"Since the Rosary is composed, principally and in substance, of the prayer of Christ and the Angelic Salutation, that is, the Our Father and the Hail Mary, it was without doubt the first prayer and the principal devotion of the faithful and has been in use all through the centuries, from the time of the apostles and disciples down to the present."  Saint Louis Marie De Montfort

The Rosary as we know it today:

In 1569, Pope St. Pius V published a papal bull, Consueverent Romani Pontifices, which formally established the prayer form of the Rosary as we basically know it today (15 mysteries).  He also definitively linked meditation on the mysteris of Christ's life to the prayer of the Rosary.  The Christo-centric nature of the Rosary was reaffirmed by Pope Paul VI in Marialis Cultus.  Then on October 16, 2002, Pope John Paul II added 5 new mysteries (the Luminous Mysteries) in Rosarium Virginis Mariae.  

How To Pray The Rosary:

 1.  The Sign of the Cross:
      In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

 2.  The Apostles Creed:
      I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son,
      our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius
      Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried.  He descended into hell; the third day He arose again from
      the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from 
      thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.  I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic  
      Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life
      everlasting.  Amen.

 3.  The Our Father:
      Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth
      as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive
      those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  Amen. 

 4.  The Hail Mary:  
      Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed are thou amongst women, and blessed is the
      fruit of thy womb, Jesus.  Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our
      death.  Amen. (Three times).

 5.  Glory Be:
      Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.  As it was in the beginning, is now, and
      ever shall be, world without end.  Amen.

 6.  Recite the First Mystery.

 7.  Pray the Our Father.

 8.  Pray the Hail Mary (10 times).

 9.  Pray the Glory Be.

10.  O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fire of hell, take all souls to heaven, and help
       especially those most in need of Your mercy.  (optional).

11.  Recite the Second Mystery,  (repeat prayers 7, 8, 9 & 10[optional])

12.  Recite the Third Mystery, (repeat prayers 7, 8, 9 & 10[optional])

13.  Recite the Fourth Mystery, (repeat prayers 7, 8, 9 & 10[optional])

14.  Recite the Fifth Mystery, (repeat prayers 7, 8, 9 & 10[optional])

15.  The Hail! Holy Queen:
       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, O most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us; and after this our exile,
       show onto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.  O clement!  O loving!  O sweet Virgin Mary!
       Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.  That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

16.  The Prayer After the Rosary:
       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.
       May the divine assistance remain always with us.  Amen.
       And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.  Amen.
       
    

The Mysteries of the Rosary:

The Joyful Mysteries:
(Said on Mondays and Saturdays, the Sundays of Advent and Sundays from Epiphany until Lent)
1.  The Annunciation
2.  The Visitation
3.  The Nativity
4.  The Presentation
5.  Finding in the Temple

The Sorrowful Mysteries:
(Said on Tuesdays and Fridays throughout the year; and daily from Ash Wednesday until Easter Sunday)
1.  The Agony in the Garden
2.  The Scourging at the Pillar
3.  The Crowning with Thorns
4.  The Carrying of the Cross
5.  The Crucifixion

The Glorious Mysteries:
(Said on Wednesdays, and the Sundays from Easter until Advent)
1.  The Resurrection
2.  The Ascension
3.  The Descent of the Holy Spirit
4.  The Assumption
5.  The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Luminous Mysteries:
(Said on Thursdays)
1.  The Baptism of Jesus
2.  The Wedding at Cana
3.  The Proclamation of the Kingdom
4.  The Transfiguration
5.  The Institution of the Eucharist