Devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows

The Seven Dolors of Mary

Seven Graces

Here are the 7 graces the Blessed Virgin Mary grants to the souls who honor her daily by saying
7 Hail Mary’s and meditating on her tears and dolors.   The devotion was passed to us by Saint Bridget.

1. I will grant peace to their families.
2. They will be enlightened about the divine mysteries.
3. I will console them in their pains and I will accompany them in their work.
4. 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.
5. I will defend them in their spiritual battles with the infernal enemy and I will protect them at every instant of their lives.
6. I will visibly help them at the moment of their death; they will see the face of their mother.
7. I have obtained (this Grace) 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 will be their eternal consolation and joy.

The Seven Sorrows

1. The Prophecy of Simeon.
2. The flight into Egypt.
3. The loss of the child Jesus in the temple.
4. The meeting of Jesus and Mary on the Way of the Cross.
5. The Crucifixion.
6. The taking down of the Body of Jesus from the Cross.
7. The burial of Jesus.

Daily Prayers

1. The Prophecy of Simeon.
   
   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. 
   
   Hail Mary…
   
   
2. The flight into Egypt.
   
   I grieve for thee, O Mary most sorrowful, in the anguish of thy most affectionate Heart during the flight into Egypt and thy sojourn there.  Dear Mother, by thy Heart so distressed, obtain for me the virtue of generosity, especially towards the poor, and the Gift of Piety.   
   
   Hail Mary…
   
   
3. The loss of the child Jesus in the temple.
   
   I grieve for thee, O Mary most sorrowful, in those concerns which tried thy grieving Heart at the loss of thy dear Jesus.  Dear Mother, by thy Heart so full of anguish, obtain for me the virtue of chastity and the Gift of Knowledge.
   
   Hail Mary…
   
   
   
4. The meeting of Jesus and Mary on the Way to Calvary.
   
   I grieve for thee, O Mary most sorrowful in the consternation of thy Heart at meeting Jesus as He carried His Cross.  Dear Mother, by thy Heart so wounded, obtain for me the virtue of patience and the Gift of Fortitude.  
   
   Hail Mary…
   
   
   
5. Jesus Dies on the Cross.
   
   I grieve for thee, O Mary most sorrowful, in the martyrdom which thy generous Heart endured in standing near Jesus in His Agony.  Dear Mother, by thy stricken Heart, obtain for me the virtue of temperance and the Gift of Counsel. 
   
   Hail Mary…
   
   
6. The taking down of the Body of Jesus from the Cross.
   
   I grieve for thee, O Mary most sorrowful, in the crushing of thy compassionate Heart, when the side of Jesus was struck by the lance and His Heart was pierced before His Body was removed from the Cross.  Dear Mother, by thy Heart thus transfixed, obtain for me the virtue of fraternal charity and the Gift of Understanding.
   
   Hail Mary …
   
   
7. Jesus is placed in the Tomb.
   
   I grieve for thee, O Mary most sorrowful, for the pangs that wrenched thy most loving Heart at the burial of Jesus.  Dear Mother, by thy Heart sunk in the bitterness of desolation, obtain for me the virtue of diligence and the Gift of Wisdom.
   
   Hail Mary…
   

Let us pray

V. Pray for us, O Virgin Most Sorrowful.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let intercession be made for us, we beseech Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, now and at the hour of our death, before the throne of Thy Mercy, by the Blessed Virgin Mary, Thy Mother, whose most holy Soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow in the hour of Thy bitter Passion.  Through Thee, Jesus Christ, Savior of the world, Who with the Father and the Holy Ghost livest and reignest, world without end.  Amen.

O Mary, most sorrowful, Mother of the faithful, pray for us!

Act of Sorrow

O most loving Jesus, I am heartily sorry for every sin of my whole life.  I hate my sins because they have offended Thy Infinite Goodness and wounded Thy Sacred Heart.  Wash them all away in Thy Precious Blood.

O Heart of Mary, full of the love of God, communicate to my cold heart at least a few sparks of the fire of thy love in order that like thee, I may henceforth seek nothing else than the exact fulfilment of the holy Will of God and, out of love of Him Who is alone worthy of all love, make every sacrifice so as to avoid sin!  After thy example, I will not only pray for an increase of love, but will endeavor to acquire it.

Most holy Virgin and Mother, whose Soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow in the Passion of thy Divine Sone, and who in His glorious Resurrection was filled with never-ending joy at His Triumph, obtain for us who call upon thee, so to be partakers in the adversities of Holy Church and the sorrows of the Sovereign Pontiff, as to be found worthy to rejoice with them in the consolations for which we pray, in the Charity and Peace of the same Christ Our Lord.  Amen.

Five years indulgence each time.  Plenary indulgence monthly.

The Devotion of the Seven Sorrows promotes union with Christ through union with the suffering that Our Blessed Mother endured.  By uniting ourselves with both the Passion of Christ and His holy Mother, we honor Jesus by honoring both Him and His Mother. The 7 sufferings, also sometimes referred to as the 7 dolors (sorrows) come from Scripture.

Through the visions of St. Bridget, the Blessed Virgin Mary revealed that she grants seven graces to the souls who honor her daily by saying seven Hail Mary's and meditating on her tears and dolors. The feast of Our Lady of Sorrows falls on September 15.  However, the prayers honoring the seven sorrow of Our Lady can be said anytime throughout the year. We should be inspired to imitate the virtues of Our Blessed Mother, especially during her moments of greatest suffering. We can also ask her to help us to lift our burdens as she carries them with us to her divine son, Jesus Christ.

1. Simeon’s prophecy during the presentation of Jesus (Lk 2:35). Like all firstborn Jewish males, the baby Jesus was taken to the Temple in Jerusalem to be presented to God. According to Luke’s Gospel, there was, in the Temple, a devout old man named Simeon who joyfully recognized Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah.
   
   The happiness of this moment turned somber, however, when Simeon prophesied that the Child’s life would be one of “contradiction.” This prophetic announcement would indeed be fulfilled as the very people Jesus came to save from sin would reject, insult and eventually murder Him.
   
   Simeon further indicated that Mary, too, would suffer, that sharing in His life of rejection would be like a sword piercing her soul. Certainly, such foreboding prophecies must have troubled the young mother.
   
   
2. The flight of the Holy Family into Egypt (Mt 2:13). Simeon’s prophecy was soon realized. The Gospel of Matthew tells us that when alerted by the Magi to the birth of Jesus, King Herod of Judea worried that this Child, proclaimed as the King of the Jews, would become a threat to his throne. So, Herod ordered the killing of all boys 2 years old or younger, in and around Bethlehem.
   
   During a dream, an angel warned Joseph to take Mary and Jesus into Egypt. Despite the prospect of such a long journey, Joseph left without hesitation, and the Holy Family remained in Egypt until Herod died. That the Son of God would begin life fleeing from His homeland was yet another indication to Mary of the difficult road Jesus was destined to walk.
   
   
3. The loss of the Child Jesus for three days (Lk 2:41-46). When Jesus was 12 years old, St. Luke reports, He went with His parents from Nazareth to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. The men traveled together in one group, the women in another; the children could travel with either group.
   
   On the way home, Mary and Joseph discovered that Jesus was not with the men or the women. Greatly distressed, they rushed back to Jerusalem and, after three days of desperate searching, found Him unharmed in the Temple conversing with teachers of Jewish law. He was not lost and wondered aloud to a relieved but confused Mary and Joseph, “How is it that you sought me?”
   
   In this event, Our Lady was painfully reminded that Jesus belonged first and foremost to God.
   
   
4. Meeting Jesus on His way to Calvary (Lk 23:27-31). Tradition holds that Mary was among the women that Scripture tells us lamented Christ’s painful walk with the cross along the way to Calvary. Mary’s grief must have been extreme as she witnessed Jesus, unjustly accused, stumbling, falling with the cross on the road to the place He would die.
   
   She had also likely been part of the crowd that was present when Pilate handed Him over to be crucified, but she could only watch in agonizing sorrow. Now, coming face to face with Him, Mary saw the bleeding, swollen, pitiable state of her Son. His helplessness, desolation and abandonment penetrated her heart.
   
   
5. The Crucifixion (Lk 23; Jn 19). The Romans used public crucifixion as the form of execution for non-Roman criminals. The Gospels tell us that Mary stood with a few followers of Jesus watching His crucifixion. She no doubt wept to see Him cruelly nailed to a cross, to see the soldiers gamble for His clothes, and to watch His slow, torturous death.
   
   How awful it is for any parent to watch a child die — and no one ever endured more agony than Mary. She was the only person who truly understood who He was and, in her heart, she died with Him.
   
   
6. Jesus is taken down from the cross (Lk 23; Jn 19). According to Scripture, Joseph of Arimathea took the body of Jesus down from the cross; according to popular tradition, Joseph laid Him in the lap of His grieving mother.
   
   Mary saw the bruises and wounds from all the physical torture Jesus had experienced, including the great open wound caused by the Roman soldier’s lance. She who had given Him His Body and Blood cradled her lifeless Son, the Son of God, in her arms.
   
   
7. Jesus is placed in the tomb (Mk 15; Lk 23; Jn 19). Mary, broken and grief-filled, no doubt watched as Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus prepared the body of Jesus for burial. They acted without delay, since the Mosaic Law required burial before nightfall.
   
   We can only try to comprehend the immensity of Our Lady’s suffering when the tomb was sealed, as she thought about all the anguish and pain He had endured.

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