Rosary

Our film starts off with the prayer of the rosary. The rosary prayer is described roughly below.

 

The rosary is a string consisting of 59 beads and a cross. It is used to pray, as each bead refers to a prayer: 53 beads signify the Hail Mary, six the Our Father. The person praying starts by making the sign of a cross by moving his hand from forehead to stomach to left shoulder to right shoulder. He then says the Apostle's Creed, which is a profession of the Catholic faith in twelve articles:

 

"(1) I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth;

(2) and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord;

(3) who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary;

(4) suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried;

(5) He descended into hell; on the third day He rose again from the dead;

(6) He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;

(7) from there He will come to judge the living and the dead.

(8) I believe in the Holy Spirit;

(9) the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints;

(10) the forgiveness of sins;

(11) the resurrection of the body;

(12) and life everlasting.

Amen."

 

After this, the Our Father is prayed once:

 

"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."

 

It is followed by the Hail Mary, which is prayed three times:

 

"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 our death. Amen."

 

Then the Glory Be follows:

 

"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."

 

Now, the first of five events in Jesus' life is reflected upon. These events are called 'mysteries'. The contemplation of each mystery gives rise to a particular spiritual fruit, such as humility, obedience, patience and desire for holiness. There are four different sets of five mysteries: the Joyous Mysteries, the Luminous Mysteries, the Sorrowful Mysteries and the Glorious Mysteries. Each day of the week is assigned one of those four sets. On Wednesdays, when Servos do Amor gather, the Glorious Mysteries are contemplated.

 

After this, the prayers are said in cycles: one Our Father, ten Hail Marys, and one Glory Be (which does not have a bead). After each decade, another one of the mysteries follows. When all five decades have been prayed, the rosary is ended with Hail Holy Queen:

 

"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.

Pray for us, o holy Mother of God,

That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen."