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Joyful Mysteries

First mystery: The Annunciation of the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary

From Heaven, God the Father sent the Angel Gabriel as a messenger to a town in Galilee, called Nazareth, to a Virgin named Mary. The Angel was to tell Her that She was chosen to be the Mother of God who wanted to become a man. God was waiting for Her consent…

The Angel, having entered Her dwelling, said to Her:

“Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with Thee; blessed art Thou among women.”

Mary, at these words, was troubled, for in Her humility, She thought Herself the most unworthy of all creatures. She wondered, within Herself, what such a greeting could be.

“Do not fear, Mary,” the Angel said, “for You have found favor with God. Behold, You will conceive in Your womb and bear a Son, and You will call His name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give Him the throne of David His father; and He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever. And His reign will be without end.

– But, said Mary, since I have resolved to remain a virgin, how will this be accomplished?

– The Holy Spirit shall come upon You; the Virtue of the Most High shall cover You with His shadow! That is why the Holy Being who will be born of You will be called the Son of God… And behold, Your cousin Elizabeth also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. Nothing is impossible with God.”

Then Mary answered:

“Behold the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to Me according to your word!”

And the Angel departed.

Second Mystery: The Visitation of the Virgin Mary to Her Cousin Elizabeth

A few days after the visit of the Angel Gabriel, the Virgin Mary set out on Her journey and went in haste to a town in Judah where Her cousin Elizabeth was living. Elizabeth, who had been barren and was now quite advanced in years, was expecting a son by a great miracle from God.

As Mary entered the house of Zechariah, She greeted Elizabeth. As soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child she was carrying leapt; she herself was filled with the Holy Spirit and, with a loud exclamation, she cried out:

“Blessed art Thou among women, and blessed is the Fruit of Thy womb!… And where does it come from that the Mother of my Lord deigns to come to me? As soon as the voice of Your greeting reached my ear, the child in my womb leapt with joy. Ah, blessed are You who have believed, for all that the Lord has said to You will be fulfilled!”

Mary then said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord.
“And My spirit rejoices in God My Savior.

“Because He has looked upon the humility of His servant.

“And behold, from now on all generations will proclaim Me blessed:

“For He who is Mighty has done great things in Me:

“And His Name is holy;

“And His mercy is from generation to generation upon them that fear Him.

“He has shown the power of His arm.

“He has scattered the proud who were exalted in the pride of their minds.

“He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and raised up the lowly.

“He filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He sent away empty-handed.

“He has raised up Israel, His servant,

“Remembering forever and ever, as He promised our fathers, His mercy toward Abraham and his descendants.”

The Virgin Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months. She served her with love and diligence until the birth of the miraculous child. When Elizabeth gave birth to a son, he was given the name John, in obedience to the Angel’s command. This child will live in prayer and penance. He will announce to the people the coming of the long-promised Messiah to redeem the sins of men and open up Heaven to them. Since he baptized those who sought to be purified, he is called John the Baptist.

Third Mystery: The Birth of Jesus in the poor stable of Bethlehem

At that time, the emperor Caesar Augustus ordered a general census of the peoples subject to the empire of Rome. Everyone was to be registered, each in the place of origin of his ancestors.

So Joseph, who was of the house and family of David, left Nazareth in Galilee and went up into the land of Judea to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, to be registered with Mary, his wife, who was about to become a mother.

Now while they were there, the time came for Mary to give birth. No one in Bethlehem – not even their relatives and friends – wanted to receive Joseph and Mary. They had to take refuge in a cold grotto that served as a shelter for cattle. It was there that the incarnate Son of God came into the world! As soon as Jesus was born, Mary His Mother wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger of animals.

Nearby, shepherds spent the night in the fields, taking turns watching over their flocks. Suddenly an Angel of the Lord stood by them; the glory of God surrounded them with His light, and they were seized with great fear.

“Do not be afraid,” the Angel said to them, “for behold, I bring you good news of great joy for you and for all the people. Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you: He is the Christ, the Lord! And this is the sign I give you to recognize Him: you will find a Child, wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.”

At the same moment, a troop of the heavenly militia joined the Angel. They praised God and said:

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to men of good will!”

And when the Angels, ascending to heaven, had left them, the shepherds said to each other:

“Let us go as far as Bethlehem, and see this wonder that has just happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”

They went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they recognized what had been said to them about the Child. And all who heard them were amazed at what they were saying.

As for Mary, She kept all these things in mind and pondered them in Her heart.

The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, according to what had been announced to them.

Fourth Mystery: The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple

The Law of Moses, to which the pious Israelites were subject, prescribed that “every male child, the first-born of its mother, should be brought to the Temple in Jerusalem forty days after its birth to be presented to the Lord”. At the same time, the mother was to be purified. In fulfillment of this precept, a pair of turtle doves or two young doves were to be offered as a sacrifice.

The Virgin Mary and the Child God who was born of Her had no need of purification or consecration. Coming “to take the last place”, Jesus wanted to obey, to submit to men His creatures. The Virgin Mary, His Mother, whose humility knows no bounds, wanted to imitate Him in everything.

Now, there was a righteous and God-fearing man in Jerusalem, named Simeon, who lived in expectation of the promised Savior. The Holy Spirit was in him, and He had revealed to him that he would not die without seeing Christ, the Messiah-Redeemer awaited for more than four thousand years.

Led by the Holy Spirit, Simeon went up to the Temple and, when the Child Jesus was brought there by His parents, in order to do for Him what the Law commanded, he took Him in his arms and blessed God saying:

“Now, Lord, according to Your word, let Your servant go in peace!

“For my eyes have seen the Savior who comes from You:

“This Savior whom You have prepared to be, in the face of all peoples,

“The Light that will enlighten the nations, and the glory of Israel Your people.”

The Father and Mother of the Child were in awe of the things that were said about Him. Simeon blessed them; then he said to Mary, His Mother:

“This Child is born for the ruin and resurrection of many in Israel. He will be a sign of contradiction. For You, a sword will pierce Your soul. Thus will be revealed the thoughts that many conceal in their hearts.”

There was also a prophetess there, named Anna. She was very advanced in age. She had been married from her youth and had lived in marriage for seven years; then she had been a widow until she was eighty-four years old. She never left the Temple, serving God night and day in fasting and prayer.

At that very hour she also blessed God, and spoke of this Child to all those who were waiting for the Redemption of Israel.

Having fulfilled the requirements of the Law of the Lord, Jesus, Mary and Joseph returned to Galilee, to their town of Nazareth.

Fifth mystery: The Child Jesus is lost for three days and found in the Temple

In the poor cottage of Nazareth, Jesus grew strong. He was full of wisdom and the grace of God was in Him.

His Father and Mother went every year to Jerusalem for the Passover celebrations. The whole family went there when Jesus reached His twelfth year. At the age of twelve, the young Israelite became a “son of the Law”. He took part in the ceremonies of worship and had to go to Jerusalem three times a year.

When the holy days were over, they went back home.

But the Child Jesus had remained in Jerusalem, without His parents noticing. During these pilgrimages, the Israelites walked in two caravans: the men formed the first group, the women the second. The families reunited in the evening at the camp. The children were free to go with either caravan. Assuming that Jesus was in either company, Joseph and Mary made a day’s journey without the slightest concern. When evening came, they anxiously sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances. When they did not find Him, they returned that same night to Jerusalem, searching for Him everywhere.

After three days, they found Him in the Temple in Jerusalem. Jesus was sitting among the Doctors, listening to them and asking them questions. All who heard Him were amazed at the wisdom and answers of this teenager.

Seeing Him like this, His parents were themselves very surprised.

“My Son,” His Mother said to Him, “why have You done this to us? Your Father and I were looking for You in the most painful anguish.

– Why were you looking for Me? Didn’t you know that I must be in the business of My Father who is in heaven?”

But Joseph and Mary did not understand this word He was saying to them. Going back with them, Jesus returned to Nazareth; and He was subject to them.

As for His Mother, She kept all these things in Her heart.

And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and grace before God and men.

Sorrowful Mysteries

First mystery: The Agony of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane

Knowing that He was going to die, Jesus, in an excess of love for mankind, had just instituted the Eucharist to remain forever on earth. Then He left the Cenacle, accompanied by His apostles. One of them, Judas, had left them a few hours earlier to carry out his sinister plan.

On the other side of the brook Kidron was a villa with a garden called Gethsemane. Jesus went there with His Disciples. Since He often came there to pray with them, this place was known to Judas, who betrayed Him.

Then Jesus said to His Disciples:

“Sit here, while I go farther to pray. Pray yourselves, that you enter not into temptation.”

He took only Peter, James and John with Him, and He began to be struck with fear and disgust, with sorrow and anguish.

“My soul is sorrowful unto death,” He said; “remain here and watch with Me.”

Then He moved away from them, at the distance of about a stone’s throw, and, having knelt down with His face to the ground, He prayed that, if it were possible, the hour that was coming might pass away from Him.

“Father,” He said, “if it is possible! and everything is possible for You, remove this chalice from Me. However, let Your Will be done, and not Mine!”

He interrupted His prayer, to go to His Disciples; He found them sleeping, overwhelmed with sorrow.

“Simon, you are sleeping,” He said to Peter. You were not able to stay up with Me for an hour!

Then, addressing the other two:

“What! you sleep! so, you could not watch one hour with Me!… Get up, watch and pray so that you do not enter into temptation; for, if the spirit is quick, the flesh is weak.”

Again He moved away and resumed the same prayer:

“Father! if this chalice cannot pass without My drinking it, may Your Will be done!”

He returned again to His Disciples: He found them still sleeping; their eyes were dulled by sleep, and they did not know what they were answering Him.

Having left them, He went away and prayed for the third time, repeating the same words:

“Father, if You will, remove this chalice from Me; nevertheless, let not My will, but Yours be done!”

He had fallen into agony and His prayer became more and more urgent. There came to Him a sweat, like drops of blood, streaming down to the ground. Then an angel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him.

Soon soldiers arrived with the traitor Judas in the garden where Jesus was praying. They arrested Jesus, bound His hands and dragged Him to the high priest’s court.

Second mystery: Jesus is cruelly scourged

All the priests, scribes and elders of the people, full of hatred against Jesus, wanted Him dead by all means. They dragged Him from tribunal to tribunal: to Annas, to Caiaphas, to the assembled Sanhedrin, to the Roman governor Pontius Pilate. This governor, finding no cause for condemnation in Jesus, sent Him to King Herod. After having ridiculed Jesus, Herod returned him to Pilate. The crowd of Jews, stirred up by the high priests, were shouting for Jesus’ death. The governor, fearing a riot and wanting to calm the crowd, ordered Jesus to be scourged.

The executioners inflicted this torture on Jesus with unprecedented cruelty, indeed with diabolical brutality. It would have been more than enough to kill Him. During His Passion, Jesus used His Divinity only to preserve His life and suffer more for us, for He loves us so much and wants to save us at all costs. The torture of scourging is beyond anything the imagination can conceive. An ancient prophet predicted of the Messiah: “I am a worm and not a man, the reproach of men and the scum of the people…” (Psalm 22)

Third mystery: Jesus is crowned with thorns

After the scourging, the soldiers dragged Jesus into the courtyard of the Praetorium, gathering the entire cohort around Him. They stripped Him of His clothes and covered Him with a scarlet robe. Then they braided a crown with thorns and put it on His head. In His right hand they put a reed. Then, making derisory genuflections before Him, they mocked Him, repeating:

“Hail! King of the Jews!”

They slapped Him, spat in His face and, taking the reed, struck Him on the head, thrusting the crown of thorns into His head and eyes. Jesus had become completely unrecognizable. During these extreme sufferings, our Savior remained meek. The executioners could not bear His loving and merciful gaze, so they blindfolded Him and continued for a long time to beat Him with blasphemous insults.

Fourth mystery: Jesus carries His Cross to Calvary

Jesus is again dragged before Pilate. The sight of this Man of Sorrows should have softened the hearts of the people whom Jesus had always blessed with so much goodness. On the contrary! As soon as He appeared, torn from head to foot and dripping with blood, the whole crowd shouted: “Death! death! crucify Him!”

Then Pilate ordered that it should be done according to the will of the Jews, and he left Jesus to be crucified.

After they had played with Him again, the soldiers tore off His scarlet robe, gave Him back His clothes and dragged Him out of the city to be crucified.

Jesus, laden with His cross, set out for the site called Calvary, or in Hebrew, Golgotha. After Him walked two criminals, who were to suffer the death penalty.

On the sorrowful way, the Virgin Mary came to meet Her Son Jesus. Words cannot describe the pain of this encounter between the sacrificed Son and His loving Mother. All the sufferings of humanity put together do not compare to the infinite sorrow of Jesus and Mary.

As the convoy was about to leave the city, the soldiers, fearing that Jesus would die before reaching Calvary, forced Simon of Cyrene, a passing craftsman, to carry Jesus’ cross. This man, at first upset, was touched by the infinite meekness of this condemned man. And he carried the cross of ignominy with love and courage.

A huge crowd followed, as well as women who were crying and lamenting.

Jesus turned to them.

“Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me,” He said, “but weep for yourselves and for your children…” That is, “Do not shed tears of useless emotion over Me. Weep over your sins which are the cause of My sufferings and death. Ask God for forgiveness and change your life…”

After a painful climb, they reached the top of Calvary…

Fifth mystery: Jesus is crucified and dies on the Cross

At about the hour of noon, Jesus was nailed to the Cross to die.

They crucified the two thieves with Him, one on His right and one on His left, and Jesus in the middle.

Thus was fulfilled the word of the Scripture, “He was put in the ranks of the wicked.”

And Jesus said:

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do!”

All around the crucified stood a great crowd of people, looking at Jesus and mocking Him. The passers-by also blasphemed Him; they said to Him, shaking their heads:

“Well! You who destroy the Temple of God and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross!”

But Jesus did not want to come down from the Cross: His Love demanded that He still suffer, that He suffer even unto death to atone for our sins and to open Heaven to us.

The chief priests, the scribes and the elders also mocked Him:

“He saved others,” they cried, “and He cannot save Himself! If He is the Christ, the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross and we will believe in Him. He has put His trust in God: let God now deliver Him, if He loves Him! Did He not say, ‘I am the Son of God’?”

The soldiers themselves did not spare Him their insults:

“Save Yourself, then, if You are the King of the Jews!”

Even the two criminals, crucified with Him, covered Him with their sarcasm.

But soon, while one of the two kept on blaspheming, saying:

“If You are the Christ, save Yourself! and us with You!”

The other rebuked him sharply, saying:

“Have you no fear of God, you who are suffering the same torment? For us, it is justice; we receive the punishment deserved by our crimes. But this One has done no wrong.”

Then, addressing Jesus:

“Lord,” he said to Him, “remember me when You arrive in Your Kingdom!”

Jesus answered him:

“I tell you the truth: today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

Near the cross stood His Mother, and His Mother’s sister, Mary, wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.

Jesus looked at His Mother and, standing next to Her, John, the Disciple He loved, and He said to His Mother:

“Woman, here is Your son!”

Then He said to the Disciple:

“Here is your Mother!”

And from then on the Disciple took Her into His home.

John here represented all the faithful. In him Mary adopted us all as Her children.

Jesus had been crucified around noon; He agonized on the Cross for three hours. Then darkness spread over the whole world. The sun had lost all its light.

At about three o’clock, Jesus cried out in a heart-rending voice:

“My God! My God! Why have You forsaken Me?”

No one will ever be able to fathom the infinite anguish that our Savior suffered then… Since He had taken upon Himself all our crimes, He saw Himself odious to God His Father, infinite Purity…

Then, Jesus said:

“I thirst!”

He was thirsty for our souls, for the salvation of which He poured out the last drop of His blood.

“All is consummated!” sighed the divine Condemned.

Then He cried out with a loud voice:

“Father! I commit My soul into Your hands!”

While pronouncing these words, He bowed His head and He expired…

Let’s pause for a moment to thank Jesus for the salvation He has gained for us through His death.

“We adore Thee, O Jesus, and we bless Thee because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.”

As Jesus expired, the veil of the Temple was torn in the middle, from the top to the bottom; the earth shook, the rocks split, tombs were opened, and many bodies of saints, who had died, rose. They rose from their graves and came to the Holy City and appeared to many after Jesus’ resurrection.

The Centurion who was standing in front of the cross, hearing the loud cry of Jesus as He was expiring, and seeing all that was happening, gave glory to God and exclaimed:

“This Man was truly the Son of God!”

And those who were guarding Jesus with Him, seized with awe at the sight of the earthquake and the other wonders, said in turn:

“Yes, this man was righteous! He was indeed the Son of God!”

And all the crowd, which had come to see Jesus die, in their amazement at all these things, returned to Jerusalem beating their breasts.

Glorious Mysteries

First mystery: Jesus resurrects gloriously.

On the day after Jesus’ death, the Sabbath, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered and went to Pilate:

“Lord,” they said to him, “we have remembered that while He was alive, this deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ Command therefore that the tomb be kept until the third day, lest His Disciples come and take Him away by stealth, and say to the people, ‘He is risen from the dead.’ This last deception would be even worse than the first.

– You have guards,” said Pilate; “go and watch Him as you know how.”

They went and carefully closed the tomb, after making sure, of course, that Jesus’ body was there. They sealed the stone and put some guards there.

On the morning of the third day, there was a violent earthquake. An angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and he came to the stone, overturned it and sat on it. His face shone like lightning, His garment glowed like snow.

The guards were terrified and shocked, as if they were dead.

The next day, early in the morning, some of the women who had followed Jesus went to the tomb, carrying spices to embalm His body.

When they arrived, they saw that the stone that had closed the tomb, which was a huge block of rock, had been rolled back. When the women entered the tomb, they saw that it was empty, and they were dismayed.

But behold, standing beside them, two angels appeared, dressed in radiant robes. The women were frightened and bowed their heads to the ground:

“As for you,” said the Angel who was sitting on the right, “do not be afraid. I know that you are seeking Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified. Why do you want to find the living One among the dead?… He is no longer here! He is risen, as He said!… Come and look at the place where the Lord was laid… Remember what He told you when He was still in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day He will rise again.’

“And now go without delay and tell His Disciples and Peter that He has risen. He will go before you into Galilee. There you will see Him, as He Himself has told you… This is the message I was given for you.”

As soon as the women had left the tomb, some of the guards returned to the city and told the chief priests everything that had happened.

These met in council with the Elders of the people, and after deliberating, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, with this instruction:

“Say that His Disciples came during the night, and took Him away while you were sleeping. And if the Governor comes to know anything, we will earn it and save you from all trouble.” For any soldier who slept during a faction was sentenced to death by Roman law.

The soldiers took the money and did as they were told. And this tale spread among the Jews and is still repeated today.

During a period of forty days, the resurrected Jesus appeared to His holy Mother, to Mary Magdalene and the other women, to Peter and several times to His Apostles and to a large number of disciples. He taught them, confirmed them in the faith, and prepared them for their great mission of evangelizing the world.

Second Mystery: Jesus Ascends to Heaven

One day, the resurrected Jesus was in the company of His assembled disciples. He said to them:

“Behold, the words that I spoke to you while I was still with you are fulfilled. So it was necessary that the oracles concerning Me, in the Law of Moses, in the Prophets and in the Psalms, be fulfilled.”

At that moment He opened their minds and gave them the understanding of the Scriptures.

Then He said to them:

“This is what was written. Yes, Christ had to suffer, and on the third day rise from the dead. And now penance and remission of sins must be preached in His name to all peoples, beginning with Jerusalem.

“Now you are the witnesses of these things.”

Jesus then announced the coming of the Holy Spirit:

“You shall receive the power of the Holy Spirit, which shall descend in you; and you shall bear witness to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth.”

After these words, Jesus led His Disciples out of Jerusalem in the direction of Bethany.

When He reached the Mount of Olives, He raised His hands and blessed them.

As He blessed them, He ascended into heaven in their presence.

Soon a cloud came and hid Him from their sight.

And He entered Heaven, where He is seated at the right hand of God.

The Disciples were still gazing at Him, ascending into heaven; and behold, two men, clothed in white, appeared standing by them and said:

“Men of Galilee, why do you stand here with your eyes still fixed on the sky? This same Jesus who has just ascended from among you into Heaven will one day descend from it, just as you saw Him ascend.”

Then, after prostrating themselves in worship, the Disciples left the Mount of Olives, and returned to Jerusalem, their souls flooded with joy.

Every day they were in the Temple, praising God and blessing Him.

Later they went out to preach throughout the world, and the Lord, working with them, confirmed their word with many miracles.

Third Mystery: The Holy Spirit descends upon the Virgin Mary and the Apostles

After Jesus ascended to Heaven, the Disciples left the Mount of Olives and returned to the city of Jerusalem. They took refuge in the Cenacle where, day after day, they persevered, united in prayer with the holy women, with Mary, Mother of Jesus, and with the Lord’s relatives.

The assembly consisted of about one hundred and twenty people.

After nine days, suddenly, a sound was heard from heaven, like a strong wind approaching, and it resounded throughout the house where they were sitting. At the same time, they saw a fire, from which tongues of flame came out and stopped on each of them. All of them were immediately filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak in different languages, as the Holy Spirit made them speak.

On the occasion of the feast, there were in Jerusalem Jews who were sincerely religious, belonging to all the nations under heaven. At the sound of this wonder, a multitude came together and were all shocked when they heard the Disciples speaking in their own language. They were all amazed, and in their astonishment they cried out:

“Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans? How is it, then, that each of us hears them speaking in his native tongue?”

In their astonishment and amazement, they said to each other:

“What does this mean?”

Others, on the other hand, poured out their mockery.

Peter, who had been appointed by Jesus to be the leader of the Apostles, spoke to the multitude about Jesus who had been crucified and raised from the dead.

About three thousand of those who heard him believed his words and were baptized.

Fourth Mystery: The Blessed Virgin Mary ascends to Heaven

Since the Ascension, the life of the Blessed Virgin had been one long and unspeakable martyrdom of love. The Mother of God was often seen climbing the slopes of Calvary, accompanied by the holy women, or leaning on the arm of John, Her adopted son. She would stop at the places marked by a particular suffering of Jesus, and bring to life in Her Heart each scene of the bloody drama. She arrived at the tomb, which She flooded with Her tears and from which She would never want to part.

She lived in a small house adjoining the Cenacle, near which there was a shrine where St. John offered the divine Sacrifice of the Mass. Every day, Mary had the joy of receiving Holy Communion.

Mary’s humble abode had become the object of the most venerated pilgrimage of the nascent Church. The Apostles, who loved Her as the holiest and most tender of mothers and surrounded Her with homage as the most august of queens, came to learn from Her to better know the Savior in order to devote themselves more generously to His work; and it was to Her feet that they brought their first disciples to confirm them in faith and in charity.

When She had completed Her mission, Mary was warned by the Archangel Gabriel of Her impending death. At the same time, the Apostles, inspired by Heaven, left the lands they were evangelizing, to receive the last breath of their beloved Sovereign. They all burst into tears at the thought that they were about to lose such a Mother:

“My children,” Mary said to them, “do not weep for what I am leaving you; rather, rejoice that I am going to My Son and that I am passing from sorrow to joy. In Heaven, I will continue to love you, to watch over you and to show Myself as your Mother.”

Then the Immaculate Virgin gave up Her blessed soul into the hands of Her Son, gently, suavely, without extraordinary transports.

But Her body was not to experience the corruption of the tomb. So, three days after Her death, the immaculate soul of Mary came to revive Her virginal body, and the most pure Virgin rose triumphantly to Heaven.

Fifth mystery: The Blessed Virgin Mary is crowned in Heaven

On ascending to Heaven, the Blessed Virgin Mary is crowned Queen of Heaven and Earth. Wherever Jesus is King, Mary is Queen. She is Sovereign of the Angels, the Saints, and all humans. She is above all their Mother.

The Virgin Mary, immaculate in Her conception, was, of all creatures, the most faithful to God, the most intimately united to Him, the most humble and obedient. Her crown therefore surpasses that of all the elect and Her reign will never end.

From the very first days of human history, immediately after the original sin of Adam and Eve, God promised our first parents a Redeemer who would redeem their sin and reopen Heaven, which had been closed by their rebellion against God. Then, addressing Satan who had deceived Adam and Eve, God announced the Redemption and His victory over the forces of hell, through His most Holy Mother. God said to Satan: “I will put enmity between you and the Woman, between your race and Her race. She will break your head, and you will try to bite Her in the heel.”

Mary is the woman announced in the Apocalypse, clothed with the sun, crowned with stars, pursued by the beast with seven heads and ten horns, who is at the heart of the battle for the salvation of souls. Mary is intimately associated with the particular salvation of each person. If no soul goes to the Father without the mediation of Jesus, no soul reaches Jesus without Mary reaching out to bring that soul to Him.

The most enlightened Saints assure us that no soul who loves Mary can be damned eternally.

May the love for the Mother of God sustain us in the battle, strengthen our courage and our fidelity to God. At Fatima, in 1917, Our Lady made this solemn promise: “In the end, My Immaculate Heart will triumph!”

Let us implore Her, by reciting many rosaries, to finally fulfill Her great promise and to offer Her divine Son this decisive victory over the forces of evil. Then the earth will be renewed, and we will all live as true children of God, in love and harmony.