The Seven Sorrows of Our Lady

I think I have mentioned that I have been practicing a devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows for some months now. My practice currently is to say an “Ave Maria” for several of the sorrows each time I enter the chapel to pray the Divine Office, briefly calling to mind each particular sorrow. At Laudes, I pray 3 Ave’s for the first 3 sorrows; at Prime, I pray an Ave for each of the next 4; at Terce, I pray 3 Ave’s in honor of Our Blessed Mother’s tears. At the other hours, I just pray one Ave before beginning.

The Seven Sorrows are:

1. St. Simeon’s Prophecy

2. The Flight into Egypt

3. The Loss of Jesus in the Temple

4. The Meeting of Mary and Jesus on the Way to Calvary

5. The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus

6. The Piercing of the Side of Jesus, and His Descent from the Cross

7. The Burial of Jesus.

Today, of course, is the feast of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It seems a fitting feast for the times…another innocent man has just been behead by ISIS, and the world still seems to be reluctant to take definitive action to mitigate the  persecution of Christians and the slaughter of innocent people of other religions as well. How sad Our Lady must be indeed, as she watches the continual disfigurement of the Body of Christ.

You can go online and find much more about the devotion of the Seven Sorrows, and I leave it to you to do so. But I thought I would also publish here the Litany of the Seven Sorrows; I found this online also, but I’m not sure where.

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.

Litany of Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows

While in captivity under Napoleon Bonaparte in 1809, Pope Pius VII wrote a litany to Our Lady of Sorrows. What follows is one translation of the original Latin.

Pray: Three Hail Mary’s in honor of the tears shed by Our Lady in Her Sorrows.

Hail, Holy Queen

 

Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, hear us.

Christ, graciously hear us.

God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.

God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.

God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, pray for us*

Holy Mother of God,*

Holy Virgin of virgins,*

Mother crucified,*

Sorrowful Mother,*

Tearful Mother,*

Afflicted Mother,*

Forsaken Mother,*

Desolate Mother,*

Mother bereft of Thy Child,*

Mother transfixed with the sword,*

Mother overwhelmed with grief,*

Mother filled with anguish,*

Mother crucified in heart,*

Mother most sad,*

Fountain of tears,*

Vial of suffering,*

Mirror of patience,*

Rock of constancy,*

Anchor of confidence,*

Refuge of the forsaken,*

Shield of the oppressed,*

Subduer of the unbelieving,*

Comfort of the afflicted,*

Medicine of the sick,*

Strength of the weak,*

Harbor of the wretched,*

Calmer of the tempests,*

Resource of mourners,*

Terror of the treacherous,*

Treasure of the faithful,*

Eye of the Prophets,*

Staff of Apostles,*

Crown of Martyrs,*

Light of Confessors,*

Pearl of Virgins,*

Consolation of Widows,*

Joy of all Saints,*

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Jesus!

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Jesus!

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us, O Jesus!

Look down upon us, deliver us, and save us from all trouble, in the power of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Imprint, O Lady! Thy wounds upon my heart, that I may read therein sorrow and love—sorrow to endure every sorrow for Thee; love to despise every love for Thine. Amen.