Stabat Mater Dolorósa

Stabat Mater Dolorósa

            When I had written my article about the Stations of the Cross, I had been entertaining the thought of writing about the Stabat Mater Dolorósa.

            As I had previously mentioned, I love the Latin language and am working on learning how to speak Latin. I have started teaching myself with reciting my prayers in Latin. So far, I can recite the Ave María by heart. I must admit, my favorite so far is a tie between the Ave María and the Stabat Mater Dolorósa. After doing some research, the following is what I found out.

            Usually sung in verse during the Stations of the Cross and during the memorial or Our Lady of Sorrows, the Stabat Mater Dolorósa means “At the Cross Her Station Keeping.” It was written sometime in the 13th century, by either Jacopone da Todi, a Franciscan friar, or by Pope Innocent III. There is mentioned that an even earlier version of the Stabat Mater Dolorósa was found in Bologna, belonging to a group of Dominican nuns. The songful prayer became more well known by the end of the 13th century, its use written about by Georgius Stella in the year 1388, while other historians note its use later; in Provence, 1399. It was used during the Nine Days' Processions.

As a liturgical sequence, the Stabat Mater Dolorósa was suppressed by the Council of Trent but was restored to the missal by Pope Benedict XIII in 1727 for the Feast of the Seven Dolours of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

From what I’ve seen, there are a few different versions, all saying the same thing, but the wording slightly different depending on prayer reference. The following is the version that is used at my parish, I have provided both the Latin and English version:

Stabat Mater Dolorósa (Latin)

 Stabat Mater dolorósa,

Juxta crucem lacrymosa,

Dum penedat Filius.

Cujus animam gementem,

Contristatam et dolentem,

Pertransivit gladius.

O quam tristis et afflicta

Fruit illa benedicta

Mater Unigentili!

Quae moerebat, et dolebat,

Pia Mater dum videbat

Nati poenas inclyti.

Quis est homo qui non fleret

Matrem Christi si videret

In tanto supplicio?

Quis non posset cobtristari,

Christi Matrem contemplari

Dolentem cum Filio?

Pro peccatis suae gentis,

Vidit Jesum in tormentis,

Et flagellis subditium,

Vidit suum dulcem natum

Moriendo, desolatum,

Dum emisit spiritum.

Eia Mater, fons amoris,

Me sentire vim doloris.

Fac, ut tecum lugeam.

Fac, ut ardeat cor meum

In amando Christum Deum,

Ut sibi complaceam.

Sancta Mater istud agas,

Crucifixi fige plagas

Cordi meo valiade.

Tui nati vulnerate,

Tam dignati pro me pati

Poenas mecum divide.

Fac me tecum pie flere,

Crucifixo condolere,

Donec ego vixero.

Juxta crucem tecum stare,

Et me tibi sociare,

In planctu desidero

Virgo virginum praeclara,

Mihi jam nos sis amara,

Fac me tecum plangere.

Fac, portem Christi mortem,

Passionis fac consortem,

Et plagas recolere.

Fac me plagis vulnerari,

Fac me cruce inebriari,

Et cruore Filii.

Flammis ne urar succensus                           

Pet te, Virgo, sim defensus

In die judicii.

Christe, cum sit hinc exire,

Da per Matrem me venire

Ad palmam victoriae.

Quando corpus morietur,

Fac ut animae donetur

Paradisi gloria. Amen.

Ora pro nobis, Virgo dolorossima,

Ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi.

At The Cross Her Station Keeping (English)

At the cross her station keeping

Stood the mournful Mother weeping

Close to Jesus to the last.

Through her heart, His sorrow sharing,

All his bitter anguish bearing,

Now at length the sword has passed.

O, how sad and sore distressed

Was that Mother highly blessed

Of the sole Begotten One!

Christ above in torment hangs,

She beneath beholds the pangs

Of her dying, glorious Son.

Is there one who would not weep,

‘whelmed in miseries so deep

Christ’s dear Mother to behold?

Can the human heart refrain

From partaking in her pain

In that Mother’s pain untold?

Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled

She beheld her tender Child

All with bloody scourges rent,

For the sins of His own nation

Saw Him hang in desolation

Till His spirit forth He sent.

O thou Mother! Fount of love,

Touch my spirit from above.

Make my heart with yours accord:

Make me feel as thou hast felt;

Make my soul glow and melt

With the love of Christ, my Lord.

Holy Mother, pierce me through!

In the heart each wound renew

Of my Savior crucified.

Let me share with thee His pain,

Who for all our sins was slain.

Who for me in torments died.

Let me mingle tears with thee,

Mourning Him who mourned for me,

All the days that I may live.

By the cross with you to stay,

There with you to weep and pray,

Is all I ask of you to give.

Virgin of all virgins blest!

Listen to my fond request:

Let me share your grief divine.

Let me, to my latest breath,

In my body bear the death

Of that dying Son of thine.

Wounded with His every wound,

Steep my soul till it hath swooned

In His very Blood away.

Be to me, O Virgin, nigh,

Lest in flames I burn and die,

In His awful Judgment Day.

Christ, when Thou shall call me hence,

Be Thy Mother my defense,

Be Thy cross my victory.

While my body her decays,

May my soul Thy goodness praise,

Safe in paradise with Thee. Amen.

Pray for us, Virgin most sorrowful,

That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

            Pretty intense, huh? I must give credit where it is due…this version used at my parish comes from a little booklet of instructions on praying the Stations of the Cross according to St. Alphonsus Liguori, provided from SaintAnnesHelper.com.

            I would like to retract my original statement of the Stabat Mater Dolorósa and the Ave María being tied as my favorite. After considering much more while writing this article, the Stabat Mater Dolorósa is now my top favorite.