The Scripture passages used herein are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the
Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Collects: © Church Publishing Inc.; used by permission.
Collects: © Church Publishing Inc.; used by permission.
A
Rosary for Anglo-Catholic use
The following form for saying the Rosary of the Blessed
Virgin Mary is based on the forms in Rosaries
compiled for the use of the English Church (1853), The Practice of Religion (1908),
St. Augustine’s Prayer Book (1947), and current practice of the Rosary in
the Roman Church.
(Image from the website of Loyola Press: http://www.loyolapress.com/praying-the-rosary.htm)
The method for saying the Rosary is simple and intended to
be so. The entire Rosary here includes
twenty decades divided into four chaplets of five decades each. Many who have used the Rosary before may be
used to just fifteen decades in three chaplets.
In the Roman Church, it has had four chaplets since 2002, the year that
Pope John Paul II instituted the fourth chaplet of Mysteries, his reason for
doing so given at the end of the prayers here.
The opening prayers are the Sign of the Cross (Signum
Crucis), the Apostle’s Creed (Symbolum
Apostolorum), the Our Father (Pater Noster), three Hail Marys (Ave
Maria), and the Lesser Doxology (Gloria Patri).
After these are said, the first
decade begins. On the large, or single,
bead, first name the Mystery upon which you are meditating. On each small bead, say a Hail Mary. When you get to the chain, or string, say the
Lesser Doxology. On the chain at the end
of the final decade, the Greater Doxology (Gloria in excelsis) may be
substituted for the Lesser Doxology. Upon
concluding the final decade, say the Marian Anthem appropriate to the time of
the church year.
The Joyful Mysteries are said
Mondays and Sundays from the First Sunday of Advent through Transfiguration
Sunday (Last Sunday after the Epiphany before Lent).
The Luminous Mysteries are said
Thursdays and Sundays after Pentecost, except for Christ the King Sunday (Last
Sunday before Advent).
The Sorrowful Mysteries are said
Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays of Lent.
The Glorious Mysteries are said
Wednesdays, Saturdays, Easter Day through Pentecost Sunday, and Christ the King
Sunday.
The gospel passages supplied here
for each of the Mysteries may be read or not between each Mystery during the
recitation of the Rosary.
For the traditional Hail Mary, some may wish to substitute
its Eastern Orthodox counterpart, the Theotokos
Parthenos:
“Rejoice, Mary, Virgin Mother of God, full of grace, the
Lord is with thee: Blessed art thou
among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, for thou hast given birth to the Saviour of our souls.”
Opening
prayers
Sign
of the Cross (Signum Crucis)
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit. Amen.
Still holding the cross, say:
Apostle’s
Creed (Symbolum Apostolorum)
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth;
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy
Spirit
and born of the Virgin
Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was
buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of
the Father.
He will come again 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 the life everlasting. Amen.
On the large bead say:
Lord’s
Prayer (Pater Noster)
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.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
On the three small beads say, meditating on Faith, Hope, and Love:
Hail
Mary (Ave Maria)
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 death. Amen.
On the chain say:
Lesser
Doxology (Gloria Patri)
Glory to the Father, and to the
Son, and to the Holy Spirit: As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be
forever. Amen.
Saying the chaplet for the Mysteries
For each decade of beads:
Start each decade by naming the Mystery on which you will be
meditating.
On each large bead, say:
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.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
On each of the ten small beads, say:
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 death. Amen.
On the chain say:
Glory to the Father, and to the
Son, and to the Holy Spirit: As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be
forever. Amen.
The
Mysteries of the Rosary,
These are arranged in three groups of five. The Scripture passage may be read before the
Our Father of the decade and the Collect said after the Gloria Patri.
Joyful
Mysteries of the Incarnation
Said Mondays and Sundays of Advent thru Transfiguration Sunday
1. The
Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38)
26 In the sixth month the angel
Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to
a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The
virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and
said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But
she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this
might be.30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid,
Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And
now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him
Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the
Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his
ancestor David. 33 He will reign over the house of
Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 Mary
said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 The
angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the
Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he
will be called Son of God. 36 And now, your
relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the
sixth month for her who was said to be barren. 37 For
nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 Then Mary
said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your
word.” Then the angel departed from her.
Collect Pour your grace into our hearts, O Lord, that
we who have known the incarnation of your Son Jesus Christ, announced by an
angel to the Virgin Mary, may by his cross and passion be brought to the glory
of his resurrection; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy
Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
2. The
Visitation (Luke 1:39-56)
39 In those days Mary set out and
went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40 where
she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.41 When
Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth
was filled with the Holy Spirit 42 and exclaimed
with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your
womb. 43 And why has this happened to me, that the
mother of my Lord comes to me? 44 For as soon as I
heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And
blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was
spoken to her by the Lord.”
46 And Mary said, “My soul
magnifies the Lord,47 and my spirit rejoices in God my
Savior, 48 for he has looked with favor on the lowliness
of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 49 for
the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. 50 His mercy is for
those who fear him from generation to generation. 51 He has shown
strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their
hearts. 52 He has
brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; 53 he
has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. 54 He has helped his
servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, 55 according
to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants
forever.” 56 And
Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.
Collect Father in heaven, by your grace the virgin
mother of your incarnate Son was blessed in bearing him, but still more blessed
in keeping your word: Grant us who honor the exaltation of her lowliness to
follow the example of her devotion to your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
3. The
Nativity (Luke 2:4-20)
4 Joseph also went from the town
of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because
he was descended from the house and family of David. 5 He
went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a
child. 6 While they were there, the time came for
her to deliver her child. 7 And she gave birth to
her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger,
because there was no place for them in the inn.
8 In that region there were
shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 Then
an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around
them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel
said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great
joy for all the people: 11 to you is born this day
in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This
will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and
lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with
the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth
peace among those whom he favors!”
15 When the angels had left them
and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to
Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made
known to us.” 16 So they went with haste and found
Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. 17 When
they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; 18 and
all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19 But
Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. 20 The
shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and
seen, as it had been told them.
Collect Almighty God, you have given your
only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and to be born of a pure virgin:
Grant that we, who have been born again and made your children by adoption and
grace, may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit; through our Lord Jesus Christ,
to whom with you and the same Spirit be honor and glory, now and forever. Amen.
4. The
Presentation in the Temple (Luke
2:22-35)
22 When the time came for their
purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to
present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the
law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the
Lord”), 24 and they offered a sacrifice according
to what is stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young
pigeons.”
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem
whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward
to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. 26 It
had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before
he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Guided by the
Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child
Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, 28 Simeon took
him in his arms and praised God, saying, 29 “Master, now
you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; 30 for
my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have
prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 a light for
revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.”
33 And the child’s father and
mother were amazed at what was being said about him. 34 Then
Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined
for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be
opposed 35 so that the inner thoughts of many will
be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
Collect Almighty and everliving God, we humbly pray
that, as your only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple, so we may
be presented to you with pure and clean hearts by Jesus Christ our Lord; who
lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
5. The
Finding in the Temple (Luke 2:41-51)
41 Now every year his parents went
to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. 42 And
when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. 43 When
the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind
in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. 44 Assuming
that he was in the group of travelers, they went a day’s journey. Then they
started to look for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When
they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. 46 After
three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening
to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who
heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 When
his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, “Child,
why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching
for you in great anxiety.”49 He said to them, “Why were
you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s
house?” 50 But they did not understand
what he said to them. 51 Then he went down with
them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all
these things in her heart.
Collect Receive, Lord, the prayers of your people,
and grant that we may see and know those thing which we ought to do, and have
the grace and power to do them; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Luminous
Mysteries of the Ministry
Said Thursdays and Sundays after Pentecost
1. The
Baptism of Jesus (Matthew
3:13-17)
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to
John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him.14 John would
have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to
me?” 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now;
for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he
consented. 16 And when Jesus had been baptized,
just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and
he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And
a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am
well pleased.”
Collect Father in heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus
in the River Jordan proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him with the
Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are baptized into his Name may keep the
covenant they have made, and boldly confess him as Lord and Savior; who with
you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
2. The
Wedding at Cana (John 2:1-12)
2 On the third day there was a wedding in
Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus
and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.3 When
the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And
Jesus said to her, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has
not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants,
“Do whatever he tells you.” 6 Now standing there
were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding
twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to them,
“Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 He
said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.” So they
took it. 9 When the steward tasted the water that
had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who
had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom 10 and
said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine
after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until
now.” 11 Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in
Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.
12 After this he went down to
Capernaum with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples; and they remained
there a few days.
Collect Almighty
God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that
your people, illumined by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance
of Christ's glory, that he may be known, worshipped, and obeyed to the ends of
the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit
lives and reigns, one God, now and forever. Amen.
3. The
Proclamation of the Kingdom (Mark
1:14b-15, 2:3-13)
14 Jesus came to Galilee,
proclaiming the good news of God, 15 and saying,
“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and
believe in the gospel.”
3 Then
some people came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of
them. 4 And when they could not bring him to Jesus
because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after having dug
through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay. 5 When
Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are
forgiven.” 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting
there, questioning in their hearts, 7 “Why does
this fellow speak in this way? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God
alone?” 8 At once Jesus perceived in his spirit
that they were discussing these questions among themselves; and he said to
them, “Why do you raise such questions in your hearts? 9 Which
is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Stand
up and take your mat and walk’? 10 But so that you
may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to
the paralytic— 11 “I say to you, stand up, take
your mat and go to your home.” 12 And he stood up,
and immediately took the mat and went out before all of them; so that they were
all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”
13 Jesus went out again beside the
sea; the whole crowd gathered around him, and he taught them.
Collect O Lord,
you have taught us that without love whatever we do is worth nothing: Send your
Holy Spirit and pour into our hearts your greatest gift, which is love, the
true bond of peace and of all virtue, without which whoever lives is accounted
dead before you. Grant this for the sake of your only Son Jesus Christ, who
lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
4. The
Transfiguration (Mark 9:2-8)
2 Six days later, Jesus took with
him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by
themselves. And he was transfigured before them, 3 and
his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach
them. 4 And there appeared to them Elijah with
Moses, who were talking with Jesus. 5 Then Peter
said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three
shrines, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6 He
did not know what to say, for they were terrified. 7 Then
a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my
Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” 8 Suddenly when
they looked around, they saw no one with them anymore, but only Jesus.
Collect O God,
who on the holy mount revealed to chosen witnesses your well-beloved Son,
wonderfully transfigured, in raiment white and glistening: Mercifully grant
that we, being delivered from the disquietude of this world, may by faith
behold the King in his beauty; who with you, O Father, and you, O Holy Spirit,
lives and reigns, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
5. The
Institution of the Eucharist (Luke
22:14-20)
14 When the hour came, he took his
place at the table, and the apostles with him. 15 He
said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I
suffer; 16 for I tell you, I will not eat it[a] until it is fulfilled in
the kingdom of God.” 17 Then he took a cup, and
after giving thanks he said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; 18 for
I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the
kingdom of God comes.” 19 Then he took a loaf of
bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying,
“This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20 And
he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, “This cup that is poured out
for you is the new covenant in my blood.”
Collect Almighty
Father, whose dear Son, on the night before he suffered, instituted the
Sacrament of his Body and Blood: Mercifully grant that we may receive it
thankfully in remembrance of Jesus Christ our Lord, who in these holy mysteries
gives us a pledge of eternal life; and who now lives and reigns with you and
the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
Sorrowful
Mysteries of the Redemption
Said Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays from First Sunday of Lent thru
Palm Sunday
1. The
Agony in the Garden (Matthew
26:36-46)
36 Then Jesus went with them to a
place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I go
over there and pray.” 37 He took with him Peter and
the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and agitated. 38 Then
he said to them, “I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay
awake with me.” 39 And going a little farther, he
threw himself on the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this
cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want.” 40 Then
he came to the disciples and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, “So,
could you not stay awake with me one hour? 41 Stay
awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit
indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 Again
he went away for the second time and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass
unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43 Again he
came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 So
leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same
words. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said to
them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? See, the hour is at hand,
and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Get
up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand.”
Collect Jesus
Christ, Good Shepherd who feeds and purifies your sheep with your own precious
Blood: let your Agony in the Garden and all your Passion be comfort and
salvation to us and to all sinners. Amen
2. The
Scourging (Luke 23:13-16)
13 Pilate then called together the
chief priests, the leaders, and the people,14 and said
to them, “You brought me this man as one who was perverting the people; and
here I have examined him in your presence and have not found this man guilty of
any of your charges against him. 15 Neither has
Herod, for he sent him back to us. Indeed, he has done nothing to deserve
death. 16 I will therefore have him flogged and
release him.”
Collect Lord
God, whose blessed Son our Savior gave his body to be whipped and his face to
be spit upon: Give us grace to accept joyfully the sufferings of the present
time, confident of the glory that shall be revealed; through Jesus Christ our
Lord. Amen.
3. The
Crowning with Thorns (John 19:2-3)
2 And the soldiers wove a crown of
thorns and put it on his head, and they dressed him in a purple robe. 3 They
kept coming up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and striking him on
the face.
Collect Jesus,
you were crowned with thorns, blindfolded, buffeted, struck with a reed,
clothed in derision with a purple garment, and in many other ways mocked and
reviled: have mercy on us, Lord, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
4.
Bearing the Cross (John 19:16-17)
6 Then he handed him over to them
to be crucified. So they took
Jesus; 17 and carrying the cross by himself, he
went out to what is called The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is
called Golgotha.
Collect Almighty
God, whose beloved Son willingly endured the agony and shame of the cross for
out redemption: Give us courage to take up our cross and follow him; who lives
and reigns forever and ever. Amen.
5. The
Crucifixion (Mark 15:23-37)
23 And they offered him wine mixed
with myrrh; but he did not take it. 24 And they
crucified him, and divided his clothes among them, casting lots to decide what
each should take.
25 It was nine o’clock in the
morning when they crucified him. 26 The inscription
of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.” 27 And
with him they crucified two bandits, one on his right and one on his
left. 29 Those who passed by derided him,
shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and
build it in three days, 30 save yourself, and come
down from the cross!” 31 In the same way the chief
priests, along with the scribes, were also mocking him among themselves and
saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. 32 Let
the Messiah,the King of Israel, come down from the cross now, so that we may
see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also taunted him.
33 When it was noon, darkness came
over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 34 At
three o’clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema
sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”35 When
some of the bystanders heard it, they said, “Listen, he is calling for
Elijah.” 36 And someone ran, filled a sponge with
sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let
us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.” 37 Then
Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last.
Collect Almighty
God, we pray you graciously to behold this your family, for whom our Lord Jesus
Christ was willing to be betrayed, and given into the hands of sinners, and to
suffer death upon the cross; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy
Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Glorious
Mysteries of the Resurrection
Said Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays from Easter thru Pentecost, and Christ
the King
1. The
Resurrection (Matthew 28:1-10)
28 After the sabbath, as the first day of
the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the
tomb. 2 And suddenly there was a great earthquake;
for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the
stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like
lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 For
fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. 5 But
the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for
Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here; for he
has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 7 Then
go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and
indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ This is my
message for you.”8 So they left the tomb quickly with
fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly
Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to him, took hold of his
feet, and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to
them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they
will see me.”
Collect Almighty
God, who through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ overcame death and opened
to us the gate of everlasting life: Grant that we, who celebrate with joy the
day of the Lord's resurrection, may be raised from the death of sin by your
life-giving Spirit; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with
you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
2. The
Ascension (Acts 1:6-11)
6 So when they had come together,
they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to
Israel?” 7 He replied, “It is not for you to know
the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But
you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be
my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the
earth.” 9 When he had said this, as they were
watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 While
he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white
robes stood by them. 11 They said, “Men of Galilee,
why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up
from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
Collect Almighty
God, whose blessed Son our Savior Jesus Christ ascended far above all heavens
that he might fill all things: Mercifully give us faith to perceive that,
according to his promise, he abides with his Church on earth, even to the end
of the ages; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the
Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
3. The
Descent of the Holy Spirit (Acts
1:13-14, 2:1-4)
13 When they had entered the city,
they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and
James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of
Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 All
these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain
women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.
2 When the day of Pentecost had come,
they were all together in one place.2 And suddenly from
heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the
entire house where they were sitting. 3 Divided
tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of
them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy
Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.
Collect Almighty
God, you opened the way of eternal life to every race and nation by the
promised gift of your Holy Spirit: Shed abroad this gift throughout the world
by the preaching of the Gospel, that it may reach to the ends of the earth;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of
the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
4. The
Church Triumphant or The Assumption (Revelation
7:2-12)
2 I saw another angel ascending from
the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God, and he called with a
loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to damage earth and
sea, 3 saying, “Do not damage the earth or the sea
or the trees, until we have marked the servants of our God with a seal on their
foreheads.”
4 And I heard the number of those
who were sealed, one hundred forty-four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of
the people of Israel.
9 After this I looked, and there
was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all
tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the
Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. 10 They
cried out in a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who is seated
on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 And all the angels
stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures,
and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 singing,
“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom
and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”
and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”
Collect Almighty
God, you have knit together your elect in one communion and fellowship in the
mystical body of your Son Christ our Lord: Give us grace so to follow your
blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those
ineffable joys that you have prepared for those who truly love you; through
Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one
God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
5. The
Beatific Vision or The Coronation (Revelation
4:1-11)
4 After this I looked, and there in
heaven a door stood open! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me
like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after
this.” 2 At once I was in the spirit, and
there in heaven stood a throne, with one seated on the throne!3 And
the one seated there looks like jasper and carnelian, and around the throne is
a rainbow that looks like an emerald. 4 Around the
throne are twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones are twenty-four
elders, dressed in white robes, with golden crowns on their heads. 5 Coming
from the throne are flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder,
and in front of the throne burn seven flaming torches, which are the seven
spirits of God; 6 and in front of the throne there
is something like a sea of glass, like crystal.
Around the throne, and on each side of the throne, are four
living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: 7 the
first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the
third living creature with a face like a human face, and the fourth living
creature like a flying eagle. 8 And the four living
creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and inside.
Day and night without ceasing they sing, “Holy, holy, holy, the Lord God the
Almighty, who was and is and is to come.”
9 And whenever the living
creatures give glory and honor and thanks to the one who is seated on the
throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the
twenty-four elders fall before the one who is seated on the throne and worship
the one who lives forever and ever; they cast their crowns before the throne,
singing, 11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to
receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will
they existed and were created.”
Collect Almighty
and everlasting God, you have given to us your servants grace, by the
confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity,
and in the power of your divine Majesty to worship the Unity: Keep us steadfast
in this faith and worship, and bring us at last to see you in your one and
eternal glory, O Father; who with the Son and the Holy Spirit live and reign,
one God, forever and ever. Amen.
Concluding
prayers
On the chain at the end of the fifth decade, the Greater Doxology (Gloria in excelsis) may be
substituted for the Lesser (Gloria Patri).
Glory to
God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer.
For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer.
For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
The following Marian Antiphon concludes with a seasonal versicle,
response, and collect.
Salve Regina
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.
In Advent, conclude with:
V. The Angel of the Lord announced unto Mary,
R. And she conceived by the Holy Spirit.
Pour forth we beseech thee, O Lord, thy grace into our
hearts, that we to whom the Incarnation of Christ, thy Son, was made known by
the message of an angel, may, by his Passion and Cross, be brought to the glory
of his resurrection; through the same Christ, our Lord. Amen.
From Christmas Day thru Candlemas Eve, conclude with:
V. The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.
R. O Mother of God, plead for us.
O God, who by the fruitful virginity of blessed Mary, hast
given unto mankind the rewards of eternal salvation: grant, we beseech thee,
that we may experience her intercession for us, by whom we deserved to receive
the Author of life, our Lord Jesus Christ, thy Son. Amen.
From Candlemas (2 February) thru Good Friday, conclude with:
V. Allow me to praise thee, O sacred Virgin.
R. Against thine enemies give me strength.
Grant unto us, O merciful God, a defense against our
weakness, that we who remember the holy Mother of God, by the help of her
intercession, may rise from our iniquities, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
From Easter thru Pentecost, conclude with:
V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia.
R. For the Lord is risen indeed, alleluia.
O God, who through the resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ
gave rejoicing to the world, grant, we pray, that through his Mother, the
Virgin Mary, we may obtain the joy of everlasting life. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
From Trinity Sunday thru
Christ the King, conclude with:
V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Almighty, everlasting God, who by the cooperation of the
Holy Spirit didst prepare the body and soul of the glorious Virgin-Mother Mary
to become a dwelling-place meet for thy Son: grant that as we rejoice in her
commemoration; so by her fervent intercession we may be delivered from present
evils and from everlasting death. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
At anytime, instead of the seasonal collect, the following may be
used:
V. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
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.
After the concluding collect, say,
V. May the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace.
R. And let light perpetual shine upon them.
May Almighty God bless us, Father, Son, and the Holy
Spirit. Amen.
Afterword
A
very, very brief history of the Ave Maria
In support of the form of the Ave Maria in Rosaries
compiled for Use in the English Church, I should point out that the prayer
only came to be accepted in the West around 1050, and at that time included
just the first sentence, the greetings to Mary from Gabriel and Elizabeth. Prior to that, the sentences had been
included as offertory antiphons on three occasions, the Feast of the Annunciation,
Ember Wednesday of December, and the Fourth Sunday of Advent.
In the West, Pope Urban IV added the name Jesus Christ to
the end of the sentences from Luke in 1263; “Christ” was later dropped. By the fourteenth century, two forms of
supplication had been added in different places, different forms of similar
petitions: (1) “Pray for us sinners.
Amen” vis-a-vis (2) “Pray for us now and at the hour or our death. Amen”.
Pope Pius V officially added the petitions as they are now in 1566.
In the Sarum Missal, the Ave Maria formed part of the opening prayers of the Canon of the Mass, following the Veni Creator Spiritus, the Collect for Purity, Psalm 43, the Kyrie, and the Paternoster. However, in the texts that exist, the passages from Luke form the whole prayer, even the names “Mary” and “Jesus” included as no more than rubrics within the prayer as optional additions. At least that was the case in 1504. A Sarum Breviary printed in Paris in 1531 gave the full Ave Maria as we have it today, but a Primer published in England in 1556 gave just the Lucan verses.
In the Sarum Missal, the Ave Maria formed part of the opening prayers of the Canon of the Mass, following the Veni Creator Spiritus, the Collect for Purity, Psalm 43, the Kyrie, and the Paternoster. However, in the texts that exist, the passages from Luke form the whole prayer, even the names “Mary” and “Jesus” included as no more than rubrics within the prayer as optional additions. At least that was the case in 1504. A Sarum Breviary printed in Paris in 1531 gave the full Ave Maria as we have it today, but a Primer published in England in 1556 gave just the Lucan verses.
.
In the East, the two sentences from Luke were used in
various forms of the Eucharist as a regular prayer as early as the fifth
century. Nearly all Eastern translations
into English render the first word as “Rejoice!” rather than “Hail!”. The phrase, “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray
for us sinners”, was added in the East, at least in the Patriarchate of
Alexandria bu the mid-seventh century.
Elsewhere in the East, the prepositional phrase “Because you have borne
the Savior of our souls” was added in the sixth or seventh century, and this
became the most common form used. The
name Mary and the title Virgin Mother of God (Theotokos Parthenos) were added
later to the beginning.
A
Brief History of the Rosary in the Roman Catholic Church
The Rosary of the Roman Catholic Church as we have it today
originated in the mid- to late fifteenth century, though legend has it that the
form first arose from St. Dominic in the early thirteenth century then fell
into disuse. The form was based on
prayer traditions using multiple repetitions of the same prayer, at first the
Lord’s Prayer then the Hail Mary, using knots on a rope to keep count.
Peasants began using a knotted rope, later a rope with
beads, to keep count of the one hundred fifty Our Fathers they said to mirror the
number of Psalms said by regular clergy in the Divine Office. The form was called “Our Lady’s Psalter” even
then. After some time, the Our Fathers became
Hail Marys.
Toward the end of the fourteenth century, a Carthusian monk
named Henry Kalkar divided the 150 prayers into fifteen decades, to be said on
a chaplet of five decades. Elsewhere,
another Carthusian monk, Dominic of Prussia, assigned a verse of Scripture to
each bead of the entire chaplet, making fifty Mysteries in all.
In 1483, an anonymous Dominican friar published a booklet
called Our Dear Lady’s Psalter, which
reduced the number of mysteries to fifteen, the same as those of the Joyous,
Sorrowful, and Glorious Mysteries, except for the last two, which in this case were
“The Assumption and Coronation of Our Lady” and “The Last Judgment”.
In 1521, another Dominican, Alberto de Costello, assigned a
major Mystery to each decade while retaining individual meditations for each
bead. Around the same time, the Gloria Patri was added to the end of
each decade.
The Rosary’s Joyous, Sorrowful, and Glorious Mysteries were
formalized by the Vatican in 1559, a quarter century after the separation of
the Church of England from the Church of Rome.
The Fatima Prayer (“O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us
from the fires of hell, and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those in most
need of your mercy. Amen.”) became part
of the recitation common across the world after 1917. When used, it follows the Gloria Patri at the end of each decade. It is not, however, an officially instituted
part of the Rosary; the Jesuits, for example, always omit it.
In the Roman Church, the recitation of the Rosary always
concludes with the Salve Regina, with the collect after its versicle and
response in form presented above replaced by the following:
“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.”
In 2002, Pope John Paul II issued an encyclical instituting
the Luminous Mysteries as part of the Rosary in order to have a chaplet, as a
single five-decade set is called, focused on the earthly revelatory ministry of
Jesus.
A
Brief History of the Rosary in the Anglican Communion
That devotees used a form of the Rosary is demonstrated by manuals for private devotion such as The Encheiridion, published from 1528 to 1530. The last devotion before the appendix is "The Rosary of the Blessed Virgin". This Rosary follows the older formula of having separate meditations not for each decade but for every small bead. After the meditation is read on each bead, devotees said the Hail Mary thus: "Hail Mary! full of grace, the Lord is with thee! Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!". At the end of the decade, devotee said the Our Father, the Apostle's Creed, and another Hail Mary. There were no closing prayers.
The practice of saying the Rosary as we know it today came (back) to the Anglican Communion via the Church of England during the Oxford Movement that began in the 1830’s. It wasn’t until 1853, however, that one of its adherents published a devotional manual for Anglicans which included the Dominican Rosary, called Rosaries compiled for the use of the English Church.
The practice of saying the Rosary as we know it today came (back) to the Anglican Communion via the Church of England during the Oxford Movement that began in the 1830’s. It wasn’t until 1853, however, that one of its adherents published a devotional manual for Anglicans which included the Dominican Rosary, called Rosaries compiled for the use of the English Church.
In this 1853 manual the last two of the Glorious
Mysteries—the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Coronation of the Blessed
Virgin Mary—were changed to the Triumph of the Church in the Blessed Virgin
Mary and the Saints (Church Triumphant for short) and the Consummation of the
Bliss of the Saints (Beatific Vision for short), respectively.
The first Rosary in the manual is called the Rosary of the
Psalter, and was intended to be used for all fifteen Mysteries at once. In place of the Ave Maria (Hail Mary), the manual here substituted the Pater Noster (Our Father). Each decade was preceded with a scriptural
passage relating to the Mystery in question and concluded with the Gloria Patri and a collect tailored to
the mystery just meditated upon.
In addition to that rosary and the Rosary of the BVM or
Rosary of St. Dominic, the Rosaries
compiled for the use of the English Church also included rosaries of the
Most Holy Trinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ, of our Lord’s Passion, of the
Heart of Jesus, of the Faithful Departed (two of these), and two Eucharistic
Chaplets.
In its introduction, the 1853 manual suggested the Roman Ave Maria may be substituted by the
Eastern Orthodox version Theotokos
Parthenos, giving the following version:
“Hail, Virgin Mary, Mother of God, full of grace, the Lord is with
thee: Blessed art thou among women, and
blessed is the fruit of thy womb, which gave birth to the Savior of our souls.” The text I provided above comes from Eastern
Orthodox sources.
For its own version of the Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
however, the manual simply omits the petitionary second half of the Ave Maria. Each of the three sets of Mysteries, called
Chaplets by the 1853 manual, concludes with the Angelus.
The devotional manual The Encheiridion mentioned above was republished in 1860.
The devotional manual The Encheiridion mentioned above was republished in 1860.
The
Practice of Religion, first published in 1908 in London and
New York City, follows the 1853 Rosaries
in its listing of the Glorious Mysteries in its Catechism section, but in the
section instructing the reader how to say the Rosary uses the Roman Catholic
originals. It offers no alternate form
of the Hail Mary and concludes with the Salve
Regina.
St.
Augustine’s Prayer Book, first published in 1947, gives no alternate to the names of the last
two Glorious Mysteries anywhere. It also
adds the seasonal Marian Antiphons from the Daily Office in the Roman Church to
the end of the Rosary. The English
translations here are those in current Roman use than the more archaic forms in
the SAPB.
Notes
on this Rosary
Candlemas is the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed
Virgin Mary and the Presentation of Christ in the Temple. The name comes from the medieval practice of blessing
beeswax candles for home use on that day.
The point between the Joyful and
Sorrowful Mysteries for Sundays used to be Septuagesima, three Sundays before
Lent, rather than Transfiguration Sunday.
Septuagesima and the two after it, Sexagesima and Quinquagesima, once
formed the preparatory period before Lent known as Pre-Lent or Shrovetide. The Roman Catholic Church ceased observing
Shrovetide in 1969, and the Episcopal Church followed suit in 1979. Transfiguration Sunday gets that name because
the gospel passage designated for that Sunday every year in the Revised Common
Lectionary is the account of the Transfiguration, intentionally presaging Lent.
In the Roman Church, the Luminous
Mysteries are used on Thursday only. The
Glorious Mysteries are said Sundays from Easter Day through Christ the King
Sunday. I read John Paul II’s
encyclical, which gave his reason for instituting this addition to the Rosary
as wanting to provide a chaplet (set of five decades) focusing on Jesus’
earthly ministry. I thought that using
the Sundays during what the Roman Church calls Ordinary Time would make that
point even more clearly.
Speaking of Ordinary Time, at
least Ordinary Time after Pentecost, that was once called the Season of Trinity
in the Episcopal Church and Anglican Communion, with Sundays called Sundays
after Trinity. Now if a name for the
period as a season is used, it is called Pentecost, which is really a reference
to the fifty days between Easter and Pentecost Sunday. The National Council of Churches recommended
in 1937 that this period be called Kingdomtide, but no one took them up on
that. Some Methodist and Presbyterian
denominations use the term, but for a much shorter period. In the Church of England, the observance of
Kingdomtide is optional from All Saints’ Day to the First Sunday of Advent.
I left out the Fatima Prayer in the text here because the
Episcopal Church does not recognize the purported appearance there. It is also not an official part of the Rosary
even in the Roman Catholic Church; the Jesuits, for example, have never
included it.
I included both names for the last two of the Glorious
Mysteries and placed the designations published in Rosaries compiled for the use of the English Church because I
prefer them since they follow the overall flow better and because I agree with
the compiler of Rosaries that the
Assumption and the Coronation are apocryphal even within a collection of
stories and myths that are already mostly at best if not fully apocryphal
themselves.
The objection of the Roman Catholic journal The Rambler at the time Rosaries was published was that these
title detract from Mary. However, the
fourth of the Joyous Mysteries has been officially designated “The Presentation
in the Temple” since 1559 despite the fact that the main reason for the Holy
Family being at the Temple was for the Purification of the BVM according to the
Torah, which mandates a woman giving birth come before a priest for ritual
purification forty days after the event.
That fact significantly weakens the strength of The Rambler’s argument on that point.
Still, I included the 1559 designations as optional and consider
them acceptable. It is a matter of
preference. Despite the weak attempt by
the compiler of St. Augustine’s (the Rev. Loren Gavitt) to provide some
scriptural basis for their use, there is none whatsoever.
I lifted the scripture passages for meditations on each
Mystery mostly from Rosaries in the
case of the Joyous, Sorrowful, and Glorious Mysteries, with a couple from St. Augustine’s. For the Luminous Mysteries, I used the
passages from John Paul’s encyclical instituting them, though I substituted
Luke’s account of the Institution of the Eucharist for the one from
Matthew. Luke is the only gospel that
preserves the original tripartite form of benedictions from the chavurah meal
upon which the first Eucharistic prayers were based.
The collects after each Mystery came from the Book of Common Prayer and from the Book of Occasional Services.
As is the case with Roman Catholic practice and that of most
Anglo-Catholics, the form of the Rosary here concludes with the Salve Regina. The seasonal versicles, responses, and collects
for are those after the Marian Antiphons in St.
Augustine’s, but are the current English translations in use by the Roman
Church.
P.S.: The original posting of this on 8 December, the Feast of the Conception, was pure coincidence.
