The Luminous Mysteries

On Wednesday, October 16, 2002, Pope John Paul announced the addition of five new "mysteries of light" to the centuries' old devotion of the Rosary. He also announced the beginning of the "Year of the Rosary" which will extend from mid-October 2002 to October 2003.

The five new meditations, which are to be recited on Thursdays, are:

1. Christ's baptism in the Jordan River
2. The marriage of Cana
3. Christ's announcement of the kingdom of God
4. The Transfiguration
5. The institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper

In his Apostolic Letter, the Pope said that he did not wish to change the Rosary, but to contribute to its evolution as a prayer form. Since the Middle Ages, the Rosary has been the most enduring and popular of Catholic devotions. Within its traditional structure, numerous methods including Scriptural rosaries, seasonal rosaries and rosaries for special occasions have been developed.

Catholics the world over are embracing these new mysteries, and finding the power of the Rosary greater than ever.