Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie, et dimitte nobis debita nostra sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. Et ne nos inducas in tentationem, sed libera nos a malo. Amen.
PAH-tehr NOS-tehr, kwee es in CHEH-lees, sahn-tee-fee-CHEH-toor NOH-men TOO-oom. Ahd-VEH-nee-aht REG-noom TOO-oom. Fee-AHT voh-LOON-tahs TOO-ah, SEE-koot in CHEH-loh et in TEH-rah. PAH-nem NOS-troom kwoh-tee-dee-AH-noom dah NOH-bees HOH-dee-eh, et dee-MIT-teh NOH-bees DEH-bee-tah NOS-trah SEE-koot et nos dee-MIT-tee-moos deh-bee-TOH-ree-boos NOS-trees. Et neh nos in-DOO-kahs in ten-tah-tsee-OH-nem, sed LEE-beh-rah nos ah MAH-loh. Ah-MEN.
Key Ecclesiastical Latin rules: c before e, i, ae, oe = ch (as in "church"); ae = eh; v = v; gn = ny; every vowel is always pronounced. For a full audio Rosary in Latin, Orabimus provides narration in both languages — pray with audio
St. Michael the Archangel Prayer — Oratio ad Sanctum Michaelem
Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
Sancte Michael Archangele, defende nos in proelio; contra nequitiam et insidias diaboli esto praesidium. Imperet illi Deus, supplices deprecamur: tuque, Princeps militiae caelestis, Satanam aliosque spiritus malignos, qui ad perditionem animarum pervagantur in mundo, divina virtute, in infernum detrude. Amen.
Written by Pope Leo XIII in 1886. Traditionally prayed after the Rosary. Full page: St. Michael the Archangel Prayer — history, theology, Latin pronunciation
Prayer to St. Joseph — Oratio ad Sanctum Iosephum
To you, O blessed Joseph, do we come in our tribulation, and having implored the help of your most holy Spouse, we confidently invoke your patronage also. By that charity which bound you to the Immaculate Virgin Mother of God, and by the paternal love with which you embraced the Child Jesus, we humbly beg you graciously to regard the inheritance which Jesus Christ purchased by His blood, and with your power and strength to aid us in our necessities. Amen.
Ad te, beate Ioseph, in tribulatione nostra confugimus, atque, implorato Sponsae tuae sanctissimae auxilio, patrocinium quoque tuum fidenter exposcimus. Per eam, quaesumus, quae te cum immaculata Virgine Dei Genetrice coniunxit, caritatem, perque paternum quo Puerum Iesum amplexus es amorem, supplices deprecamur, ut ad hereditatem quam Iesus Christus acquisivit Sanguine suo, benignus respicias, ac necessitatibus nostris tua virtute et ope succurras. Amen.
From Pope Leo XIII's encyclical Quamquam Pluries (1889). Traditionally the final closing prayer of the Rosary. Full page: Prayer to St. Joseph — history, theology, why Joseph after the Rosary
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What prayers are said after the Rosary?
The standard closing prayers of the Rosary are: the Hail Holy Queen, the Closing Prayer (O God, whose only-begotten Son...), and the Sign of the Cross. Many Catholics add traditional optional prayers: the Litany of Loreto (54 invocations to Mary, prayed since the 16th century), the Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel (written by Pope Leo XIII in 1886), and the Prayer to St. Joseph (from Leo XIII's encyclical Quamquam Pluries, 1889). The USCCB marks the Hail Holy Queen and Closing Prayer as standard; the Litany, St. Michael, and St. Joseph prayers as optional additions beloved by traditional Catholic devotion.
In what order are the prayers of the Rosary said?
The Rosary follows a fixed sequence: (1) Sign of the Cross, (2) Apostles' Creed, (3) Our Father, (4) three Hail Marys for faith, hope, and charity, (5) Glory Be. Then for each of the five decades: announce the Mystery → Our Father → ten Hail Marys → Glory Be → Fatima Prayer. After the five decades: Hail Holy Queen → Closing Prayer → Sign of the Cross. Optional additions: Litany of Loreto, Prayer to St. Michael, Prayer to St. Joseph. The complete five-decade Rosary with standard closing prayers takes approximately 15 to 20 minutes.
What is the closing prayer of the Rosary?
The closing prayer — Oratio Post Rosarium — is: '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.' It is prayed after the Hail Holy Queen and is sometimes called Deus Cuius Unigenitus after its Latin opening. It also forms the closing prayer at the end of the Litany of Loreto.