As the mother of Jesus, Our Lady had much to suffer, as prophesied by Simeon at the Presentation in the Temple: “[A]nd Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, ‘Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed” (Luke 2:34-35).
With courage and trust, Our Lady endured the sorrows of her life, the most painful of which was standing at the foot of the cross watching her Divine Son die an excruciatingly painful death.
St. John Paul II tells us: “By using the verb ‘to stand,’ which literally means ‘to be on one’s feet,’ ‘to stand erect,’ perhaps the Evangelist intends to present the dignity and strength shown in their sorrow by Mary and the other women. The Blessed Virgin’s ‘standing erect’ at the foot of the Cross recalls her unfailing constancy and extraordinary courage in facing suffering.”
The Church celebrates the memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows on September 15. The Rosary of the Seven Sorrows is a wonderful way to commemorate Mary’s sorrows. Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us!
The Seven Sorrows of Mary
Catholic devotion traditionally remembers seven moments of Mary’s suffering: Simeon’s prophecy, the flight into Egypt, the loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple, meeting Jesus on the way to Calvary, standing at the foot of the Cross, receiving his body after it was taken down, and his burial.
Meditating on these sorrows does more than recall grief. It helps us remain with Jesus and Mary in the mysteries of suffering, faithful love, and hope. Mary’s steadfast presence teaches us how to accompany people who are carrying illness, loss, fear, or another heavy cross.
How to Pray the Seven Sorrows Devotion
The devotion may be prayed slowly, pausing at each sorrow to consider what Mary endured and to entrust personal or family suffering to her intercession. It can be especially meaningful on Fridays, during Lent, or near the September 15 memorial.
Our Seven Sorrows of Mary prayer page provides the complete devotion in a format that can be followed online or downloaded.