Traditionally Tuesday and Friday
Mysteries of the Rosary
Sorrowful Mysteries
The Sorrowful Mysteries contemplate the Passion and sacrificial death of Jesus Christ.
In brief
The five Sorrowful Mysteries are the Agony in the Garden, Scourging at the Pillar, Crowning with Thorns, Carrying of the Cross and Crucifixion. Catholics traditionally pray them on Tuesdays and Fridays.
What they contemplate
The heart of these mysteries
The Sorrowful Mysteries follow Jesus through His Passion, beginning in Gethsemane and ending at the Cross. They ask the person praying not merely to observe suffering from a distance but to contemplate Christ's obedience, mercy and self-giving love.
Spiritual focus
What to bring into prayer
These mysteries invite repentance, perseverance and trust in Christ during suffering. They also confront the reality of sin without losing sight of the love with which Jesus freely gives Himself.
Scripture & Tradition
How these mysteries relate to the Bible
The Passion of Jesus is narrated extensively across all four Gospels. The five Sorrowful Mysteries organise key moments of that Passion into a pattern for contemplation.
Contemplate
The five Sorrowful Mysteries
Announce each mystery, pause to contemplate it, then pray the decade while keeping the mystery before your mind.
Mystery 1 of 5
The Agony in the Garden
Matthew 26:36–46
Jesus prays in Gethsemane and freely submits His human will to the Father.
Pray one Our Father, ten Hail Marys while contemplating this mystery, then the Glory Be. The Fatima Prayer may also be added devotionally.
Mystery 2 of 5
The Scourging at the Pillar
Matthew 27:26
Jesus is scourged before being handed over for crucifixion.
Pray one Our Father, ten Hail Marys while contemplating this mystery, then the Glory Be. The Fatima Prayer may also be added devotionally.
Mystery 3 of 5
The Crowning with Thorns
Matthew 27:27–31
Soldiers mock Jesus as king and place a crown of thorns upon Him.
Pray one Our Father, ten Hail Marys while contemplating this mystery, then the Glory Be. The Fatima Prayer may also be added devotionally.
Mystery 4 of 5
The Carrying of the Cross
Luke 23:26–32
Jesus carries the Cross toward Calvary while Simon of Cyrene is compelled to help Him.
Pray one Our Father, ten Hail Marys while contemplating this mystery, then the Glory Be. The Fatima Prayer may also be added devotionally.
Mystery 5 of 5
The Crucifixion
Luke 23:33–46
Jesus is crucified, gives His life and entrusts Himself to the Father.
Pray one Our Father, ten Hail Marys while contemplating this mystery, then the Glory Be. The Fatima Prayer may also be added devotionally.
Practical guide
How to pray the Sorrowful Mysteries
The mystery changes, but the structure of each decade stays simple.
Announce
Name the mystery and pause briefly to bring the event before your mind.
Our Father
Pray one Our Father at the beginning of the decade.
Ten Hail Marys
Pray ten Hail Marys while continuing to meditate on the mystery.
Glory Be
Conclude the decade with praise of the Trinity, then move to the next mystery.
Questions
Common questions about the Sorrowful Mysteries
Short answers to the things people most often need clarified before praying.
What are the five Sorrowful Mysteries?
They are the Agony in the Garden, the Scourging at the Pillar, the Crowning with Thorns, the Carrying of the Cross and the Crucifixion.
What days are the Sorrowful Mysteries prayed?
They are traditionally prayed on Tuesdays and Fridays, with Friday naturally recalling the Passion and death of Christ.
Why pray the Sorrowful Mysteries?
Catholics pray them to remain with Christ during His Passion, reflect on His sacrificial love and bring personal suffering, repentance and the suffering of others into prayer.
Are the Sorrowful Mysteries biblical?
Yes. Their events come from the Gospel accounts of Jesus' Passion and Crucifixion.
Keep praying
Explore the other mysteries
The four groups together move through the Incarnation, public ministry, Passion, Resurrection and glory of Christ.
Ready to pray?
Sacred Reply can guide you through the Rosary one bead at a time.
Return to the main Rosary page, choose these mysteries and begin the interactive prayer mode.
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