The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Septem Dolorum Beatae Mariae Virginis
This feast honours the sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who stood by the Cross of her Son and shared in His Passion, the Mother of Sorrows whose soul a sword had pierced.
On the fifteenth of September, the day after the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, the Church keeps the feast of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Having honoured the Cross of the Son, she turns to the Mother who stood beside it, and contemplates the share which our Lady had in the sufferings of her Son for the redemption of the world. This feast is fittingly joined to the Cross, for the sorrows of Mary are inseparable from the Passion of Christ.
The Mother of Sorrows
When the infant Jesus was presented in the Temple, the aged Simeon foretold to His Mother that a sword should pierce her own soul also; and this prophecy ran through her whole life like a thread of sorrow. Tradition has gathered her griefs into seven: the prophecy of Simeon; the flight into Egypt; the loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple; the meeting with her Son on the way to Calvary; the Crucifixion and death of Jesus; the taking down of His body from the Cross and its placing in her arms; and His burial in the tomb. In these the faithful behold the cost at which the Mother of God was associated with the work of her Son.
Above all, the Church contemplates Mary standing at the foot of the Cross. The Gospel records simply that there stood by the Cross of Jesus His Mother; in those few words is contained an ocean of sorrow and of love. She did not faint nor flee, but stood, offering with her Son the sacrifice that was being accomplished, and uniting her will to the will of God. There, in His dying hour, her Son gave her to the beloved disciple, and in him to all the faithful, that she might be the Mother of all who are redeemed by His Blood.
The feast
Devotion to the sorrows of our Lady is ancient in the Church and was fostered especially by the Servite Order, whose particular devotion is the Mother of Sorrows. The feast of the fifteenth of September was in time extended to the whole Western Church. It is kept with the white vestments of our Lady, and its observance draws the faithful to compassion with the Mother of God and to a deeper share in the mystery of the Cross.
In honouring the Seven Sorrows, the Church does not dwell on grief for its own sake, but learns from the Mother of Sorrows how to suffer with faith, to stand firm in trial, and to unite one’s own afflictions to the Passion of Christ. Mary, who shared so fully in the sufferings of her Son, is invoked as the consoler of the afflicted and the refuge of all who mourn.
The Collect
O God, at whose Passion, according to the prophecy of Simeon, a sword of sorrow pierced the most sweet soul of the glorious Virgin and Mother Mary: mercifully grant that we, who devoutly call to mind her sorrows, may obtain the blessed fruit of thy Passion.
Deus, in cuius passióne, secundúm Simeónis prophetíam, dulcíssimam ánimam gloriósæ Vírginis et Matris Maríæ dolóris gládius pertransívit: concéde propítius; ut, qui transfixiónem eius et passiónem venérando recólimus, gloriósis méritis et précibus ómnium Sanctórum Cruci fidéliter astantium intercedentibus, passiónis tuæ efféctum félicem consequamur.
Patronage
The feast honours the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Mother of Sorrows, who is invoked as the consoler of the afflicted and the refuge of all who mourn.
In the Modern Calendar
In the modern calendar this feast is observed on the same day, 15 September, under the title of Our Lady of Sorrows.
Common Questions
When is the feast of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary?
It is kept on 15 September in the calendar of the 1962 Roman Missal, as a Second Class feast, the day after the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. In the modern calendar it is observed on the same day, 15 September, as the memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows.
What are the Seven Sorrows of Mary?
Tradition gathers our Lady’s sorrows into seven: the prophecy of Simeon; the flight into Egypt; the loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple; the meeting with Jesus on the way to Calvary; the Crucifixion and death of Jesus; the taking down of His body from the Cross; and His burial. In these the faithful contemplate her share in the Passion of her Son.
Why is this feast kept the day after the Holy Cross?
Having honoured the Cross of the Son on 14 September, the Church turns the next day to the Mother who stood beside it. The sorrows of Mary are inseparable from the Passion of Christ, for she stood at the foot of the Cross, uniting her will to the will of God and sharing in the work of our redemption.
See where this feast falls in the Church’s year on the liturgical calendar, or find a Traditional Latin Mass near you.
These pages are offered with love for the saints and for all who seek them. If anything here should need correcting, we humbly beg your pardon and ask your help — kindly write to [email protected], and we will mend it as soon as we can.
Receive the coming feasts, Mass times, and reflections from our community — sent with care, never spam.