Rare earth oxysulfide phosphors with excellent optical properties and optimum particle size control for use as cathodo-luminescent phosphors in cathode ray tubes are prepared by treating a solution of at least one salt of a rare earth metal and a salt of a rare earth activator to form solid salts and thereafter heating the oxidic compound with a sulfidizing agent and a silicon sensitizer, preferably in the presence of a fluoride. The rare earth oxysulfide phosphors thus obtained contain from 10 to 1,000 p.p.m. silicon sensitizer and, if used, 20 to 500 p.p.m. fluoride, incorporated in the crystal lattice structure.