Our Lady of Seven Sorrows
The feast of Our Lady of Sorrows is liturgically celebrated every 15 September.
Memorare
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary,
that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection,
implored your help,
or sought your intercession,
was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence,
I fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother.
To you do I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful.
O Mother of the Word Incarnate,
despise not my petitions,
but in your mercy, hear and answer me.
Amen.
MEMORARE, O piissima Virgo Maria,
non esse auditum a saeculo,
quemquam ad tua currentem praesidia,
tua implorantem auxilia,
tua petentem suffragia, esse derelictum.
Ego tali animatus confidentia,
ad te, Virgo Virginum, Mater, curro, ad te venio,
coram te gemens peccator assisto.
Noli, Mater Verbi, verba mea despicere;
sed audi propitia et exaudi.
Amen.
Our Lady of Seven Sorrows Rosary
The Prayer material; The Rosary of the Seven Dolours is from The Raccolta, ed. 1910, #230 and the Devotion in honour of the Sorrowful Heart of Mary, is Raccolta #232. Extracts from “The Glories of Mary” by St. Alphonsus de Liguori, 1868. Pope Pius VII approved another series of prayers in honor of the Seven Sorrows for daily meditation in 1815.
WAY OF SAYING THE CHAPLET
ON THE MEDALLION OF
THE SEVEN SORROWS OF MARY
Act of Contrition
O My LORD, Thou who alone art most worthy of my love, behold me standing before thy Divine Presence utterly overwhelmed by the thought of the many grievous injuries I have done Thee.
I ask thy pardon for them with my whole heart, repenting of them purely for love of Thee, and at the thought of thy great goodness hating and loathing them above every evil of this life.
As I would rather have died a thousand times than have offended Thee, so now I am most firmly resolved to die a thousand deaths rather than offend Thee again.
My crucified JESUS, I firmly purpose to cleanse my soul as soon as possible by thy most Precious Blood in the Sacrament of Penance. And thou, most tender Virgin, Mother of mercy and Refuge of sinners, do thou obtain for me by virtue of thy bitter pains, the pardon of sin which I desire; whilst, praying according to the mind of so many holy Pontiffs in order to obtain the Indulgences granted to this thy holy Rosary, I hope thereby to obtain remission of all pains due to my sins.
Hail Mary x 3 (ending with Ave thrice in honour of the tears our Lady)
Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee;
blessed art thou among women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now
and at the hour of our death,
Amen.
Ave Maria x 3
Áve María, grátia plena;
Dominus tecum:
benedicta tu in mulieribus,
et benedíctus frúctus ventris tui Iésus.
Sancta Maria, Mater Dei,
ora pro nobis peccatoribus,
nunc et in hóra mortis nóstrae.
Amen.
The First Dolour
Of the Prophecy of Simeon
Luk 2:22-35
Presentation, The Art of Christianity Collection, Stockholm. inv. no. AP00239.
“I grieve for thee, O Mary most sorrowful, in the affliction of thy tender heart at the prophecy of the holy and aged Simeon.
Dear Mother, by thy heart so afflicted, obtain for me the virtue of humility and the gift of the holy fear of God”
(extracts approved by Pope Pius VII, 1815)
Devotion in honour of the Sorrowful Heart of Mary :
V. O God, come to my assistance
R. O Lord, make haste to help me
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
With this confidence in my heart, I meditate on the First Sorrow :
Mary, Virgin Mother of my GOD, presented JESUS her only Son in the Temple, laid Him in the arms of holy and aged Simeon, and heard his prophetic word,
"The sword of grief shall pierce thy soul," foretelling thereby the Passion and Death of her Son JESUS.
Let us pray:
Our Father – Pater noster
Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.
7 Hail Mary – Ave Maria
Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee;
blessed art thou among women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now
and at the hour of our death,
Amen.
The Second Dolour
Of the Flight into Egypt
Mat 2:13-15
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The Flight to Egypt, The Art of Christianity Collection, Stockholm. inv. no. AP00037.
“I grieve for you, O Mary most sorrowful, in the anguish of your most affectionate heart during the flight into Egypt and your sojourn there. Dear Mother, by your heart so troubled, obtain for me the virtue of generosity, especially toward the poor, and the gift of piety.”
(extracts approved by Pope Pius VII, 1815)
Devotion in honour of the Sorrowful Heart of Mary :
V. O God, come to my assistance
R. O Lord, make haste to help me
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
With this confidence in my heart, I meditate on the Second Sorrow :
The Second Sorrow of the Blessed Virgin was when she was obliged to fly into Egypt by reason of the persecution of cruel Herod, who impiously sought to slay her well beloved Son. No sooner is Jesus born than He is persecuted. Mary began to realize that Simeon’s prophecy regarding Her Son was beginning to be fulfilled.
Let us pray:
Our Father – Pater noster
Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.
7 Hail Mary – Ave Maria
Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee;
blessed art thou among women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now
and at the hour of our death,
Amen.
The Third Dolour
Of the Loss of Jesus in the Temple
Luk 2:41-52
Finding of the 12-year old in the Temple, The Art of Christianity Collection, Stockholm. inv. no. AP00124.
“I grieve for you, O Mary most sorrowful, in those anxieties which tried your troubled heart at the loss of your dear Jesus. Dear Mother, by your heart so full of anguish, obtain for me the virtue of chastity and the gift of knowledge.”
(extracts approved by Pope Pius VII, 1815)
Devotion in honour of the Sorrowful Heart of Mary :
V. O God, come to my assistance
R. O Lord, make haste to help me
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
With this confidence in my heart, I meditate on the Third Sorrow :
This third sorrow of Mary ought to serve in the first place as a consolation to souls who are desolate, and who no longer enjoy, as they once enjoyed, the sweet presence of the Lord. They may weep, but they should weep confidently, just as Mary wept over the loss of Her Son. What anxiety this broken-hearted Mother must have felt during those three days when She searched everywhere for Her Son, and asked for Him as the spouse did in the Canticles: Have you seen him, whom my soul loveth? (Cant. 3:3).
Let us pray:
Our Father – Pater noster
Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.
7 Hail Mary – Ave Maria
Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee;
blessed art thou among women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now
and at the hour of our death,
Amen.
The Fourth Dolour
Of the Meeting of Mary with Jesus on His way to Calvary
Luk 2:22-35
Presentation, The Art of Christianity Collection, Stockholm. inv. no. AP00217.
“I grieve for you, O Mary most sorrowful, in the consternation of your heart at meeting Jesus as He carried His Cross. Dear Mother, by your heart so troubled, obtain for me the virtue of patience and the gift of fortitude.”
(extracts approved by Pope Pius VII, 1815)
Devotion in honour of the Sorrowful Heart of Mary :
V. O God, come to my assistance
R. O Lord, make haste to help me
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
With this confidence in my heart, I meditate on the Fourth Sorrow :
The Fourth Sorrow of the Blessed Virgin was when she met her dear Son JESUS carrying to Mount Calvary on his tender shoulders the heavy Cross whereon, He was to be crucified for our salvation.
The greater Her love for Him, the greater Her grief at the sight of His sufferings, especially when She met Him on that dolorous way, dragging His cross to the place of execution.
Let us pray:
Our Father – Pater noster
Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.
7 Hail Mary – Ave Maria
Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee;
blessed art thou among women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now
and at the hour of our death,
Amen.
The Fifth Dolour
Of the Death of Jesus
Joh 19:25-27
Crucifixion, The Art of Christianity Collection, Stockholm. inv. no. AP00110.
“I grieve for you, O Mary most sorrowful, in the martyrdom which your generous heart endured in standing near Jesus in His agony. Dear Mother, by your afflicted heart obtain for me the virtue of temperance and the gift of counsel.”
(extracts approved by Pope Pius VII, 1815)
Devotion in honour of the Sorrowful Heart of Mary :
V. O God, come to my assistance
R. O Lord, make haste to help me
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
With this confidence in my heart, I meditate on the Fifth Sorrow :
The Fifth Sorrow of the Blessed Virgin was when she saw her Son JESUS raised upon the hard tree of the Cross, and blood flowing from every part of his sacred Body, and then beheld Him die after three hours agony. As soon as our agonized Redeemer had reached Mount Calvary, the executioners stripped Him of His clothes, and piercing His hands and feet with nails, they fastened Him on the cross. They raised the cross and left Him to die. The executioners left Him, but not Mary. She came up close to the cross to be near Him in death.
“I did not leave Him,”
Let us pray:
Our Father – Pater noster
Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.
7 Hail Mary – Ave Maria
Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee;
blessed art thou among women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now
and at the hour of our death,
Amen.
The Sixth Dolour
Of the Piercing of the Side of Jesus and His Descent from the Cross
Joh 19:38-40
Lamentation, The Art of Christianity Collection, Stockholm. inv. no. AP00077.
“I grieve for you, O Mary most sorrowful, in the wounding of your compassionate heart, when the side of Jesus was struck by the lance before His Body was removed from the Cross.
Dear Mother, by your heart thus transfixed, obtain for me the virtue of fraternal charity and the gift of understanding.”
(extracts approved by Pope Pius VII, 1815)
Devotion in honour of the Sorrowful Heart of Mary :
V. O God, come to my assistance
R. O Lord, make haste to help me
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
With this confidence in my heart, I meditate on the Sixth Sorrow :
The Sixth Sorrow of the Blessed Virgin was when she saw the lance pierce the sacred Side of JESUS, her beloved Son, the nails withdrawn, and his holy Body laid in her purest bosom.
You will be wounded with another sword of sorrow. A cruel lance will pierce the side of Your dead Son, and You will receive Him in Your arms after He has been taken down from the cross.
It is enough to tell a mother that her son is dead to arouse in her heart all her love for the dead child.
Let us pray:
Our Father – Pater noster
Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.
7 Hail Mary – Ave Maria
Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee;
blessed art thou among women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now
and at the hour of our death,
Amen.
The Seventh Dolour
The Burial of Jesus
Joh 19:41-42
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Entombment, The Art of Christianity Collection, Stockholm. inv. no. AP25311.
“I grieve for you, O Mary most sorrowful, for the pangs that wrenched your most loving heart at the burial of Jesus. Dear Mother, by your heart sunk in the bitterness of desolation, obtain for me the virtue of diligence and the gift of wisdom.”
(extracts approved by Pope Pius VII, 1815)
Devotion in honour of the Sorrowful Heart of Mary :
V. O God, come to my assistance
R. O Lord, make haste to help me
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
With this confidence in my heart, I meditate on the Seventh Sorrow :
The Seventh and last Sorrow of the Blessed Virgin, Queen and Advocate of us, her servants, miserable sinners, was when she saw the Holy Body of her Son buried in the grave.
In order to grasp the meaning of this last sorrow more fully, let us return to Calvary and picture our afflicted Mother there, still holding the lifeless body of Her Son clasped in Her arms.
With reverence they lift it from Her arms, embalm it with aromatic herbs, and wrap it in a shroud they have already prepared. The mournful procession sets out for the tomb. The afflicted Mother follows Her Son to His last resting place.
“look at Thy Son once more,
and say goodbye to Him for the last time.”
Let us pray:
Our Father – Pater noster
Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.
7 Hail Mary – Ave Maria
Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee;
blessed art thou among women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now
and at the hour of our death,
Amen.
ON THE MEDALLION OF
THE SEVEN SORROWS OF MARY
Then say Hail Mary x 3 in veneration of the tears which Mary shed in her sorrows.
Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee;
blessed art thou among women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now
and at the hour of our death,
Amen.
Ave Maria x 3
Virgin most sorrowful, pray for us.
Virgin most sorrowful, pray for us.
Virgin most sorrowful, pray for us.
V. Pray for us, Virgin most sorrowful.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of CHRIST.
Let us pray on the Medallion:
GRANT, we beseech Thee, O LORD JESUS CHRIST,
that the most blessed Virgin Mary, thy Mother,
may intercede for us before the throne of thy mercy,
now and at the hour of our death,
whose most holy soul was transfixed with the sword of sorrow
in the hour of thine own Passion.
Through Thee, JESUS CHRIST, SAVIOUR of the world,
who lives and reigns world without end.
Amen.
† In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost,
Amen.
† In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti, Amen.
On the Feast Day of the Seven Sorrows of BVM, MMXXIII.
©Commander Cross Rosary ®2019-07201, Stockholm.
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