This was Bernadette's story about Mary's apparition. An enormous number of pilgrims followed her example and prayed the Rosary in deep believe and full of confidence. (Lourdes 1858)

The proper prayer of the Rosary means the consideration of the mysteries of our salvation by Christ, in which Mary was deeply involved.

Click here to play the Avé Maria

Traditionally the secrets were used like this:

the Joyful mysteries on Mondays and Thursdays
the Sorrowful mysteries on Tuesdays and Fridays
the Glorious mysteries on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays

The Luminous secrets are added October 16 2002 by Pope John Paul II
He suggests using them like this:

the Joyful mysteries on Mondays and Saturday
the Sorrowful mysteries on Tuesdays and Fridays
the Luminous secrets on Thursday
the Glorious mysteries on Wednesdays and Sundays

In the name of the Father and to the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Now you can say a preliminary prayer if you like

followed by: the Apostles Creed.

Ibelieve 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,
the third day He arose again,
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God
the Father almighty,
from thence He shall 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

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.

The names of Jesus, Mary en Josef has to be blessed, from now to eternity.
O, my Jesus, forgive us our sins and save us from the fires of hell.
Lead all souls to heaven especially those in most need of your mercy.
Amen.

(at the first bead)

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.

(at the next three beads)

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee;
Blessed art though 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.

It's customary to offer these three beads for an increase in the three theological virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity.

(at the fifth bead)

Glory be to the Father...

O, my Jesus...

The first mystery and a prayer or intention the decade will be prayed for.

Our Father...

(the next ten beads)

Hail Mary...

At the end of the decade:

Glory be to the Father... and O, my Jesus...

Next for each decade a mystery, prayer and intention,
followed by Our Father.
After each decade
Glory be to the Father...
O, my Jesus

After the last decade you can pray Our Father or another prayer if you wish,
but often the litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary is be said.

End your Rosary with the sign of the cross.

The word Rosary means "Crown of Roses". Our Lady has revealed to several people that each time they say a Hail Mary they are giving her a beautiful rose and that each complete Rosary makes her a Crown of Roses.

The rose is the queen of flowers, and so the Rosary is the rose of all devotions and it is therefore the most important one. The Holy Rosary is considered a perfect prayer because within it lies the awesome story of our salvation.

With the Rosary in fact we meditate the mysteries of joy, of sorrow and the glory of Jesus and Mary. It's a simple prayer, humble so much like Mary. It's a prayer we can all say together with Her, the Mother of God.

With the Hail Mary we invite Her to pray for us. Our Lady always grants our request. She joins Her prayer to ours. Therefore it becomes even more useful, because what Mary asks She always receives, Jesus can never say no to whatever His Mother asks for.

In every apparition, the heavenly Mother has invited us to say the Rosary as a powerful weapon against evil, to bring us to true peace. With your prayer made together with your heavenly Mother, you can obtain the great gift of bringing about a change of hearts and conversion. Each day, through prayer you can drive away from yourselves and from your homeland many dangers and many evils!

Queen of the Holy Rosary, you have designed to come to Fatima and Medjugorje, to reveal to the three shepherd children and six visionaries, the treasures of grace hidden in the Rosary. Inspire my heart with a sincere love of this devotion, in order that by meditating on the mysteries of our redemption which are recalled in it, I may obtain peace for the world, the conversion of sinners, and the favor which I ask of You in this Rosary. I ask it for the greater glory of God, for your own honor, and for the good of souls, especially for my own. Amen.

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 by 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.

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 Redeemer, 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 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 the 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 of the most Holy Rosary, pray for us.
Queen of peace, pray for us.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God;
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray: Almighty and eternal God, Who by the cooperation of the Holy Ghost, didst prepare the body and soul of the glorious Virgin Mother Mary that she might become a worthy dwelling for Thy Son: grant that, as with joy we celebrate her memory, so, by her pious intercession, we may be delivered from present evils and eternal death. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

The intentions below are no rule, they will only help you, everybody is free to fill in his or her own intentions or prayers instead, depending on the things that live in your heart.

For the sick...

O God, we pray to thee for the sick, the disabled and those who are handicapped in any other way, be they in their own homes or in nursing homes or hospitals. We beseech thee to bless them and to endue their souls with the patience they will need in waiting for the day that thee will restore them to health. We also pray to thee for those who are nursing them, that they may receive from thee the strength and courage to go on, in spite of this task, often seemingly hopeless, which befell them suddenly, too, but which they have yet accepted with loving devotion. Amen.

For those who are addicted...

Lord, we wish to bring all people who are addicted on to thee; people who partly out of weakness, but often, too, because they are haunted by terrible problems have resorted to drinking, drugs or other forms of addiction. We pray to thee: help them see the light and give them the strength to break away from the dangers of the always destructive and generally lethal substances to which they have exposed themselves. Amen.

Conversion and reconciliation...

O God, we pray thee to convert the prosperous, materialistic West, but also those who are weighed down by the heavy burdens of oppression, poverty, hunger and violence. Give us all faith in thee, but also in each other and make us all gladly prepared to share and share alike, not only prosperity but also the poverty and despair of our brothers and sisters in those countries where all hope seems to have been lost. Amen.

Church unity...

Lord, help us achieve unity among the many churches that are spread throughout the world; we beseech thee to assist us in our attempts to reconcile ourselves with those who, although they do so in different ways, have the same faith in thee, God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Against racism and oppression...

God, by the strangers in our midst we are enriched. Let this set the tone for the way we behave towards them. Make us alert to and able to fend off the poison of racism and our aversion to those who are different. Make us fully alive to social abuses which make people feel so trapped and confused that xenophobia is nourished by it. Amen.

War and peace...

Lord, we humbly beseech thee to remember all those places on earth that are hot spots of war, crime, violence and injustice and the many people who fall victim to these things. All those who have taken to flight, or have been driven from hearth and home, the injured and the dying, the people who, often unjustly, are held captive. Those who suffer torture and are humiliated or raped, all those who each day have to live in fear and anxiety, forever scarred by horrific experiences. Amen.

Your own personal intentions...

Salve Regina. (Latin)

Salve Regina, mater misericóordiæ, Vita dulcédo, et spes nostra, salve.
Ad te clamámus, éxsules, fílii Hevæ.
Ad te suspirámus, geméntes et flentes in hac lacrimárum valle.
Eia ergo, Advocáta nostra, illos tuos misericórdes óculos ad nos convérte.
Et Jesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui, nobis post hoc exsílium osténde.
O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria.

Salve Regina. (English)

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of mercy;
our life, our sweetness and our hope!
To you do we cry, poor banished children of Eve,
to you do we send up our sighs; mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn, then, O most gracious advocate, your eyes of mercy toward us,
and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

Prayer to Saint Michaël...

Saint Michaël the archangel, defend us in battle; be our safeguard 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 the other evil spirits, who prowl trough the world, seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us! (three times)

the Memorare...

Remember, o most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto you, o Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To you do I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the word incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in your mercy, hear and answer me. Amen.

Queen of peace, pray for us! (three times)

Magnificat...

My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
Because He has regarded the lowliness of His handmaid; for, behold henceforth,
all generations shall call me blessed.
Because He who is mighty has done great things for me, and Holy is His Name!
And His mercy is from generation to generation on these who fear Him,
He has shown might with His arm, He has scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart;
He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and has exalted the lowly;
He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty.
He has given help to Israël, His servant, mindful of His mercy,
Even as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his posterity forever..

the Angelus...

The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary; And She conceived of the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary ...

Behold the handmaid of the Lord; Be it done unto me according to Your word.

Hail Mary ...

And the word was made flesh; And dwelt among us.

Hail Mary ...

Pray for us, o holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of
the promises of Christ.

Let us pray: Pour forth, we beseech The, 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, trough the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer to the Immaculate Heart of Mary...

Most Holy Virgin Mary, tender Mother of men, to fulfill the desires of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the request of the Vicar of Your Son on earth, we consecrate ourselves and our families to your Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart, O Queen of the most Holy Rosary, and we recommend to You all the people of our country and all the world. Please accept our consecration, dearest Mother, and use us as You wish to accomplish Your designs in the world. O Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, Queen of the most Holy Rosary, and Queen of the world, rule over us, together with the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ, our King. Save us from the spreading flood of modern paganism; kindle in our hearts and homes the love of purity, the practice of a virtuous life, an ardent zeal for souls, and a desire to pray the Rosary more faithfully. We come with confidence to You, O Throne of Grace and Mother of Fair love. Inflame us with the same divine fire which has inflamed Your own Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart. Make our hearts and homes Your shrine, and through us, make the Heart of Jesus, together with Your rule, triumph in every heart and home. Amen.