Our Lady of Sorrows

Devotion to the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady has its roots in Sacred Scripture and in Christian piety, which always associates the Blessed Mother with her suffering Son. During the 12th century, a celebration in honor of Our Lady of Sorrows was introduced by the Friar Servants of Mary (Servites). This feast honors the spiritual martyrdom of Mary, the Mother of God, and her compassion with the sufferings of her Divine Son, Jesus. Meditating on her seven sorrows, Mary encourages us on our pilgrim way through life, a vale of tears. The prophecy of Simeon, which foretold that a sword would pierce Mary's heart, led to the symbol of Our Lady of Sorrows—a heart pierced by seven swords. Although the date of the feast changed several times, in 1913, Pope Pius X fixed the celebration on September 15.

Within the shrine alcove in Our Lady of Sorrows Church, we have retained the simple statue of Mary at prayer that has been in the church many years. It is not the image of Our Lady of Sorrows but we find her seven sorrows in the oil paintings that form the backdrop to the shrine. These are:

 

The First Sorrow—The Prophecy of Simeon
The Second Sorrow—The Flight into Egypt
The Third Sorrow—The Loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple
The Fourth Sorrow—Mary Meets Jesus on the Way to Calvary
The Fifth Sorrow—Jesus Dies on the Cross
The Sixth Sorrow—Mary Receives Jesus
The Seventh Sorrow—Jesus Is Placed in the Tomb

Seven prayers in honor of the seven sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary can be found at https://www.ourcatholicprayers.com/seven-sorrows-prayers.html.