The Seven Sorrows of Mary

A Catholic devotion meditating on the profound sorrows the Blessed Virgin Mary endured in her life, uniting our hearts with hers at the foot of the Cross.

Our Lady of Sorrows

In Catholic art and devotion, the Blessed Virgin Mary is often depicted with her heart pierced by seven swords. This powerful imagery, known as Our Lady of Sorrows (Mater Dolorosa), symbolizes the seven profound sorrows she endured throughout her life in perfect union with her Son.

This venerable tradition invites the faithful to reflect upon the immense suffering Mary experienced for the redemption of the world. By meditating on these seven pivotal moments, we can grow in compassion, understanding of sacrifice, and love for both Jesus and His mother. The Church celebrates the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows on September 15th, reminding us of Mary's perfect example of faith and fortitude in the midst of profound grief.

Meditations on the Seven Sorrows

The First Sorrow: The Prophecy of Simeon

"And 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 contradicted (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed.”"
— Luke 2:34-35

Mary, in a moment of joy presenting her Son in the Temple, receives a prophecy of immense suffering. This sorrow is the piercing realization that her Son is destined for contradiction and that her own heart will be united with His suffering. It teaches us to remain faithful even when future crosses are foretold.

What does "a sign that is contradicted" mean? This prophecy foretells that Jesus would become a figure of profound division. His teachings of humility and a "kingdom not of this world" would directly contradict worldly values and the expectation of a political Messiah. He would be a sign from God that people would be forced to either accept in faith or reject with hostility, thereby revealing the true state of their hearts.

The Second Sorrow: The Flight into Egypt

"And an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there till I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”"
— Matthew 2:13

Mary must abruptly flee her home to protect the life of her Son from a murderous king. This sorrow encompasses the anxiety of exile, the uncertainty of the future, and the hardship of a long journey to a foreign land. It is the sorrow of a refugee, trusting completely in God’s providence to protect her family.

The Third Sorrow: The Loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple

"And when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers... And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously.”"
— Luke 2:45-48

For three days, Mary experiences the agonizing anguish of a mother who has lost her child. This sorrow is filled with frantic searching and a profound sense of loss, a foreshadowing of the three days He would later lie in the tomb. It reflects the pain we feel when we lose sight of Jesus in our own lives through sin or distraction.

The Fourth Sorrow: Mary Meets Jesus on the Way to Calvary

This encounter is a powerful tradition, formalized as the Fourth Station of the Cross. While not explicit in Scripture, the Church holds it as a certainty born of Mary's perfect maternal love, compelling her to be near her Son in His agony.

Mary pushes through the hostile crowd to see her Son, beaten, bloodied, and carrying the Cross. Their eyes meet in a moment of shared, unspeakable agony. She cannot alleviate His physical pain, but her loving presence offers Him strength. This sorrow is the pain of seeing a loved one suffer unjustly and being helpless to stop it.

The Fifth Sorrow: The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus

"But standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother... When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!”"
— John 19:25-27

Mary stands faithfully at the foot of the Cross, watching her Son die in the most cruel way imaginable. She endures every moment of His agony, her heart crucified with His. In this ultimate sorrow, she becomes the Mother of all humanity, a gift from her dying Son. Her strength here teaches us to stand by our crosses with faith.

The Sixth Sorrow: Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross and Placed in Mary’s Arms

This moment, known as the Pietà, is a profound tradition. Though the Gospels detail Joseph of Arimathea taking charge of the body, it is a certainty of faith that Christ's mother first received Him into her arms in a final, heartbreaking act of love.

Mary receives the lifeless, broken body of her Son into her arms. The same hands that held Him as an infant now hold His body, torn and pierced. This is the sorrow of finality, of cradling the physical reality of death. It is a moment of profound grief and tenderness, as she prepares His body for burial.

The Seventh Sorrow: The Burial of Jesus

"Joseph of Arimathea...took the body of Jesus...and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock; and he rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb and departed."
— Matthew 27:59-60

Mary accompanies her Son to His final resting place on earth and watches as a stone is sealed over the tomb, separating her from Him completely. This is the sorrow of final separation and the emptiness of loss. Yet, even in this darkness, her heart holds onto the seed of hope for the Resurrection.

She Understands Your Heart

In moments of grief, loss, and suffering, the human heart can feel isolated and broken. The Catholic faith encourages us to turn to Our Lady of Sorrows in these times, for she understands a broken heart more intimately than any other human. Her entire life was a journey of perfect faith intertwined with profound sorrow. She didn't just witness suffering; she lived it in union with her divine Son. Her heart was pierced by a sword of grief, as Simeon prophesied, allowing her to embody a unique and perfect empathy for all who suffer.

When we offer our grieving hearts to Mary, we are not just asking for intercession; we are seeking the comfort of a mother who has walked the ultimate path of sorrow. She meets us in our pain, not with simple pity, but with a deep, shared understanding. She shows us that it is possible to endure unimaginable pain with unwavering faith and hope in God's plan. By uniting our sorrows with hers, our suffering is given a redemptive meaning, and we find solace in her maternal embrace.

"Turn your eyes incessantly to the Blessed Virgin; she, who is the Mother of Sorrows and also the Mother of Consolation, can understand you completely and help you. Looking to her, praying to her, you will obtain that your tedium will become serenity, your anguish change into hope, and your grief into love." — Pope St. John Paul II

How to Pray the Chaplet

The Chaplet (or Rosary) of the Seven Sorrows is a way to meditate on these events. It consists of seven decades, each dedicated to one sorrow.

1. Opening Prayer: Begin with the Sign of the Cross and an Act of Contrition, asking for the grace to make a good prayer.
2. Announce the Sorrow: Announce the First Sorrow (e.g., "The First Sorrow: The Prophecy of Simeon").
3. Pray the Decade: Pray one Our Father, followed by seven Hail Marys while meditating on the sorrow.
4. Repeat for All Sorrows: Repeat steps 2 and 3 for the remaining six sorrows.
5. Concluding Prayers: Conclude with three Hail Marys in honor of the tears of Our Sorrowful Mother, and a concluding prayer such as: "O Mary, who were conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee."

The Promises of Devotion

Our Lady revealed to St. Bridget of Sweden seven promises for souls who honor her daily by saying seven Hail Marys while meditating on her tears and sorrows:

◆I will grant peace to their families.
◆They will be enlightened about the divine mysteries.
◆I will console them in their pains and I will accompany them in their work.
◆I will give them as much as they ask for as long as it does not oppose the adorable will of my divine Son or the sanctification of their souls.
◆I will defend them in their spiritual battles with the infernal enemy and I will protect them at every instant of their lives.
◆I will visibly help them at the moment of their death, they will see the face of their Mother.
◆I have obtained from my divine Son, that those who propagate this devotion to my tears and sorrows, will be taken directly from this earthly life to eternal happiness since all their sins will be forgiven and my Son and I will be their eternal consolation and joy.