The Five Luminous Mysteries

N October 16, 2002, St. John Paul II issued an Apostolic Letter entitled The Rosary Of The Virgin Mary, encouraging all Catholics to recite the Rosary. He also suggested five new Mysteries that might supplement the meditation on the traditional Joyful, Sorrowful, and Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary.

  The new Mysteries, i.e., Mysteries of Light or the Luminous Mysteries are intended to offer contemplation of important parts of Christ's Public Life in addition to the contemplation on His Childhood, His Sufferings, and His Risen Life offered by the traditional Mysteries: "Of the many Mysteries of Christ's life, only a few are indicated by the Rosary in the form that has become generally established with the seal of the Church's approval....

  "I believe, however, that to bring out fully the Christological depth of the Rosary it would be suitable to make an addition to the traditional pattern which, while left to the freedom of individuals and communities,

could broaden it to include the Mysteries of Christ's Public Ministry between His Baptism and His Passion. In the course of those Mysteries we contemplate important aspects of the person of Christ as the definitive revelation of God. Declared the beloved Son of the Father at the Baptism in the Jordan, Christ is the One Who announces the coming of the Kingdom, bears witness to it in His works and proclaims its demands. It is during the years of His Public Ministry that the Mystery of Christ is most evidently a Mystery of Light: "While I am in the world, I am the light of the world" (Jn 9:5).

  "Consequently ... it is fitting to add, following reflection on the Incarnation and the Hidden Life of Christ (the Joyful Mysteries), and the triumph of His Resurrection (the Glorious Mysteries), a meditation on certain particularly significant moments in His Public Ministry (the Mysteries of Light)."

  The late St. John Paul the Great, assigned these new Mysteries to Thursday while transferring the Joyful Mysteries - normally said on that day - to Saturday because of the special Marian presence in them.