<---Mysteries Luminous.
Holy Virgin Mary of the Rosary.In antiquity, Romans and Greeks used to crown with roses to the statues of their gods as a symbol of the offering of their hearts.
The word "rosary" means "crown of roses."
Following this tradition, the Christian women who were carried to martyrdom by the Romans, marched through the Coliseum dressed more colorful clothes and their heads adorned with wreaths of roses as a symbol of joy and delivery of their hearts to go to meet God.
At night, Christians gathered their crowns and by every rose, recited a prayer or a psalm for the eternal repose of the souls of the martyrs.
The Church recommended praying the rosary, which consisted of reciting the 150 psalms of David, it was considered a very nice prayer to God and source of many graces for those who pray.
However, this recommendation only were followed by the educated and literate persons, but not by most Christians. Therefore, the Church suggested that those who could not read, change the 150 Psalms by 150 Hail Marys, divided into fifteen tens.
To this "short rosary" was called it "the Psalter of the Virgin."
Domingo de Guzman was a Spanish priest who went to the south of France to convert those who had separated themselves from the Church by heresy Albigensians.
The Albigensians taught that there were two gods, one good and one evil.
Dominic suffered to see the gravity of people's sins was hindering the conversion of the Albigensians and decided to go into the woods to pray.
Was praying for three days and three nights doing penance and flagellating until he lost consciousness.
At this time, the Virgin appeared to him with three angels and told him that the best weapon to convert the hard souls was not flogging, but the recitation of the Psalter.
Santo Domingo went right then to the Cathedral of Toulouse, the bells rang and people gathered to listen.
When going to start talking, began a storm with lightning and strong wind that made people be afraid.
All present could see that the image of the Virgin that was in the cathedral, raised three times the arms toward the sky.
Santo Domingo began to pray the Psalter of the Virgin and the storm ended.
On another occasion, Santo Domingo had to give a sermon at the Church of Notre Dame in Paris to celebrate the feast of San Juan and, before doing so, he prayed the Rosary.
The Virgin appeared and told him that his sermon was okay, but better change it, and gave him a picture book in which it explained how much God loved the rosary of Hail Mary because it reminded him one hundred fifty times the time that humanity, represented by Mary, had accepted His Son as Savior.
Santo Domingo changed his homily and spoke of the devotion of the Rosary and people began to pray it with devotion, to live a Christian life and leave behind their bad habits.
The Mother of God, in person, appeared to Domingo in a chapel and taught him to pray the rosary in the year 1208, holding a rosary in his hand, handed it and told him that spread this devotion and used it as a weapon powerful against the enemies of the Faith.
Domingo went away of there full of zeal, with rosary in hand.
Indeed, preached throughout the world, and with great success because many albigensians and those who were away from God came back to the Catholic faith.
Holy Mary herself promised that many sinners are would convert and would gain abundant graces.
Santo Domingo died in the year 1221, after a life in which he devoted to preach and to popularize the devotion of the Rosary among the people of all social classes to the suffrage of the souls in Purgatory, for the triumph over evil and prosperity of the Holy Mother Church.
Praying the Rosary maintained its fervor for a hundred years after the death of Santo Domingo and began to be forgotten.
In the year 1349, Europe there was in a terrible plague which was called "Black Death" that killed so many people.
That was when the monk Alan de la Roche, superior of the Dominicans in the same province in France where he started the devotion to the Rosary, had a vision in which Jesus, Mary and Santo Domingo was asked to revive the ancient custom of Holy Rosary.
Father Alan began this work of spreading along with all the Dominicans in the year1460.
They gave it the form it currently has, with ecclesiastical approval.
Thereafter, the devotion spread throughout the Church.
From the early Church Christians pray the psalms as do the Jews. Later, in many monasteries praying 150 Psalms every day.
The lay devotees could not pray much but according to his abilities and wanted to emulate the monks.
On October 7, 1571 took place the naval battle of Lepanto, in which the Christians defeated the Turks
The Christians knew that if they lost this battle, their religion could be endangered and therefore they had trusted on the help of God through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin.
Pope St. Pius V called on Christians to pray the rosary for the fleet.
In Rome the pope was dispatching issues when suddenly stood up and announced that the Christian fleet had been victorious.
Days later came the messengers to the official news of Christian triumph. Subsequently, he instituted the feast of Our Lady of Victories on 7 October.
A year later, Gregory XIII changed the name of the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary and determined that it held the first Sunday in October (the day they had won the battle).
Today the feast of the Rosary is on October 7 and some Dominicans are celebrating the first Sunday of the month.
The Holy Rosary a "powerful weapon"
Throughout history, is seen as the Holy Rosary scares demons, out of the way of man and the Church.
Full of blessings to those who pray with devotion.
Our Heavenly Mother has continued promoting, in Lourdes to Bernadette, and especially in his appearances to the little shepherds of Fatima.
The Rosary is a real source of grace. Mary is the Mediatrix of the graces of God.
God wanted that many spiritual graces arriving us through the rosary, as it was for Her, that we received the salvation.
All Christian can pray the Rosary.
It´s a very complete prayer, requiring the simultaneous use of three powers of the person: physical, vocal and spiritual. The beads of the rosary favor the concentration of the mind.
Praying the rosary is like to carry ten flowers to Mary in each mystery. It is a way of repeating many times how much we love her.
The love and mercy never tire of repeating with frecuency the same words, because they always contain something new.
If we pray every day, Our Lady will fill us with graces and help us get to Heaven.
The Blessed Virgin Mary in different apparitions said:
"Who prays my Rosary shall not be condemned".
"I take out soon from purgatory to the devotees of my Rosary "
"If you want some grace, ask to me that I am your Mother, with the Rosary in hand"
Mary intercedes for us, his children and leaves us not of reward with your help. To recite it ,we recall with the mind and heart the mysteries of Jesus' life and the mysteries of the admirable conduct of Mary:
We get in the evangelical scene:
Bethlehem, Nazareth, Jerusalem, the Garden of Olives, Calvary, Mary at the foot of the cross, the risen Christ, Heaven, all this goes through our minds while our lips prays the Holy Rosary.
Litany of Loreto.
The Rosary is not a liturgical prayer, but a pious exercise. Litanies form an official part of the liturgy in that the invocations receive permission from the Holy See.
It is believed that its origin was probably before the twelfth century.
The current way in which we pray will be adopted at the Marian sanctuary of Loreto, in Italy and is called the Litany of Loreto.
In the year 1587, Pope Sixtus V approved it for that all Christians pray.
All Christians have resorted to the Virgin in times of joy calling her "Cause of our joy" in moments of pain saying" Comforter of the Afflicted ", "Help of christians" and so on.
We can pray the Litanies with devotion and filial love, with joy of having a mother with so many titles and perfections, received from God for his divine motherhood and her absolute fidelity.
By praying the Litanies, we will have the joy of praise to Mary, to invoke their protection and to be helped as long as the Virgin does not leave us helpless.
Praying the Rosary
As this is a prayer, the first thing to do is greet and in the presence of God and the Blessed Virgin we must to do the sign of the cross.
Then set out the mysteries of the day that they going to pray and we began to meditate on the first of the five mysteries.
During the prayer of every mystery, we´ll try to follow Jesus and Mary in those important moments of their lives.
We took advantage and asking for helping for imitate the virtues and qualities that they had at that time.
By meditating frecuently, these guidelines form part of our consciousness, of our life. We can offer each mystery of the rosary for a particular intention and you can read part of the Gospel that we talk about the mystery that we are praying.
Each mystery has the Lord's Prayer followed by ten Hail Marys, Glory be.
At Fatima Our Lady requested that after Glory be is prayed the following prayer:
"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell leads to heaven all souls, and helps specially the most need of Thy Mercy".
When you finish pray the five mysteries of the day, will get used to pray the Litany of Loreto.
Highly recommended by the Church and very indulgenced by Popes.
We exalt the spiritual and earthly glory of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
MONDAY AND SATURDAY
Joyful Mysteries.
1. The angel's Annunciation to the Virgin. Let us ask; Obedience.
2. The Visit of Mary to her cousin Elizabeth. Let us ask; Love your neighbor.
3. The Birth of the Son of God. Let us ask; Detachment of vices.
4. The Presentation of Jesus in the temple. Let us ask; Purity of intention.
5. The Child Jesus Lost and Found in the temple. Let us ask; Wisdom in God´s things.
TUESDAY AND FRIDAY
Sorrowful Mysteries.
1. The Prayer of Jesus in the garden. Let us ask; True repentance of sins.
2. The scourging of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us ask, the Spirit of Sacrifice
3. The crowning of thorns. Let us ask; detachment of the material
4. Jesus takes up his Cross. Let us ask; Patience for my cross.
5. The crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us ask; Generosity with others.
WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY.
Glorious Mysteries.
1. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Let us ask; Faith, Hope and Charity
2. The Ascension of Jesus into heaven. Let us ask; Desire to go to Heaven
3. The coming of the Holy Spirit. Let us ask; Desire to live in Grace
4. The Assumption of the Virgin into Heaven. Let us ask; Love to Mary.
5. The Coronation of the Virgin in Heaven. Let us ask; Perseverance.
THURSDAY.
Luminous Mysteries.
1. The Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan 2 Cor 5: 21;. Mt 3, 17. Let us ask: Be baptized in Holy Spirit.
2. The Wedding at Cana, John 2, 1-12. Let us ask: May Mary intercede for us.
3. The announcement of the Kingdom of God, Mark 1, 15, Mark 2. 3-13, Luke 47-48. Let us: Proclaiming the Gospel.
4. The Transfiguration, Luke 9, 35. Let us ask: May Jesus transform us.
5. The institution of the Eucharist, sacramental expression of the Paschal Mystery. John 13, 1. Let us ask: Confess and receive Holy Communion frequently.
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
(also called the Litany of Loreto; approved by Pope Sixtus V in 1587 and very recommended by the Church)
Lord, have mercy on us.
Lord have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Lord have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven,
Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost,
Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God,
Have mercy on us.
Holy Mary,
pray for us.
Holy Mother of God,
pray for us.
Holy Virgin of virgins,
pray for us.
Mother of Christ,
pray for us.
Mother of divine grace,
pray for us.
Mother most pure,
pray for us.
Mother most chaste,
pray for us.
Mother inviolate,
pray for us.
Mother undefiled,
pray for us.
Mother most amiable,
pray for us.
Mother most admirable,
pray for us.
Mother of good counsel,
pray for us.
Mother of our Creator,
pray for us.
Mother of our Savior,
pray for us.
Mother of the Church,
pray for us.
Virgin most prudent,
pray for us.
Virgin most venerable,
pray for us.
Virgin most renowned,
pray for us.
Virgin most powerful,
pray for us.
Virgin most merciful,
pray for us.
Virgin most faithful,
pray for us.
Mirror of justice,
pray for us.
Seat of wisdom,
pray for us.
Cause of our joy,
pray for us.
Spiritual vessel,
pray for us.
Vessel of honor,
pray for us.
Singular vessel of devotion,
pray for us.
Mystical rose,
pray for us.
Tower of David,
pray for us.
Tower of ivory,
pray for us.
House of gold,
pray for us.
Ark of the New Covenant,
pray for us.
Gate of Heaven,
pray for us.
Morning star,
pray for us.
Health of the sick,
pray for us.
Refuge of sinners,
pray for us.
Comforter of the afflicted,
pray for us.
Help of Christians,
pray for us.
Queen of angels,
pray for us.
Queen of patriarchs,
pray for us.
Queen of prophets,
pray for us.
Queen of apostles,
pray for us.
Queen of martyrs,
pray for us.
Queen of confessors,
pray for us.
Queen of virgins,
pray for us.
Queen of all saints,
pray for us.
Queen conceived without Original Sin,
pray for us.
Queen assumed into Heaven,
pray for us.
Queen of the most holy Rosary,
pray for us.
Queen of peace,
pray for us.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us.
V. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord God, that we Thy Servants may enjoy perpetual health of mind and body and by the glorious intercession of the Blessed Mary, ever Virgin, be delivered from present sorrow and enjoy eternal happiness. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.
The Popes have stressed in the recitation of the Rosary to the faithful.
Praying the Rosary, in grace, we gain a Plenary Indulgence, praying in a church, before the Holy Sacrament, and praying for the Pope's intentions, plus an Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be.
