The Raccolta (1857)/Rosary

by Sacred Congregation of Indulgences and Holy Relics

71.

ROSARY.

St. Dominic, the founder of the order of Friar Preachers, having recourse to the Blessed Virgin in order to stem the flood of the Albigensian heresy, which was spreading itself like a plague over many countries, but especially over France, instituted, by special revelation from her, in the year 1206, and afterwards very effectually promulgated, the devotion of the holy Rosary, which ever since has produced now for many ages the most marvellous results in the Christian world. In order to animate all the faithful often to have recourse to the Blessed Virgin by using this devotion, Pope Benedict XIII. granted, by his Brief Sanctissimus, of April 13, 1726, to all who say with contrition the whole Rosary of fifteen decades, or a third part of it of five decades—

i. The Indulgence of 100 days for every Pater noster and every Ave Maria.

ii. The Plenary Indulgence to all who shall have said the third part of it once every day for a year, on any one day in the year, after Confession and Communion.

The present Sovereign Pontiff Pius IX., by a decree of the S. Congr. of Indulgences of May 12, 1851, confirmed these Indulgences, and granted besides—

iii. The Indulgence of seven years and seven quarantines to every one who with contrition shall say a third part of the Rosary in company with others, either in public or private.

iv. The Plenary Indulgence, on the last Sunday in every month, to all who are in the habit of saying with others, at least three times a week, the said third part of the Rosary; provided that on that Sunday they shall, after Confession and Communion, visit a church or public oratory, and pray there for a time according to the mind of his Holiness.

To gain these Indulgences it is requisite that the Rosaries should be blessed by religious of the order of Friar Preachers, and that, whilst the prayers are being said, meditation be made on the mysteries of the Birth, Passion, Death, Resurrection, &c. of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to the decree of the S. Congr. of Indulgences of August 12, 1726, approved by the above-named Pope Benedict XIII. Note, however, that he declared, in his Constitution Pretiosus of May 26, 1727, § 4, that simple people who could not meditate might obtain the Indulgence by merely saying the Rosary devoutly.

Observe also that all persons enrolled in the Confraternity of the Rosary, wherever it has been canonically erected, gain many other Indulgences when they say the Rosary, or do any other pious work. See the Brief of the venerable Pontiff Innocent XI., Nuper pro parte, of July 31, 1679; also another Brief of Pius VII., Ad augendam, of February 16, 1808, and the above-named decree of Pope Pius IX. of May 12, 1851.

THE MYSTERIES ON WHICH WE ARE TO MEDITATE WHILE WE SAY THE ROSARY.

The Joyful Mysteries.

1. In the First joyful Mystery we meditate on the Annunciation made by the angel Gabriel to most holy Mary; how she was to conceive and bear a Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

One Pater noster, ten Ave Maria, and one Gloria Patri, and so on in all the Mysteries.

2. In the Second joyful Mystery we meditate how, when Mary heard that Elizabeth was pregnant, she went to her house to visit her, and stayed with her three months.

3. In the Third joyful Mystery we meditate how, when the full time of Mary's delivery was come, she brought forth, in the city of Bethlehem, our Saviour Jesus Christ at midnight, and laid Him in a manger between two brute beasts.

4. In the Fourth joyful Mystery we meditate how most holy Mary, on the day of her Purification, presented Christ our Lord in the Temple, and placed Him in the arms of the holy old man Simeon.

5. In the Fifth joyful Mystery we meditate how the Virgin Mary lost her Son, sought for Him three days, and at the end of the third day found Him in the Temple amid the doctors, holding at twelve years of age disputation with them.

The Sorrowful Mysteries.

1. In the First sorrowful Mystery we meditate how our Lord Jesus Christ prayed in the garden of Olivet, and sweated blood.

2. In the Second sorrowful Mystery we meditate how our Lord Jesus Christ was cruelly scourged in Pilate's house, and had countless blows laid upon Him.

3. In the Third sorrowful Mystery we meditate how our Lord Jesus Christ was crowned with sharp thorns.

4. In the Fourth sorrowful Mystery we meditate how Jesus was condemned to die, and for His greater ignominy and pain had laid upon His shoulders the heavy tree of the cross.

5. In the Fifth sorrowful Mystery we meditate how, when Jesus came to Calvary, He was stripped and nailed with iron nails to the cross, whereon He died before His sorrowing Mother's eyes.

The Glorious Mysteries.

1. In the First glorious Mystery we meditate how Jesus Christ our Lord rose glorious the third day after His Death and Passion, triumphant over death, and never more to die.

2. In the Second glorious Mystery we meditate how Jesus Christ, the fortieth day from His Resurrection, ascended into heaven with great pomp and triumph, before the face of His most holy Mother and His disciples.

3. In the Third glorious Mystery we meditate how Jesus Christ sat down on the right hand of the Father, and thence did send the Holy Ghost into the chamber where were assembled the apostles with the most holy Virgin.

4. In the Fourth glorious Mystery we meditate how, twelve years after our Lord Jesus rose from the dead. His Mother herself passed from this mortal life, and was carried into heaven by the angels.

5. In the Fifth glorious Mystery we meditate how, in heaven, Mary was crowned by her Son; in this Mystery also we meditate upon the glory of the saints.

This Rosary may end with the Litanies. See the Indulgences for them below, p. 157.