Our Lady of Sorrows: Walking With Mary Through Her Seven Sorrows
Discover the Seven Sorrows of Mary and learn how the Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows can help us draw closer to Our Blessed Mother and her Son, Jesus, especially during difficult seasons of life.
Memorial: September 15
There are moments in life when we experience suffering that we simply cannot understand.
A difficult season. A loss. A broken relationship. A fear for someone we love. A cross that seems too heavy to carry.
During these moments, it can be comforting to remember that we have a Mother who understands suffering intimately.
Our Lady of Sorrows invites us to draw closer to Mary and to walk with her through the deepest sorrows of her life—and, in doing so, to draw closer to her Son, Jesus.
The Catholic Church celebrates the Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows on September 15, the day after the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The devotion to Mary under this title has deep roots in Catholic tradition, with particular devotion to her sorrows developing through the Servite Order and other religious communities. The Church continues to honor Mary on this day as the Mother who faithfully shared in the suffering of her Son.
Who Is Our Lady of Sorrows?
Our Lady of Sorrows is Mary, the Mother of Jesus, contemplated in the midst of the suffering she endured throughout her life as the Mother of our Savior.
Mary's suffering was not separate from Jesus' suffering. She loved Him perfectly, and therefore she experienced His Passion with a mother's heart.
At the foot of the Cross, Mary remained.
She did not run away.
She stood beside her Son as He suffered and died.
The Gospel of John tells us:
“Near the cross of Jesus there stood his mother.”
— John 19:25
Mary's sorrow had been foretold long before Calvary. When Mary and Joseph presented the infant Jesus in the Temple, Simeon told Mary, “And you yourself a sword will pierce.” (Luke 2:35)
That image of the sword piercing Mary's heart became a powerful symbol of Our Lady of Sorrows.
The Seven Sorrows of Mary
The devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows invites us to meditate on seven particular sorrows that Mary experienced in connection with the life, Passion, and death of her Son.
1. The Prophecy of Simeon
When Mary and Joseph presented Jesus in the Temple, Simeon prophesied that a sword would pierce Mary's soul.
Mary was being told that her beloved Son was destined for suffering.
Even as she held the infant Jesus in her arms, Mary was given a glimpse of the sorrow that would come.
2. The Flight into Egypt
King Herod sought to kill the infant Jesus, and Joseph was instructed by an angel to take Mary and Jesus and flee to Egypt.
Mary experienced the fear and uncertainty of leaving her home and fleeing to a foreign land to protect her Son.
Yet she trusted God.
3. The Loss of the Child Jesus in Jerusalem
When Jesus was twelve years old, Mary and Joseph discovered that He was not with them on their journey home from Jerusalem.
After searching for three days, they found Him in the Temple.
Mary's words reveal the anguish of those days: “Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” (Luke 2:48)
For any parent, the thought of losing a child is unimaginable.
Mary knew this pain.
4. Mary Meets Jesus on the Way to Calvary
Mary encountered her Son as He carried His Cross toward Calvary.
Jesus was suffering, and there was nothing Mary could do to take the Cross from Him.
She could only accompany Him.
And sometimes, that is what love looks like—simply remaining beside someone who is suffering.
5. Mary Stands at the Foot of the Cross
This is perhaps the most recognizable image of Our Lady of Sorrows.
Mary stood beneath the Cross and watched her Son suffer and die.
She could not stop His Passion.
She could not take His place.
But she remained faithful.
Mary stood at the Cross, trusting God even when she could not understand.
6. Jesus Is Taken Down From the Cross
After Jesus died, His body was taken down from the Cross.
Mary received the lifeless body of her beloved Son.
The Mother who once held Jesus as an infant now held Him after His death.
This sorrow reminds us of the depth of Mary's love and the terrible reality of Christ's Passion.
7. Jesus Is Laid in the Tomb
Finally, Mary experienced the burial of Jesus.
The tomb was closed, and Mary was left to wait in sorrow.
Yet even in this moment of darkness, God was still at work.
The Resurrection was coming.
Mary's story reminds us that suffering is not the end of the story.
Why Pray the Chaplet of Our Lady of Sorrows?
The Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows—or Rosary of the Seven Sorrows—is a beautiful way to enter more deeply into these moments of Mary's life.
As you pray, you don't simply learn about Mary's sorrows.
You meditate on them.
You slow down.
You contemplate what Mary experienced.
You place yourself beside her.
And something beautiful happens: as you come to know Mary's heart more deeply, you come to know Jesus more deeply, too.
Mary's entire life points us toward her Son.
Every sorrow is connected to Jesus.
Every suffering she endured was connected to her love for Him.
A beautiful reflection from the Diocese of Pittsburgh explains that the Seven Sorrows devotion continually reveals the relationship between Jesus and His Mother: where one is found, there is the other.
That is what makes this devotion so powerful.
It is not simply about Mary's suffering.
It is about Mary's love for Jesus, her faithfulness to God, and her trust in the midst of suffering.
A Prayer for Difficult Seasons
The Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows takes time.
It is not a prayer to rush through.
Unlike the traditional Rosary, the Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows is not prayed on a regular five-decade rosary. This devotion is prayed using a specific Our Lady of Sorrows Chaplet, which has seven decades, with seven beads in each decade, representing the Seven Sorrows of Mary.
How the Chaplet Is Prayed
The Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows follows a beautiful and intentional structure:
- Opening prayers begin the devotion.
- Three Hail Marys are prayed in honor of Our Lady's tears.
- Seven groups, or decades, follow, each dedicated to one of Mary's Seven Sorrows.
- Each decade consists of one Our Father and seven Hail Marys, giving you time to reflect and meditate on each sorrow.
As you move through each of Mary's sorrows, you are invited to pause, reflect, and meditate on what Our Blessed Mother experienced as she faithfully accompanied Jesus throughout His life, Passion, and death.
For many people, praying the complete Chaplet can take around 30-35 minutes.
And that time can become a beautiful opportunity to step away from the noise of everyday life and simply sit with Our Blessed Mother.
If you are going through a difficult season right now, I especially encourage you to try this devotion.
Maybe you are carrying a cross that feels too heavy.
Maybe you are praying for a child, a spouse, a parent, or a friend.
Maybe you are grieving.
Maybe you are waiting for an answer from God.
Or maybe you simply feel lost and don't know what to pray.
Take your sorrow to Mary.
She understands what it means to suffer while continuing to trust God.
She understands what it means to stand at the foot of the Cross.
And she will always lead you to Jesus.
Our Lady of Sorrows at Marie Madeleine
Because this devotion is so beautiful, we wanted to make sure you could find Our Lady of Sorrows at Marie Madeleine.
We offer the Our Lady of Sorrows Chaplet and the Our Lady of Sorrows Rosary Prayer Booklet, which includes instructions for praying the devotion, as separate items. We also offer our new Our Lady of Sorrows Rosary Pouch, a beautiful way to keep your chaplet protected and close at hand. Each item is sold separately, but they pair beautifully together as a meaningful gift or personal devotional collection.
Whether you are already devoted to Our Lady of Sorrows or are discovering this devotion for the first time, we hope these pieces will encourage you to make time for prayer and meditation.
Explore Our Lady of Sorrows at Marie Madeleine
Perhaps this September, on the Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows, take 30 minutes.
Put down your phone.
Find a quiet place.
Hold your chaplet.
And walk with Mary through her Seven Sorrows.
As you pray, remember that you are not walking through your own suffering alone.
Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us.
Holy Mary, Mother of Sorrows, pray for us.
Jesus, Son of Mary, have mercy on us.