Our Lady of Sorrows

Statue of Our Lady of Sorrows in the hermitage church of Warfhuizen.

Our Lady of Sorrows (Latin: Beata Maria Virgo Perdolens), the Sorrowful Mother or Mother of Sorrows (Latin: Mater Dolorosa), Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows or Our Lady of the Seven Dolours are names by which the Blessed Virgin Mary is referred to in relations to sorrows in her life.

Under this title, she is the patron saint of Slovakia, the state of Mississippi, the Congregation of Holy Cross, Mola di Bari, Apulia, Italy and in Barangay Paloway, San Andres, Catanduanes, Philippines.^[1]

The Seven Sorrows of Mary are a popular devotion in the Roman Catholic Church. There is a devotional prayer which consists of meditation on her Seven Sorrows. Also, there is a corresponding devotion to the Seven Joys of Mary.

[edit] The Seven Sorrows

A series of articles on Roman Catholic Mariology
General articles Overview of Mariology • Veneration of the Blessed Virgin • History of Mariology • Mariology of the saints • Mariology of the popes • Encyclicals & Apostolic Letters • Marian Movements & Societies
Devotions Rosary • Immaculate Heart • 7 Sorrows • Acts of Reparation
Dogmas and Doctrines Doctrines • Mother of God • Perpetual virginity • Immaculate Conception • Assumption • Mother of the Church • Mediatrix • Co-Redemptrix
Expressions of devotion Art • Music • Architecture
Key Marian apparitions (approved or worthy of belief) Guadalupe • Miraculous Medal • La Salette • Lourdes • Pontmain • Laus • Banneux • Beauraing • Fátima • Akita

The Seven Sorrows (or Dolors) are events in the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary which are a popular devotion and are frequently depicted in art.^[2]

1. The Prophecy of Simeon over the Infant Jesus.(Luke 2:34)
2. The Flight into Egypt of the Holy Family. (Matthew 2:13)
3. The Loss of the Child Jesus for Three Days. (Luke 2:43)
4. The Meeting of Jesus and Mary along the Way of the Cross. (Luke 23:26)
5. The Crucifixion where Mary stands at the foot of the cross. (John 19:25)
6. The Descent from the Cross where Mary receives the dead body of Jesus in her arms. (Matthew 27:57)
7. The Burial of Jesus. (John 19:40)

[edit] Servite Chaplet

The Servite Chaplet is form of the rosary dedicated to the Seven Sorrows of Mary. It is also known as the Seven Dolors Rosary or the Seven Swords Rosary referring to the prophesy of Simeon, "Behold this child is set for the fall, and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be contradicted; and thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that, out of many hearts, thoughts may be revealed." - (Lk.2:34-35)

It is much like a regular rosary but has seven sets of seven beads (weeks) Hail Marys instead of five sets of ten beads (decades). In praying the Dolours Rosary or Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows, one meditates on the seven sorrows in place of the Rosary meditations.

It is also common to pray seven Hail Mary's for each. The prayer "Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary pray for us" is used as well. Pope Benedict XIII, September 26th, 1724, and Pope Clement XII, December 12th, 1734, granted indulgences to those Christians who would be truly repentant, seek reconciliation within the Church, and pray this Chaplet on certain days. Devotion to Mary's Sorrows, was once said in an apparition of Christ, can be used as a last resort for salvation.

Each of the Seven Sorrows is announced followed by the Our Father and seven Hail Mary's. Three Hail Marys are added in remembrance of the tears Mary shed because of the suffering of her Divine Son.

V. Pray for us, O most sorrowful Virgin. R. The we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Concluding Prayer
Lord Jesus, we now implore, both for the present and for the hour of our death, the intercession of the most Blessed Virgin Mary, Thy Mother, whose holy soul was pierced at the time of Thy passion by a sword of grief. Grant us this favor, O Saviour of the world, Who liveth and reigneth with the Father and the Holy Ghost, forever and ever. Amen.

[edit] Liturgical feast

"Mother of Sorrows" stained glass window in St. Aloysius Church, Bowling Green, Ohio.

The first altar to the Mater Dolorosa was set up in 1221 at the monastery of Schönau. Especially in Mediterranean countries, statues of Our Lady of Sorrows are traditionally carried in processions on the days leading to Good Friday.

No feast in her honor was included in St Pius V's 1570 Tridentine Calendar. Approval for the celebration of a feast in honor of Our Lady of Sorrows was first granted to the Servite order in 1667. By inserting the feast into the Roman Catholic calendar of saints, Pope Pius VII extended the celebration to the whole of the Latin Church in 1814. It was assigned to the third Sunday in September. In 1913, Pope Pius X moved it to September 15, the day after the Feast of the Cross.^[3] It is still observed on that date.

In connection with this feast, two processions are held in Malta, one in Zebbug on September 15, and another in St Paul's Bay on the following Sunday.

Another feast, originating in the seventeenth century, was extended to the whole of the Latin Church in 1727. It was originally celebrated on Friday in Passion Week, just a week before Good Friday. It still held the rank of Major Double (slightly lower than the rank of the September 15 feast) in the General Roman Calendar as in 1954, but was reduced to a Commemoration in the General Roman Calendar of 1962. Seen as a duplication of the September 15 feast, it was omitted in the 1969 revision of the Roman Catholic calendar of saints.

Each celebration was called a feast of "The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary." The September 15th feast that now combines and continues both of them is known as the Feast of "Our Lady of Sorrows" (Beatae Mariae Virginis Perdolentis).

[edit] Iconography

In iconography, Our Lady of Sorrows is represented as the Virgin Mary wounded by seven swords in her heart, a reference to the prophecy of Simeon at the Presentation. The expression of the Virgin is that of crying and sadness.

[edit] See also

• Seven Joys of Mary
• Roman Catholic Marian art

[edit] References

[edit] Books

• The Seven Sorrows of Mary, by Joel Giallanza, C.S.C.2008, published by Ave Maria Press