Rosary in honor of the Holy face
The recitation of the Rosary, so strongly recommended are the present day by the Sovereign Pontiff Leo XIII, may be made with great consolation and benefit, if each of the fifteen mysteries, which must be meditated upon in the spirit of Saint Dominic, be said in reference to the most Holy Face of Our Lord.
joyful mysteries
1st Mystery – The Annunciation
I adore Thee, O Jesus, Who, having the divine nature, didst deign to take upon Thyself our likeness in order to conform us all to Thy semblance. Imprint more and more deeply in our souls, by a lively faith, the seal of Thy divine resemblance.
Pardon, mercy for all unhappy pagans who are enemies of the Gospel, and rebel to the grace of Thy Incarnation.
2nd Mystery – The Visitation
I adore Thee, O Jesus, Divine Sun, Whose rays, though veiled, reaches him, who is one day to walk before Thy Face. May the light of Thy Face, which descended upon us at the moment of baptism, enlighten, warm and continually vivify our souls.
Pardon, mercy for all ungrateful men who desire to efface from their foreheads the mark of a Christian; for heretics who are not blessed by Thy luminous presence in the bosom of the True Church.
3rd Mystery – The Nativity
I adore Thee, O Jesus, Little Infant laid in a crib. Thy Face, so full of graces, inspires angelic songs and ravishes the shepherds and the Magi. All Thy features wear an expression of benignity: O beauty of the Holy Face, O goodness of Jesus, captivate all hearts!
Pardon, mercy for the many indifferent men who misunderstand Thy sweet attractions, who shut their hearts to the excess of Thy charity.
4th Mystery – The Purification
I adore Thee, O Jesus, presented in the Temple by the hands of Mary. Thou art the victim without spot, alone worthy of all the complaisance of the Father. May we like the holy old man Simeon, after having known and contemplated Thee with the eyes of faith, no longer cling to this world, but turn our eyes and our hearts to Thee alone.
Pardon, mercy for so many poor madmen, who are captivated and seduced by the figure of this world which passes away.
5th Mystery – The Finding of Jesus in the Temple
I adore Thee, O Jesus, found again in the temple in the midst of the Doctors. How beautiful was the ray of divine light, emanating from Thy august Face upon those who listened to Thee! Make that wisdom, which Thou camest to bring down upon earth, and which Thou hast placed within the reach of all, shine upon us.
Pardon, mercy for the voluntarily blind who obstinately refuse Thy light, and for the victim of education without God.
SORROWFul mysteries
1st Mystery – The Agony in the Garden
Hail, Adorable Face of my Savior, bowed to the earth under the weight of the sins of the world over which cover Thee with confusion. Take away from us all human respect, all culpable shame.
Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Face of Thy Son, covered with the sweat of agony, obscured by the shades of death; may Thy justice be appeased at the sight of so affecting a spectacle; mayest Thou have mercy on our country in spite of all the crimes that are committed against Thee therein.
2nd Mystery – The Scourging at the Pillar
Hail, Adorable Face of my Savior, disfigured by the scourges of the executioners filled with fury against their innocent victim. Repair the injuries inflicted upon mu soul by sin, which, as a hideous leprosy, disfigures and withers it.
Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Bleeding Face of Thy Son in reparation for the innumerable, abominable sins, which imprint their shameful marks even upon the face of men.
3rd Mystery – The Crowning with Thorns
Hail, Adorable Face of my Savior, ignominiously blindfolded, covered with spittle, crowned with thorns, wounded with blows. Efface from amongst us every trace of that devastating scourge, the impious and satanic pride of our epoch.
Eternal Father, I offer the Face of Thy Son which has become unrecognizable. Spare us, and our nation which has committed so many blasphemies, so many profanations, so many audacious revolts against Thee.
4th Mystery – The Carrying of the Cross
Hail, Adorable Face of my Savior, miraculously impressed upon the veil of St. Veronica. May my soul bear the impress of the features of Thy humiliation, in order that it may be one day clothed with Thy glory!
Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Face of Thy Son still wiped by so many faithful Veronicas, by so many reparatory souls. For the sake of these souls which are so pleasing to Thee, stay Thy chastisements, and do not hurl Thy avenging thunders upon out unhappy people.
5th Mystery – The Crucifixion
Hail, Adorable Face of my Savior on the Cross. Before Thee the sun is veiled, the earth is moved and is covered with darkness, all nature mourns. O features of my Dying Jesus, features of Crucified Love, the ineffable expression of which has ravished all the Saints! May Thou be imprinted deeply in my heart!
Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Face of Thy expiring Son. Look on the Face of Thy Christ. May Thy bowels be moved, and may the flood of Thy Mercy inundate the whole earth.
Glorious mysteries
1st Mystery – The Resurrection
Glory to Thee, O Lord, risen Jesus, Who didst appear with radiant Face to Thy mother, to the holy women, to the assembled disciples. It is no longer Calvary with its horrors. What beauty, what splendor, what gladness!
By that glory of Thy Face, give back to our souls the beauty of which sin has deprived them; give back to them their Christian characteristics.
2nd Mystery – The Ascension
Glory to Thee, Lord Jesus, ascending to heaven, with Thy Face turned towards the shores of Thy blessed home. Thou wilt hereafter descend once more with the angry Face of the judge, and in presence of Thy Majesty, every proud head shall prostrate itself before Thee.
O Sweet Face of Jesus, going to prepare a place for us, charm our eyes, raise our gaze towards Thee! We desire to belong to the generation of those who, thirsting, seek the Face of the God of Jacob.
3rd Mystery – The Descent of the Holy Ghost
Glory to Thee, Lord Jesus, seated at the right hand of the Father. Thou wilt appear continually before the Face of God to plead our cause. A thousand and a thousand thanksgivings for that perpetual intercession.
After having obtained the full effusion of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles, pray to Thy Father to let the same Holy Spirit reign over us, let it brood upon the face of the great waters, upon the nations of the earth agitated, like an Ocean, by the tempests of atheism.
4th Mystery – The Assumption
Glory to Thee, Lord Jesus, the new Solomon coming to meet Thy mother. How beautiful Thou art, how gracious, how full of infinite amiability in presence of the holy ark introduced by Thee into the heavenly Jerusalem amidst celestial songs!
O smiling Face of Jesus, appear to us at the hour of death, and may the horrible form of the devil disappear at Thy aspect.
5th Mystery – The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Glory to Thee, Lord Jesus, crowning Thy mother, and making her sit down beside Thee. The eyes of all the Blessed are fixed on Thy Face and on that of Thy mother. Those two Faces shine like two suns and shed joy throughout the whole of Paradise.
O Jesus, O Mary, grant us the grace so greatly to be desired, the grace of graces, that of contemplating you hereafter face to face in the eternal vision of the elect.