The purpose of the Rosary is to help keep in memory certain principal events or mysteries in the history of our salvation, and to thank and praise God for them. There are twenty mysteries reflected upon in the Rosary, and these are divided into the five JOYFUL MYSTERIES, the five LUMINOUS MYSTERIES, the five SORROWFUL MYSTERIES, and the five GLORIOUS MYSTERIES. 1. Make the Sign of the Cross and say the "Apostles' Creed". 2. Say the "Our Father". 3. Say three "Hail Mary"s. 4. Say the "Glory be to the Father". 5. Announce the First Mystery; then say the "Our Father". 6. Say ten "Hail Mary"s while meditating on the Mystery. 7. Say the "Glory be to the Father". 8. Announce the Second Mystery; then say the "Our Father". Repeat 6 and 7 and continue with Third, Fourth and Fifth Mysteries in the same manner. After the Rosary: 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! V. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Let us pray. 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 each decade say the following prayer requested by the Blessed Virgin Mary at Fatima: "O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who have most need of your mercy."
Thanks to April Villani for her contribution
Liturgical colors are colors of vestments and hangings within the context of Christian liturgy. The symbolism of violet, white, green, red, gold, black, rose, and other colors may serve to underline moods appropriate to a season of the liturgical year or may highlight a special occasion.
* Ember days * Rogation days * On the three Sundays before Lent, Septuagesima, Sexagesima, and Quinquagesima * On the vigils of the Immaculate Conception, Christmas, Epiphany, and the Assumption * On the Vigil of Easter* and the Vigil of Pentecost, then changing to the color of the feast for the Mass * On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of Holy Week * At the Blessing of Candles on the Purification BVM * On the feast of the Holy Innocents
Vestments made from cloth of silver or cloth of gold may be used on days of special solemnity. Historically, silver was permitted as a substitute for white, and gold as a substitute for white, red, or green.
In addition to the general rules, there are some exceptions. * White, in the United States, may be worn instead of violet or black at Funeral Masses expressing the hope of the Resurrection, especially in the funerals of children. This is also appropriate if white is traditionally the color of mourning in a country, such as some Asian nations. * Blue, a color associated with the Virgin Mary, is allowed for the feast of the Immaculate Conception in some dioceses in Spain, Mexico and South America. In some places there is an unauthorized use of blue for all feasts of the Virgin Mary. In the Philippines because of the persistence of local priests in using this color, the Vatican has granted it special usage in all Marian feasts, replacing white. Blue has also become an unauthorized but common colour in some places for the season of Advent,[3] and in this case symbolizes expectation and hope - the blue of a new dawning day. * White or cloth of gold may be worn from the 16th to the 24th December, when celebrating a traditional novena. This Spanish custom was abolished in the 1950s, but through an error, it was only abolished in Spain, and therefore remains licit and common in the Philippines. Further, if not enough vestments of the proper color are available (particularly in concelebrations), white may always be substituted. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liturgical_colours
In addition to the general rules, there are some exceptions. * White, in the United States, may be worn instead of violet or black at Funeral Masses expressing the hope of the Resurrection, especially in the funerals of children. This is also appropriate if white is traditionally the color of mourning in a country, such as some Asian nations. * Blue, a color associated with the Virgin Mary, is allowed for the feast of the Immaculate Conception in some dioceses in Spain, Mexico and South America. In some places there is an unauthorized use of blue for all feasts of the Virgin Mary. In the Philippines because of the persistence of local priests in using this color, the Vatican has granted it special usage in all Marian feasts, replacing white. Blue has also become an unauthorized but common colour in some places for the season of Advent,[3] and in this case symbolizes expectation and hope - the blue of a new dawning day. * White or cloth of gold may be worn from the 16th to the 24th December, when celebrating a traditional novena. This Spanish custom was abolished in the 1950s, but through an error, it was only abolished in Spain, and therefore remains licit and common in the Philippines. Further, if not enough vestments of the proper color are available (particularly in concelebrations), white may always be substituted.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liturgical_colours
