On Sunday the Rosary prays the Glorious Mysteries, the mysteries of Christ’s Resurrection and glory. Sunday is the Lord’s Day, and every Sunday is a little Easter, the weekly memorial of the morning the tomb was found empty. The one exception follows the season: the Joyful Mysteries are prayed on the Sundays of Advent and Christmas, and the Sorrowful Mysteries on the Sundays of Lent.
Why are the Glorious Mysteries prayed on Sunday?
Sunday is the day of the Resurrection. The first Christians moved their day of worship to the day after the Sabbath because that is the day Christ rose, and they called it the Lord’s Day. Every Sunday since has been kept as a small Easter, a weekly return to the morning that changed everything. So the Glorious Mysteries, which open with the Resurrection and rise through the Ascension, Pentecost, and Mary’s glory, are the mysteries most at home here. To pray them on Sunday is to stand again at the empty tomb as the week begins, and to let the hope of that morning set the tone for the days ahead.
The Glorious Mysteries prayed on Sunday
Sunday’s Rosary meditates on the five Glorious Mysteries:
- The Resurrection
- The Ascension
- The Descent of the Holy Spirit
- The Assumption of Mary
- The Coronation of Mary
Each carries its own Scripture, meditation, and spiritual fruit. For the full text and meditation on every decade, see the Glorious Mysteries.
Which mysteries are prayed on Sundays through the year?
◆ Sunday, by liturgical season
| Advent and Christmas | Joyful Mysteries — the season of the Incarnation |
| Lent | Sorrowful Mysteries — the season of the Passion |
| Easter and Ordinary Time | Glorious Mysteries — the weekly memorial of the Resurrection |
Sunday is the one day of the week whose mysteries move. Every weekday keeps its set all year; only Sunday bends to the season the Church is living.
Praying the Sunday Rosary
If you keep only one Rosary in your week, Sunday is a natural place to keep it: the day is already set apart, and the mysteries meet it with hope. Whether you pray after Mass, over coffee, or on a walk, Orabimus opens to the right set for the day and the season, so you never have to work out which to pray. For the beads and the order, see how to pray the Rosary; to see the whole week at a glance, see which Rosary is prayed today.
You do not have to watch a video to pray along. On Orabimus you pray Sunday’s rosary yourself, at your own pace and in your own language, or live and in sync with others, as a virtual rosary.
Pray Sunday’s Rosary now.
Open Orabimus and Sunday’s mysteries are already set for you, with a voice to pray alongside in nine languages. Free, no account needed.
Pray Sunday’s RosarySunday’s set chosen for you · Audio in nine languages · Works offline
Sources: John Paul II, Rosarium Virginis Mariae §38 (2002) · USCCB, How to Pray the Rosary · John Paul II, Dies Domini (on keeping the Lord’s Day)
Frequently Asked Questions
Which mysteries are prayed on Sunday?
On Sunday the Glorious Mysteries are normally prayed: the Resurrection, the Ascension, the Descent of the Holy Spirit, the Assumption, and the Coronation of Mary. The exception is seasonal: the Joyful Mysteries are prayed on the Sundays of Advent and Christmas, and the Sorrowful Mysteries on the Sundays of Lent.
Why are the Glorious Mysteries prayed on Sunday?
Because Sunday is the day of the Resurrection. The first Glorious Mystery is the Resurrection itself, and every Sunday is kept as a weekly Easter, the Lord’s Day. Praying the Glorious Mysteries on Sunday joins the Rosary to what the whole day already celebrates.
What mysteries are prayed on Sundays during Lent?
During Lent the Sorrowful Mysteries are prayed on Sundays instead of the Glorious. Lent is the season of the Passion, and the Church turns its Sunday meditation toward the Cross until Easter, when the Glorious Mysteries return.
Is the Sunday Rosary different during Advent and Christmas?
Yes. On the Sundays of Advent and Christmas the Joyful Mysteries are prayed rather than the Glorious, because these seasons celebrate the coming and birth of Christ. The Glorious Mysteries return on the Sundays of Ordinary Time and Easter.
Can I pray a different set of mysteries on Sunday?
Yes. The schedule is a helpful custom, not a rule that binds. It exists so the whole Church meditates together and so a week covers the whole life of Christ. You are always free to pray whichever mysteries your heart is drawn to on a given Sunday.