St. Joseph is one of the most popular saints of Christianity, and because of that there exist countless devotions to him.
One such devotion is the Rosary of St. Joseph that uses the regular beads of the Marian rosary, but substitutes various prayers and mysteries to honor the foster-father of Jesus. It is a beautiful devotion, one that draws a soul closer to the beloved St. Jospeh, Patron of the Universal Church.
Below is a detailed guide on how to pray it.
On the crucifix
O Lord, in order to honor St. Joseph as he deserves, Thou hast taken him body and soul to Heaven to Crown him with glory, thus signifying to the world, both visible and invisible, that Thou hast made Joseph Thy foster-father, the supreme steward of all Thy possessions.
Large beads
After saying the above prayer, skip to the large bead and say the following prayer, which will be said on each of the large beads.
We beseech Thee, O Lord, that we may find aid in the merits of the Spouse of Thy Most Holy Mother, so that what we cannot obtain by ourselves may be given us through his intercession, who livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.
Small beads
For each decade of small beads, it is customary to meditate on events in the life of Joseph, similar to what the Oblates of St. Joseph list on their website.
- Betrothal to Mary (Mt 1:18).
- Annunciation to Joseph (Mt 1:19-21).
- Birth and Naming of Jesus (Mt 1:22-25).
- Flight into Egypt (Mt 2:13-15).
- Hidden Life at Nazareth (Mt 2:23; Lk 2:51-52).
Other mysteries that can be substituted for these mysteries are the "Finding of Jesus in the Temple," the "Death of St. Joseph" and the "Coronation of St. Joseph in Heaven."
On each small bead the following prayer is recited.
Hail Joseph, Son of David, thou whose holiness surpasses that of all Angels and Saints, blessed art thou amongst men, thou who wert chosen to be the Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary of whom was born Jesus.
Glorious Saint Joseph, now reigning body and soul in Heaven, protector of the Universal Church, pray for us poor sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Similar to the typical Rosary, each decade is completed with a "Glory Be."
Read more:
The Powerful 30 Day Prayer to St. Joseph
