As Catholics around the world celebrate the month of the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Arizona Catholics had the opportunity to learn a little bit more about their former bishop.

Bishop Them Olmstead, who retired this year to be replaced by Bishop Timothy Dolan, talked about the significance of praying the rosary every day. 

"When I was a boy, Sister Veronica told my catechism class that God’s weapon for peace was the Rosary — and I was fascinated,” he said in a video uploaded by the Diocese of Phoenix. “Here I was, a kid ready to do something heroic for Christ and already confident in the powerful intercession of His Blessed Mother. So, I eagerly accepted Sister’s invitation to take up this spiritual weapon every day to contribute to peace in the world and in every human heart." 

Olmstead then cited a quote from Pope Pius XI: "The Rosary is a powerful weapon to put the demons to flight and to keep oneself from sin. … If you desire peace in your hearts, in your homes and in your country, assemble each evening to recite the Rosary. Let not even one day pass without saying it, no matter how burdened you may be with many cares and labors.” 

Catholics celebrate rosary month by praying the mysteries of the rosary that was revered by many popes, including Pope St. John Paul II.

“Let us #PrayTogether with the children of every continent who today are reciting the Rosary for peace in the world,” Pope Francis said in a tweet. “Let us entrust to Our Lady’s intercession the suffering people of Ukraine and other people who are suffering due to war, violence and misery. #1millionchildrenpraying” 

The rosary is a series of prayers that are typically recited with the help of a string of rosary beads that allows people to track how many of each they have said, according to Britannica. The rosary consists of five decades, or sets of 10, that call for a person to repeat 50 Hail Mary prayers. The decades are separated by larger beads that one should use as a reminder to say the Our Father prayer. 

According to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), the rosary is based on scriptural events and begins with the Apostles’ Creed. The Our Father begins every mystery and comes straight from the Gospel. The Hail Mary comes from the Archangel Gabriel’s words to Mary at the Annunciation.  

Praying the rosary often is done in conjunction with meditating upon a particular set of mysteries. There are four sets of mysteries that surround Christ’s journey on earth.: Glorious, Joyful, Sorrowful, and Luminous, the latter one having been added by Pope St. John Paul II in 2002. 

The Glorious Mysteries, said on Sundays and Wednesdays, are the Resurrection, the Ascension, the Descent of the Holy Spirit, the Assumption and the Coronation of Mary. The Joyful Mysteries, said on Mondays and Saturdays, are the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Nativity of Christ, the Presentation in the Temple and the Finding of Jesus in the Temple. The Sorrowful Mysteries, said on Tuesdays and Fridays, are the Agony in the Garden, the Scourging at the Pillar, the Crowning of Thorns, the Carrying of the Cross and the Crucifixion and Death of the Lord. The Luminous Mysteries, said on Thursdays, are the Baptism in the Jordan, the Wedding at Cana, the Proclamation of the Kingdom, the Transfiguration and the Institution of the Eucharist. 

October is the month of the rosary because the feast of the Most Holy Rosary is celebrated on Oct. 7, according to Catholic News Agency (CNA). Also referred to as Our Lady of Victory, Pope Pius V dedicated Oct. 7 to the rosary after the victory at the Battle of Lepanto in 1571. Pope Pius V implored all Christians to pray for victory at the Battle of Lepanto and the Christian forces miraculously won. 

Pope Pius V also officially added the second part of the Hail Mary and the Glory Be prayers. CNA says Pope Leo XIII increased the popularity of the Rosary from his personal devotion as well as the 11 encyclicals he wrote on the Rosary. CNA says Pope St. John Paul II said, "in which we meditate with Mary upon the mysteries which she as a Mother meditated on in her heart (Lk. 2:19.).”