In the year 1214, St. Dominic received the Holy Rosary from the Blessed Virgin as a powerful means of converting the Albigensians (a religious sect from the south of France, at odds with Catholic Church teachings) and other sinners. St. Dominic's preaching of the Rosary is credited with the conversion of many people in the town of Toulouse, France.
Inspired by the Holy Spirit and Instructed by the Blessed Virgin, St. Dominic preached the Holy Rosary for the rest of his life. He preached it by his example as well as by his sermons. As a result, he preached devotion to the Holy Rosary to everyone he encountered.
Many in the Church have followed St. Dominic's example and promoted The Holy Rosary. Pope John Paul II was very devoted to the Blessed Virgin and the Holy Rosary. It was he who implemented the Luminous Mysteries as part of the Holy Rosary in 2004.