Devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows

The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is a popular Marian devotion which focuses on seven sorrowful events in the life of the Blessed Virgin.

The Divine Mother revealed to St. Bridget, that there are only few who console her in her sorrows:

_{And now I look around at everyone who is in the world to see if there happens to be some who might have compassion on me and be mindful of my sorrow, but I find very few who think about my sorrow and tribulation. This is why, my daughter, although I am forgotten and neglected by many people, you must not forget me! Look at my struggles and imitate them as far as you can!¹}

Devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows is also most pleasing to Our Blessed Lord Who also wants us to console His Beloved Mother in her Sorrows. This Our Lord revealed to Blessed Veronica da Binasco: “My daughter, tears shed for my Passion are dear to me; but as I love my Mother Mary with an immense love, the meditation of the torments which she endured at My death is even more agreeable to me.”

Certain scriptural texts are being applied to the Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The words of the Prophet Jeremiah, in Lamentations 1:12 which says, “Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow which was brought upon me” (RSV-2CE).² And also in chapter 2:13, which says, “What can I say for you, to what compare you, O daughter of Jerusalem? What can I liken to you, that I may comfort you, O virgin daughter of Zion? For vast as the sea is your ruin; Who can restore you?” are being applied to the Blessed Virgin.

Also, the words of the Prophet Isaiah, which says, “He will crown thee with a crown of tribulation,” (Isa 22:18 DRB),³ is applied to the Blessed Virgin, and her love, is indeed a burning love which many waters cannot quench” (Son 8:7).

The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary

1. The Prophecy of Simeon (Luke 2:34-35)

2. The Flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13-15)

3. The Loss of Jesus for Three Days (Luke 2:41-50)

4. The Meeting of Jesus and Mary on the Way to Calvary (Luke 23:27-31; John 19:17)

5. The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus (John 19:18-30)

6. Jesus is Taken Down From the Cross (Luke 23:50-53; John 19:31-40)

7. The Burial of Jesus (Mark 15:42-47; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-42)

The Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary truly surpassed that of all others. According to St. Basil, “As the sun surpasses all the stars in lustre, so the sorrows of Mary surpass all the tortures of the martyrs.” Hence, according to St. Anselm, “the most cruel tortures inflicted on the holy martyrs were trifling, or as nothing in comparison with the martyrdom of Mary.’’ On this same point, St. Bernardine of Siena says, “that the grief of Mary was so great, that were it divided amongst all men, it would suffice to cause their immediate death.”

The Sorrows of Our Blessed Mother at the passion of Our Lord which as St. Bernard says, “commenced at His birth,” was so great to have caused her death. “Not once,” as St. Alphonsus says, “but a thousand times.” This is indeed true, for it was revealed by an Angel to St. Bridget that “if Our Lord had not miraculously sustained His Mother, she could not possibly have survived her martyrdom.” Saint Anselm also says that “had not God, by a special miracle preserved the life of Mary, in each moment of her life, her grief was such that it would have caused her death.” On this point, St. Bernardine says, “that if all the sorrows of the world were united, they would not equal that of the glorious Virgin Mary.”

The Blessed Virgin Mary is called the Queen of martyrs, for her martyrdom according to St. Alphonsus Liguori, was greater than that of all other martyrs put together, first, in the point of its duration in which it was the longest, for the whole life of the Blessed Virgin Mary according to this same saint, “may be said to have been a prolonged death.” And second, in the point of its intensity in which it was the greatest of all martyrdoms after that of her Son. For just as Jesus Christ Our Lord is the King of martyrs, so is the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Queen of martyrs.

The greatness of the martyrdom of the Blessed Virgin Mary cannot be doubted for she loved her Son an infinite number of times and definitely even more than her own life, as St. Alphonsus, says, “she loved her Son, and His life, beyond all comparison, more than herself, or a thousand lives of her own.” St. Antoninus, also says that “moreover, while other martyrs suffered by sacrificing their own lives, the Blessed Virgin, suffered by sacrificing her Son’s life—a life that she loved far more than her own; so that she not only suffered in her soul all that her Son endured in His body; but, moreover, the sight of her Son’s torments brought more grief to her heart than if she had endured them all in her own person.”

The Blessed Virgin Mary loved her Son to the highest degree in which it is possible for any created person to love God. To the highest extent in which it is possible for a creature to love the Creator. Words indeed cannot express how deeply the Blessed Virgin Mary loved her Son and this love, was the sole cause of her sorrows. For she loved Him with a natural love and with a Divine love. A natural love as her Son and a Divine love as her God, and the greater her love, the greater her sorrows. Hence, Richard of St. Victor, says, “In martyrs, the intensity of their love mitigated their sufferings, but with Mary it was different; the more she loved, the more she suffered, and the greater was her martyrdom.” And according to St. Alphonsus, “the greater was her love for Him, the more bitter and inconsolable was her grief.”

Being full of grace, the Blessed Virgin Mary loved God more than any other created person and this love made it possible for her to suffer more and share in a special way, in the Passion of Our Lord for our redemption which she so much desired and cherished above every torment and suffering. This truth was revealed by St. Agnes to St. Bridget, as follows: Our compassionate and benign Mother was satisfied rather to endure any torment than that our souls should not be redeemed, and be left in their former state of perdition.” Thus, St. Alphonsus, remarks, “that Mary’s only relief in the midst of her great sorrow, in the Passion of her Son, was to see the lost world redeemed by His death and men who were His enemies reconciled with God.”

Let us then consider how great Our Blessed Mother suffered and in her great sorrows let us console her

History of this Devotion

The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary, as seen above has its basis in the New Testament. Devotion to the Sorrows of the Blessed Mother was practiced by Christians around the end of the eleventh century, especially among the Benedictines monks and the areas around the Mediterranean. This devotion grew in popularity in the twelfth, thirteen, fourteen and fifteenth centuries.

On the feast of the Assumption in the year 1233, seven holy men of noble birth from Florence, Italy, each had a vision of the Blessed Virgin, telling them to leave the world in order to entirely devote themselves to the service of God. These holy men, left all they had to retire to Monte Senario to live a life of prayer and penance.

In the year 1239, the Blessed Mother appeared again to these seven holy men accompanied by hosts of Angels, and as St. Alphonsus Liguori relates, the Blessed Virgin appeared “with a black garment in her hand, and desired them if they wished to please her often to meditate on her sorrows; for this purpose, and to remind them of her sorrows, she expressed her desire that in future they should wear that mourning dress.”4

Through the efforts of the Order of Servants of Mary (Servite order), as well as the Franciscans, Dominicans, and Cistercians, devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows has spread throughout the world.

 A Reflection on the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady

1. The Prophecy of Simeon (Luke 2:34-35)

This first sorrow of the Blessed Virgin Mary, calls to mind the indescribable grief our Blessed Mother felt at the prophecy of Simeon. What great sorrow must have welled in our Blessed Mother’s heart hearing that her only Son, the Savior and Redeemer of mankind would be spoken against. The Son of God is said to be “destined to be a sign that is opposed” and the soul of Our Blessed Mother would be pierced by a sword.

According to St. Alphonsus Liguori, “The Blessed Virgin herself told Saint Matilda, that, on this announcement of Saint Simeon, all her joy was changed into sorrow.” St. Alphonsus further relates that “the Blessed Virgin herself revealed to Saint Bridget, that while an earth there was not an hour in which this grief did not pierce her soul: ‘As often,’ she continued, ‘as I looked at my Son, as often as I wrapped Him in His swaddling clothes, as often as I saw His hands and feet, so often was my soul absorbed, so to say, in a fresh grief; for I thought how He would be crucified.’”

In this first Sorrow, Let us console the sorrowful heart of our Beloved Mother, which was always pierced with grief at the prophecy of Simeon. Let us meditate on the many times we have by our sins, also pierced the heart of Our Divine Mother who loves us so much beyond the expression of words. Let us ask pardon of her Divine Son for our many offenses against Him.

2. The Flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13-15)

In this second sword of Sorrow, let us meditate on the sorrows of the flight into Egypt. Let us think of the ordeals of this journey at night, the fear of Herod who was eager to kill the baby Jesus and the great sorrows the Holy Family suffered during this journey. With regard to its distance, St. Alphonsus says that “Most authors agree that it was three hundred miles; so that it was a journey of upwards of thirty days.”

In addition to the sorrows and hardship of this journey, let us also call to mind the sufferings the Holy Family experienced in the land of Egypt were they lived for seven years.5 And according to Landolph of Saxany, “Mary lived there, in the midst of such poverty, that a times she had not even a bit of bread to give to her Son, when, urged by hunger, He asked for it.”

Let us also meditate on the sorrows of the journey back to Israel and with all these in mind, let us then console Our Sorrowful Mother for all the sorrows she suffered during these difficult journeys.

3. The Loss of Jesus for Three Days (Luke 2:41-50)

After Mary and St. Joseph had returned from the Passover in Jerusalem, they did not know that Jesus had remained there. After a day’s journey, they could not find Jesus among their kinsfolk and acquaintances.

In this third sorrow, let us consider the indescribable anguish the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph felt when they did not find Jesus among others. The thought of losing Jesus caused them inexpressible pains and anguish of heart. St. Alphonsus Liguori says that this sorrow was one of the greatest that Mary had to endure in her life. And when they could not find Him, the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph had to go back to Jerusalem searching for Our Lord.

Let us then consider the great Sorrow the Blessed Mother suffered when for three days she searched for her beloved Son, as it is evident from Scripture itself “Behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously” (Luk 2:48). “By these words,” St. Alphonsus says, “She had no idea of reproving Jesus, as heretics blasphemously assert; but only meant to express to Him the grief proceeding; from the great love she bore Him, which she had experienced during His absence.”

Each time we lose Jesus through sin, let us find Him, let us be truly sorry for our sins and make use of the sacrament of penance which the Lord in His mercy instituted. Let us not be at rest until we have found Our God.

4. The Meeting of Jesus and Mary on the Way to Calvary (Luke 23:27-31; John 19:17)

In this fourth sorrow, let us consider the most sorrowful meeting of the Mother and Son. The heart of Our Beloved Mother was filled with indescribable pain and anguish seeing her only Son carrying His Cross to Calvary. Seeing how He was roughly pushed, flogged, and treated like a common criminal caused her sorrowful heart to be filled with inexpressible anguish.

Who then can describe the great Sorrows and pains the Blessed Virgin felt at this moment, at this most sorrowful meeting, the meeting of the two hearts of love which loved each other so tenderly. Let us then console the most sorrowful heart of Our Beloved Mother, let us carry our own cross everyday of our lives in total denial of self following Jesus and Mary.

5. The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus (John 19:25-30)

In this fifth sorrow, let us picture Calvary and our Blessed Mother standing at the foot of the cross overwhelmed with indescribable grief.

The sight of her dying Son, the crown of thorns on His Sacred Head, the numerous wounds on His Sacred Body, the nailed hands, feet, and the pierced Sacred Side of Our Lord and the indescribable anguish and pains Our Lord endured on the Cross for three hours caused Our Blessed Mother great sorrows beyond what any human mind can comprehend or any human bear.

At the foot of the cross, SS. Alphonsus, Jerome, John Chrysostom, Bonaventure, Augustine, Bernard, Bernardine and Lawrence Justinian are all in agreement that the Blessed Virgin suffered in her heart all the wounds, anguish, torture, and sufferings which her Son suffered on His body, on the Cross. This is indeed true for as Our Blessed Mother revealed to St. Bridget:

_{And when he endured suffering, it felt like my own heart was suffering. Just as when something is half inside and half outside – the half outside feels pain and suffering, but the inside also feels a similar pain – so it was for me when my Son was scourged and wounded; it was as if my own heart was scourged and wounded.6}

The sorrows of Our Blessed Mother at the foot of the Cross was so great that as St. Bernard says, “so much so, that Jesus on the cross suffered more from compassion for His Mother, than from His own torments.” This truth, the Blessed Virgin revealed to St. Bridget saying:

_{When he looked at me from the cross and I saw him, then tears flowed from my eyes like blood from veins. And when he saw me so stricken with pain and overwhelming sorrow, he felt such a sorrow over my pain that all the pain of his own wounds became as subsided and dead for the sake of the pain he saw in me. I can therefore boldly say that his pain was my pain since his heart was my heart.7}

Considering the pains, torture and sufferings Our Blessed Mother suffered, let us console Our Beloved Mother who suffered with her Son, and as St. Alphonsus says, “incessantly offered the life of her Son to the Divine justice for our salvation.”

6. Jesus is Taken Down From the Cross (Luke 23:50-54; John 19:31-37)

In this sixth sorrow, let us picture Our Blessed Mother holding in her arms the dead body of her Son. Oh, what great and indescribable sorrow filled the heart of Our Beloved Mother seeing the wounds inflicted on Our Savior’s Sacred Body from head to toe.

The Body of Our Lord was covered with wounds for there was no part of His Most Sacred Body which did not suffer from torture, and the Divine Mother held in her arms her Divine Son lacerated with wounds.

The sight of the crown of thorns which pierced his Sacred Head so deeply and the numerous wounds from the scourging, the carrying of the cross, the nails of the crucifixion, the wound from the piercing of the lance and all the indescribable sufferings, torments, anguish, and torture which Our loving Jesus endured for us throughout His Most Sacred Passion was before the eyes of Our Blessed Mother.

Let us then in this sixth sorrow, meditate on how great and indescribable the sorrows Our Beloved Mother had to endure when Our Lord was placed in her arms.

7. The Burial of Jesus (Mark 15:40-47; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-42)

Ah! What immense sorrow filled the heart of Our Blessed Mother seeing her only Son placed in the tomb. The body of Jesus is placed in the sepulcher and all must bid Him farewell. As St. Alphonsus says, “Indeed the thought that she is to see him no more, is a grief which exceeds all other griefs.”

The Sorrows of Our Blessed Mother was so great that according to St. Bernard “The holy disciples and women who accompanied her mourned even more for her than for their Lord.” Oh, Beloved Mother, going back home without your Son caused you great sorrow and anguish of heart.

Let us console Our Beloved Mother in her sorrows, let us console the most sorrowful heart which suffered together with her Son.

Promises to those Devoted to the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary

According to St. Alphonsus Liguori in his work, The Glories of Mary, Our Lord at the request of Our Blessed Mother, promised four principal graces to those devoted to her Sorrows.

1. That those who before death invoke the Divine Mother in the name of her sorrows should obtain true repentance of all their sins.

2. That He will protect all who have this devotion in their tribulations, and that He would protect them especially at the hour of death.

3. That He will impress upon their minds the remembrance of His Passion, and that they should have their reward for it in heaven.

4. That He would commit such devout clients to the hands of Mary, with the power to dispose of them in whatever manner she might please, and to obtain for them all the graces she might desire.

In addition to these promises, Our Lady also revealed to St. Bridget of Sweden that she would grant the following graces to those devoted to her sorrows

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 dolors 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.”

NOTES

1. The Revelations of St. Bridget of Sweden. Book 2 chapter 24.

2. Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations are taken from the Revised Standard Version, Second Catholic Edition (RSV-2CE).

3. Douay–Rheims Bible.

4. St. Alphonsus Liguori, The Glories of Mary (London), 390.

5. St. Alphonsus Liguori presents in his work, The Glories of Mary, that according to Saint Antoninus, Saint Thomas and others the Holy Family spent seven years in Egypt.

6. The Revelations of St. Bridget of Sweden. Book 1 chapter 35.

7. Ibid.