The Seven Sorrows of Our Lady

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THE ROSARY OF THE SEVEN DOLORS

The Seven Sorrows of Our Lady

History, Meditation, and the Traditional Rosary

A companion for understanding and prayer

NOVENA REGINA

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About this companion

The prayer order, Act of Contrition, seven traditional meditations, and closing prayer follow The New Raccolta (1903), pages 222 to 224. Its historical indulgence material continues through page 226. The introductions, explanations, examples, and reflections in this companion are newly written editorial aids. They are optional and are not part of the source prayers.

The Gospel readings use the Douay-Rheims Bible, Challoner revision. Each reading is identified by chapter and verse. Notes distinguish what Scripture narrates from the traditional contemplation of the chaplet.

The everyday examples are imagined illustrations, not reports of actual people or events. They suggest practical applications without promising a particular outcome from prayer.

This is a private devotional compilation and carries no ecclesiastical imprimatur. Approval attached to an older source does not constitute approval of this new book. Sources and artwork credits appear on pages 49 and 50.

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In this companion

What the chaplet is and why we pray it 4

Servite history and the printed source 7

Scripture, sorrow, and Christian hope 9

Meditation and the complete prayer order 12

Beads and a worked example 14

Prayer at home and the older language 16

Act of Contrition and common prayers 18

1. The Prophecy of Simeon 20

2. The Flight into Egypt 24

3. The Loss of Jesus for Three Days 28

4. Mary Meets Jesus Carrying the Cross 32

5. The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus 36

6. Jesus Is Placed in Mary’s Arms 40

7. The Burial of Jesus 44

Completing the chaplet 48

Sources and edition notes 49

To begin praying

Prayer order: page 13. Act of Contrition: page 18. First Sorrow: page 20. Conclusion: page 48.

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What you are praying

The Rosary of the Seven Sorrows is a Catholic devotion that joins familiar prayers to meditation on seven sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is also called the Chaplet of the Seven Dolors. “Dolor” is an older word for sorrow. The devotion has a particular association with the Servite Order, the Servants of Mary.

At each Sorrow, you pray one Our Father and seven Hail Marys while considering the mystery. Seven groups give forty-nine Hail Marys. Three more are offered in veneration of Our Lady’s tears. The form followed here begins with an Act of Contrition and ends with a short response and a prayer to Our Lord.

A Sorrow is the event you contemplate. The seven Hail Marys are the prayers you say while contemplating it. These groups are not decades: a decade contains ten. You need not invent seven different thoughts or say the name of the Sorrow before every bead. One simple thought can accompany the whole group.

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Why pray the Sorrows?

We turn to the sorrows of Our Lady to contemplate the life and Passion of her Son. She carries Him into exile, searches for Him in Jerusalem, and stands beside His Cross. The chaplet asks us to attend to these mysteries with her, seeking repentance for sin and a deeper love of Our Saviour.

The devotion begins with an Act of Contrition. Before considering the sorrows of Mary, we ask pardon of Jesus and express our purpose to amend our lives. At the end, we address Him again, asking for His Mother’s intercession now and at the hour of our death. These prayers give the meditation its direction.

You may come to the chaplet with a grief of your own or with someone else’s name in mind. You may also pray it during a peaceful season, in gratitude and love. Read the mystery, say the prayers, and give God the attention you can. No particular feeling has to be produced.

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At the Cross with Mary

St. John places Mary at the Cross of Jesus and records Our Lord’s words to His Mother and the beloved disciple. The chaplet invites us to remain near this mystery. We adore Jesus Christ, our Saviour, and ask His Blessed Mother to pray for us. Her sorrows direct our attention to Him.

The Hail Mary follows this same movement. We greet Mary with the words of the angel and of Elizabeth, bless the fruit of her womb, Jesus, and ask her intercession now and at the hour of our death. Repeating that prayer can steady our attention as we consider the sufferings of Christ and His Mother.

The conclusion is addressed to Jesus Himself. It recalls the sword that passed through His Mother’s soul in the hour of His Passion and asks that she intercede before His mercy. Read this prayer before beginning if the devotion is new to you. Its petition gathers together the love of Our Lord, the sorrows of Mary, and our need of help at the hour of death.

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The Servite beginnings

The devotion belongs to a larger history of Christian remembrance of Mary’s compassion in the Passion of Christ. The Servite Order gave this remembrance a special place in its life. Its name means Servants of Mary; devotion to the Mother of God, especially in her sorrows, became a characteristic part of its work.

The Catholic Encyclopedia’s 1912 account traces the Order to seven men of Florence who belonged to a Marian association. It places their beginning in 1233 and describes their withdrawal from city life, first near Florence and later at Monte Senario. Their common religious life grew into an order that preached and served the faithful.

The Order’s beginning should be distinguished from the development of the chaplet. The same 1912 article names the Rosary of the Seven Dolours among Servite devotions and records a confraternity of the Seven Dolours. The precise prayer form used in this companion is documented in the 1903 New Raccolta.

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A devotion handed down

Devotion to the sorrowful Mother developed through prayer, preaching, sacred art, and the Church’s commemorations. The older Catholic Encyclopedia article on the feasts of the Seven Sorrows records differing local observances and even arrangements of five or seven sorrows. The familiar sevenfold pattern has a history; it did not appear everywhere in one fixed form at once.

For the prayer order in this book, we have a precise printed witness: The New Raccolta of 1903, pages 222 to 224. It supplies the Act of Contrition, seven meditations with one Our Father and seven Hail Marys each, three further Hail Marys, and the conclusion. Pages 224 to 226 discuss the indulgences of that period.

Some prayer books include further invocations, verses of the Stabat Mater, or a Glory Be between groups. Here the complete 1903 sequence is followed throughout. The additional readings and reflections are identified separately, so you can use them for study and return to the prayer pages for recitation.

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Scripture and contemplation

Most of the Sorrows are directly associated with events narrated in the Gospels: Simeon’s prophecy, the flight into Egypt, the search for Jesus, His Crucifixion, and His burial. Each chapter opens with a short Douay-Rheims reading so that the sacred text remains distinct from our reflections upon it.

Some familiar scenes go beyond what the evangelists explicitly describe. St. John tells us that Jesus carried His Cross; he does not narrate a meeting with Mary on the road. The account of taking down His body does not say that it was placed in her arms. The burial passage does not explicitly name His Mother among those present.

The notes beside the readings identify these distinctions. They allow us to pray with the traditional scenes while keeping the words of the evangelists clear. In meditation, the central mystery is enough; an imagined conversation can easily draw attention away from it.

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Sorrow with Christian hope

The Seven Sorrows lead us to the tomb, but the Christian who prays them knows that Christ is risen. The burial is real, the loss is real, and death does not have the final word. Remembering the Passion takes place within faith in the whole work of Our Saviour.

This matters when you bring personal grief to prayer. You do not have to pretend that a death, a separation, or a disappointment is easy. Nor must you produce tears to prove your devotion. Mary’s fidelity gives us a subject for meditation when words or feelings are difficult.

The chaplet makes no promise that a particular trouble will disappear after a fixed number of prayers. It gives you words with which to ask for mercy, help, and perseverance. You may finish with the same problem you brought. You can still leave with a small duty to perform, a person to treat kindly, or a renewed willingness to entrust tomorrow to God. Hope can be faithful before it feels consoling.

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Let prayer become charity

Prayer for someone who suffers can be accompanied by a concrete act of love. A meal, a visit, help with a journey, or a patient reply may be within your reach. Consider what the person actually needs rather than assuming that a devotional suggestion is the whole answer.

If someone is grieving, you need not explain the reason for the loss. Listening and remembering can be more useful than a speech. Ask whether practical help would be welcome. If your own household needs attention, caring for it can be the duty that follows your prayer.

When another person’s trouble calls for protection, necessary care, or trustworthy assistance, help them obtain it. Consider one responsibility you can undertake, and keep the commitment. Prayer should make us more attentive to the people God has entrusted to us.

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How meditation works

Before a group, announce its Sorrow once. Read the traditional meditation printed beneath the optional Gospel reading, then pause. Begin the Our Father and say the seven Hail Marys while keeping the mystery in mind.

You do not have to stop between every Hail Mary to read another sentence. Nor must you try to hold every word of the prayer and every detail of the scene equally in mind at once. Pray the words reverently and return gently to the mystery when your attention wanders.

For the First Sorrow, one thought may be enough: Mary receives Simeon’s warning and remains faithful to God. You might ask for trust as you face an uncertain future. When you notice a distraction, return to that thought and continue with the next bead.

The Gospel selections and the two editorial pages after each prayer spread are optional aids. The short meditation labeled “Traditional meditation” belongs to the 1903 source and precedes the Our Father in this edition’s prayer sequence.

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The complete prayer order

1. Begin with the Act of Contrition on page 18. It expresses repentance and a firm purpose of amendment. Its final sentence uses historical indulgence language; see page 17.

2. Announce the First Sorrow and read its traditional meditation on page 20. Pray one Our Father, then seven Hail Marys, while meditating on that Sorrow. The Gospel reading is an optional preparation.

3. Continue in the same way through all seven Sorrows. Each group has one Our Father and seven Hail Marys. In this form, no Glory Be is prescribed after the groups.

4. After the Seventh Sorrow, pray three more Hail Marys in veneration of the tears shed by Our Lady in her sorrows.

5. Say the versicle, response, and closing prayer on page 48. The letters V. and R. mark the leader’s verse and the response. When praying alone, say both.

The facing reading and prayer pages begin on pages 20 and 21. For uninterrupted recitation, move directly from each prayer page to the next Sorrow’s reading and prayer spread.

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Following the beads

A Seven Sorrows chaplet has seven groups of seven small beads, with a larger bead for the Our Father of each group. Physical arrangements of the pendant and extra beads can differ. Follow the prayer count below rather than assuming that every rosary has the same layout.

On a large bead: one Our Father. On the next seven small beads: one Hail Mary on each, keeping the Sorrow in mind. Repeat for the next Sorrow until all seven are complete. After the seventh group: three additional Hail Marys, then the conclusion.

Seven groups of seven give forty-nine Hail Marys. Adding three gives fifty-two in the complete chaplet. There are seven Our Fathers.

You can also use an ordinary five-decade rosary as a counting aid: count only seven Hail Marys in each group, skip the remaining three small beads, and continue to the next large bead. After five groups, return to the loop for groups six and seven. Keep track of the Sorrow separately.

1 LARGE BEAD 7 SMALL BEADS

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A first group, step by step

Suppose you have just said the opening Act of Contrition. Announce: “The First Sorrow: the Prophecy of Simeon.” Read St. Luke 2:34-35 if you wish, then the traditional meditation on page 20. Pause with the thought that Mary hears of a sorrow she cannot yet see in its fullness.

On the large bead, pray the Our Father. On each of the seven small beads, pray one Hail Mary. While saying these prayers, return to the thought of Mary’s fidelity. You might bring before God a responsibility whose future is uncertain, asking for the grace to be faithful today.

If your mind wanders during the fourth Hail Mary, simply return to the mystery and continue. You do not need seven perfectly distinct meditations. The purpose of the beads is to help you keep the count while you pray.

After the seventh Hail Mary, the first group is complete. Turn to page 24, announce the Flight into Egypt, read its traditional meditation, and begin its Our Father. You do not add the three concluding Hail Marys until all seven Sorrows have been completed.

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At home, alone, or together

Choose a time when you can give the prayer reasonable attention. Read a chapter beforehand if you want to understand a Sorrow more deeply. During recitation, use the facing Scripture and prayer pages, moving past the longer reflections until you are ready to study them.

In a family or small group, one person can announce each Sorrow and read an optional passage. A leader may begin each familiar prayer and the others finish it, or everyone may pray together. At the conclusion, the leader says V. and the others R. These are practical arrangements for shared prayer, not additional rubrics from the 1903 source.

An interruption need not make you abandon the prayer. Mark your place and resume when you can. If you have time for only one Sorrow, you can meditate on that mystery and pray its group as a shorter devotion; describe it honestly as part of the chaplet.

No special feeling is required. Begin reverently, keep a gentle pace, and let the needs of those entrusted to your care guide your use of time.

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Reading the older language

The Act of Contrition uses the fervent language of an older prayer book. Its wish to have died rather than offended God expresses sorrow for sin and a resolve to be faithful. It is not an instruction to injure yourself. Read it as a declaration of repentance and love of Our Saviour. Its resolve to seek the sacrament expresses repentance and recourse to Confession; it does not make a new confession a condition of every recitation of the chaplet.

The prayer also names the sacrament of penance. The chaplet does not replace confession. Its words express a purpose to turn from sin and seek the mercy of Christ in the sacrament; they should be spoken with an honest intention to amend one’s life.

The final paragraph refers to indulgences attached to the chaplet in the discipline of the time. We preserve that sentence because it belongs to the chosen text. Its appearance here does not certify a present-day indulgence, and the historical grants on pages 224 to 226 of The New Raccolta are not republished as current promises.

These notes are editorial explanations, separate from the prayer. The prayer itself begins on page 18.

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THE OPENING PRAYER

Act of Contrition

The form printed in The New Raccolta (1903)

Begin with the following Act of Contrition, taken from the historical source used for this chaplet.

O Saviour, my sole and only love! see me before thy divine presence, all confusion by reason of the many grievous injuries I have done thee. With my whole heart I ask thy pardon for them; repenting of them out of pure love for thee, and, at the thought of thy great goodness, hating and loathing them above every other evil of this life. Would that I had died a thousand times ere ever I had offended thee! but now I am most firmly resolved to lose my life a thousand times rather than to offend thee again.

My Jesus crucified, I firmly purpose to cleanse my soul forthwith by thy most precious blood, in the sacrament of penance. And thou, most tender Virgin, mother of mercy, and refuge of the sinner, do thou, by thy bitter pains, obtain for me the pardon of my sins.

Meanwhile, praying, in accordance with the wishes of so many holy Pontiffs, for the indulgences attached to this chaplet, I hope thereby to obtain remission of all the punishment due to my sins.

The final paragraph preserves historical indulgence language. See the explanation on page 17.

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Words close at hand

Our Father

Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. Amen.

The Hail Mary

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

At every Sorrow, pray one Our Father and seven Hail Marys while meditating on that mystery. The full texts are repeated on each facing prayer page. Announce the First Sorrow and begin on the next spread.

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THE FIRST SORROW

The Prophecy of Simeon

St. Luke 2:34-35 · Douay-Rheims

34. And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother: Behold this child is set for the fall, and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be contradicted; 35. And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that, out of many hearts, thoughts may be revealed.

St. Luke records Simeon’s words to Mary at the Presentation. The sword foretells sorrow joined to the mission of her Son. The Gospel gives the prophecy; it does not supply a detailed account of everything Mary thought as she heard it.

Traditional meditation

The New Raccolta (1903), p. 222

With this heartfelt confidence, I meditate on the first dolor, when Mary, virgin mother of my God, presented Jesus, her only-begotten Son, in the temple, laid him in the arms of holy old Simeon, and heard his word of prophecy, "A sword shall pierce thy own soul," which foretold the passion and death of her Son Jesus.

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Pray with this Sorrow

One Our Father. Seven Hail Marys. Meditate on the mystery while saying the prayers.

1 LARGE BEAD 7 SMALL BEADS

1 Our Father 1 Hail Mary on each

Our Father

Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. Amen.

The Hail Mary

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

After the seventh Hail Mary, continue to page 24. The next two pages offer optional editorial reflection.

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A warning within a promise

Simeon’s words are addressed to the Mother, but they concern the Son. This Child will be a sign of contradiction. The sword that will pierce Mary’s soul belongs to the history of His coming among us. Her sorrow cannot be understood apart from her love of Jesus.

The scene takes place in the Temple, where she has brought Him in obedience to the law. An act of worship becomes the occasion of a grave prophecy. Consider the Child in Simeon’s arms and Mary listening. The Gospel does not tell us her reply.

In prayer, remain with the cost of belonging to Christ. We often want obedience to assure us of an untroubled future. Mary’s first Sorrow places that desire before a different prospect: the Son she loves will be opposed. Ask for love of Him that will endure contradiction.

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The news you carry home

A father comes home with news that his job may end. At supper his youngest child asks him to fix a toy. He answers impatiently, then sees the child put it away. The threatened loss is still in the future; the hurt he has just caused is already here.

Simeon’s prophecy gives him something to bring to prayer. Mary hears of the sword when Jesus is presented in the Temple. He can remain with that scene through the seven Hail Marys, asking for help with the fear that has begun to govern his household.

The toy will still be there when he finishes. So will the child. An apology and a few minutes beside him are a place to begin. Tomorrow may require difficult decisions. Tonight, this father has someone to love.

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THE SECOND SORROW

The Flight into Egypt

St. Matthew 2:13-15 · Douay-Rheims

13. And after they were departed, behold an angel of the Lord appeared in sleep to Joseph, saying: Arise, and take the child and his mother, and fly into Egypt: and be there until I shall tell thee. For it will come to pass that Herod will seek the child to destroy him. 14. Who arose, and took the child and his mother by night, and retired into Egypt: and he was there until the death of Herod: 15. That it might be fulfilled which the Lord spoke by the prophet, saying: Out of Egypt have I called my son.

St. Matthew describes the angel’s warning to Joseph and the journey into Egypt. The narrative speaks plainly of danger, departure, and refuge. It does not give the conversations of the Holy Family along the way.

Traditional meditation

The New Raccolta (1903), p. 223

The second dolor of the blessed Virgin was when she had to fly into Egypt on account of the persecution of cruel Herod, who impiously sought to slay her well-beloved Son.

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Pray with this Sorrow

One Our Father. Seven Hail Marys. Meditate on the mystery while saying the prayers.

1 LARGE BEAD 7 SMALL BEADS

1 Our Father 1 Hail Mary on each

Our Father

Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. Amen.

The Hail Mary

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

After the seventh Hail Mary, continue to page 28. The next two pages offer optional editorial reflection.

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The Child whom Joseph protects

The Son of God is carried out of danger as a little Child. St. Matthew tells the story through Joseph’s obedience: he receives the warning, rises, takes the Child and His Mother, and departs by night. Mary shares the journey and the exile of her Son.

Consider the humility of the Incarnation. Our Saviour has entered a human household. The care of Joseph and Mary belongs to His earthly life, and a ruler’s violence drives that household from its home. The Gospel gives us enough to contemplate: Joseph’s obedience, the departure by night, and the Holy Family’s exile.

Bring before Christ those whose homes are unsafe and those charged with protecting them. Joseph’s departure gives this prayer a practical seriousness. When a vulnerable person is entrusted to us, love may require an inconvenient and decisive act.

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A place at the table

A family has arrived with more bags than furniture. Their children do not know the neighbourhood. Even the ordinary business of finding food, transport, and a place to sleep has become unfamiliar.

Consider the Flight into Egypt from the position of someone who could offer shelter. Would you notice the newcomers? Would your questions serve their needs, or merely satisfy your curiosity? Joseph takes the Child and His Mother out of danger. The people who meet a displaced family have their own decisions to make.

During this Sorrow, remember a household far from home. If you know such a family, ask what would be useful. A place at the table can be offered without requiring the story of how they came to need it.

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THE THIRD SORROW

The Loss of Jesus for Three Days

St. Luke 2:46, 48-50 · Douay-Rheims

46. And it came to pass, that, after three days, they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, hearing them, and asking them questions. 48. And seeing him, they wondered. And his mother said to him: Son, why hast thou done so to us? behold thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. 49. And he said to them: How is it that you sought me? did you not know, that I must be about my father’s business? 50. And they understood not the word that he spoke unto them.

Selected verses from the finding in the Temple. For the full account, read St. Luke 2:41-52. Not understanding His saying does not imply sin.

Traditional meditation

The New Raccolta (1903), p. 223

The third dolor of the blessed Virgin was when, after having gone up to Jerusalem, at the Passover, with Joseph, her spouse, and Jesus, her beloved Son, she missed him while returning to her humble dwelling, and for three days bewailed the loss of her sole-beloved one.

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Pray with this Sorrow

One Our Father. Seven Hail Marys. Meditate on the mystery while saying the prayers.

1 LARGE BEAD 7 SMALL BEADS

1 Our Father 1 Hail Mary on each

Our Father

Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. Amen.

The Hail Mary

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

After the seventh Hail Mary, continue to page 32. The next two pages offer optional editorial reflection.

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His Father’s business

Mary’s words make the sorrow of the search plain: she and Joseph have sought Jesus sorrowing. His reply turns their attention to His Father. St. Luke then says that they did not understand the saying He spoke to them.

Read the whole passage, St. Luke 2:41-52, when you can. The finding leads back to Nazareth, where Jesus is subject to them and Mary keeps these things in her heart. The mystery holds together His divine mission and the hidden obedience of His family life.

The Third Sorrow concerns Mary’s loss and search, rather than a fault attributed to her. In our meditation, it can awaken a desire to seek Christ more earnestly. Ask what place He has in your life when other concerns become urgent. Do you return to Him only after everything else has been attended to?

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The prayer you almost leave unsaid

The book is open, but you have read the same line three times. Yesterday’s argument returns. Then tomorrow’s work. You remember a time when prayer seemed easy and wonder what has happened to you.

In the Third Sorrow, stay with the search. Mary and Joseph go back to Jerusalem; they seek Jesus and find Him in the Temple. Their question is spoken out of sorrow, and His answer is not yet understood. St. Luke allows both the finding and the incomprehension to stand.

You can finish the prayer before you have explained your own dryness. If there is a fault to confess, confess it. If you need counsel, seek it. For these seven Hail Marys, give your attention to Jesus being sought and found. Return to Him each time you discover that your thoughts have wandered.

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THE FOURTH SORROW

Mary Meets Jesus Carrying the Cross

St. John 19:16-17 · Douay-Rheims

16. Then therefore he delivered him to them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him forth. 17. And bearing his own cross, he went forth to that place which is called Calvary, but in Hebrew Golgotha.

St. John narrates Jesus carrying His Cross to Golgotha. He does not describe a meeting with His Mother on the road. That meeting is a traditional devotional scene, expressed in the Fourth Sorrow and the Stations of the Cross.

Traditional meditation

The New Raccolta (1903), p. 223

The fourth dolor of the blessed Virgin was when she met her most loving Son, Jesus, carrying on his tender shoulders the heavy cross, whereon he was to be crucified for our salvation.

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Pray with this Sorrow

One Our Father. Seven Hail Marys. Meditate on the mystery while saying the prayers.

1 LARGE BEAD 7 SMALL BEADS

1 Our Father 1 Hail Mary on each

Our Father

Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. Amen.

The Hail Mary

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

After the seventh Hail Mary, continue to page 36. The next two pages offer optional editorial reflection.

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Mother and Son on the road

Consider whom Mary sees: the Son she bore, tended, and sought, now going to His Crucifixion. The earlier Sorrows have led toward this road. Simeon’s prophecy is no longer a distant warning. Her love is directed toward the same Jesus whom she received in joy.

The chaplet does not give their words to one another. Let the meeting remain quiet. Adore Our Lord as He goes to His Passion, and ask His Mother to pray for you. If you bring someone else’s suffering to this group, place that person before Him without losing sight of the mystery itself.

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At a friend’s door

He has been meaning to visit since the funeral. Each day he postpones it. He cannot think what to say to a man whose wife has died, and he fears the silence that might follow his greeting.

The Fourth Sorrow gives him a meeting to contemplate. The chaplet places Mary before her Son on the road to Calvary. It supplies no conversation for him to memorize. He can attend to the love of Mother and Son without filling the scene with words.

When he calls his friend, he can ask whether a visit would be welcome. Once there, he may hear the same memory more than once. He may sit for a while without speaking. His friend has lost someone irreplaceable. The visitor’s task is smaller: to come, to listen, and to remember to come again.

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THE FIFTH SORROW

The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus

St. John 19:25-27, 30 · Douay-Rheims

25. Now there stood by the cross of Jesus, his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalen. 26. When Jesus therefore had seen his mother and the disciple standing whom he loved, he saith to his mother: Woman, behold thy son. 27. After that, he saith to the disciple: Behold thy mother. And from that hour, the disciple took her to his own. 30. Jesus therefore, when he had taken the vinegar, said: It is consummated. And bowing his head, he gave up the ghost.

St. John explicitly names the Mother of Jesus at the Cross. These selected verses record Our Lord’s words to His Mother and the disciple, and His death. Read St. John 19:18-30 for the larger passage.

Traditional meditation

The New Raccolta (1903), p. 223

The fifth dolor of the blessed Virgin was when she saw her Son, Jesus raised upon the tree of the cross, and all his sacred body pour forth blood; and then, after three long hours of agony, beheld him die.

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Pray with this Sorrow

One Our Father. Seven Hail Marys. Meditate on the mystery while saying the prayers.

1 LARGE BEAD 7 SMALL BEADS

1 Our Father 1 Hail Mary on each

Our Father

Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. Amen.

The Hail Mary

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

After the seventh Hail Mary, continue to page 40. The next two pages offer optional editorial reflection.

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Beside the Cross of Jesus

St. John names the Mother of Jesus among those standing at His Cross. He records Our Lord’s words to her and to the beloved disciple. Even in His Passion, Jesus speaks and gives. The disciple receives His Mother into his own care.

Remain first with Jesus Himself. His Crucifixion is the saving Passion of Our Lord, worthy of adoration and thanksgiving. Mary’s sorrow brings us near to the One who is dying. Her presence keeps the scene personal: this is her Son.

The Act of Contrition with which the chaplet began can now be recalled in a few words: “O Saviour, my sole and only love!” Ask for a deeper hatred of sin and a grateful love of Him. If repentance requires a change in your conduct, let the purpose be sincere. The mercy you seek is the mercy of Jesus crucified.

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The correction you owe

You told the story in a way that made your relative look worse. A detail was exaggerated; something that would have explained her conduct was left out. The listeners agreed with you, and their agreement made it harder to admit what you had done.

Now the Act of Contrition asks for a purpose of amendment. At the Fifth Sorrow, the words have a particular claim upon you. Before Jesus crucified, bring the wrong itself into view, including the satisfaction you took in being believed.

An apology to your relative may be necessary. So may a correction to the people who heard you. Neither requires another account of her faults. Ask for the humility to say plainly what was untrue, and bring the sin honestly to confession.

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THE SIXTH SORROW

The Body of Jesus Is Placed in Mary’s Arms

St. John 19:38, 40 · Douay-Rheims

38. And after these things, Joseph of Arimathea (because he was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews) besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus. And Pilate gave leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus. 40. They took therefore the body of Jesus, and bound it in linen cloths, with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.

St. John names Joseph of Arimathea in the taking down of Jesus’ body and describes its preparation for burial. He does not state that the body was placed in Mary’s arms. The Pietà is the traditional devotional contemplation used in this Sorrow.

Traditional meditation

The New Raccolta (1903), p. 223

The sixth dolor of the blessed Virgin was when she saw the lance pierce the sacred side of Jesus, her beloved Son, and then received his holy body taken down from the cross and laid in her stainless bosom.

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Pray with this Sorrow

One Our Father. Seven Hail Marys. Meditate on the mystery while saying the prayers.

1 LARGE BEAD 7 SMALL BEADS

1 Our Father 1 Hail Mary on each

Our Father

Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. Amen.

The Hail Mary

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

After the seventh Hail Mary, continue to page 44. The next two pages offer optional editorial reflection.

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The Son she once held as a Child

The Pietà places the dead Christ in His Mother’s arms. It recalls, by a sorrowful resemblance, the Child she once held. The body received at the end of His earthly life is the body of the Son she bore.

Attend to the reverence of the scene. Human hands receive and tend the body of Our Lord. Love still has work to do after His death. As you pray, ask for tenderness toward the dying and reverence toward the dead. Remember those whose care is carried out quietly, when few people are present to notice it.

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The familiar task

A daughter washes her elderly father’s hands. It is a task she has done many times. Today she is tired, and there are messages waiting on her phone. He begins a story she has heard before.

The Sixth Sorrow may return to her in this ordinary work: the body of Jesus taken down from the Cross, and the traditional contemplation of His Mother receiving Him. Care is personal. The hands she washes belong to her father, who once held hers.

She can slow down enough to hear him. Later she may need someone to take her place so that she can rest. For now, there is water to change, a towel to bring, and a person before her. Reverence can inhabit these familiar movements.

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THE SEVENTH SORROW

The Burial of Jesus

St. John 19:41-42 · Douay-Rheims

41. Now there was in the place where he was crucified, a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein no man yet had been laid. 42. There, therefore, because of the parasceve of the Jews, they laid Jesus, because the sepulchre was nigh at hand.

St. John describes the garden, the new sepulchre, and the laying of Jesus’ body there. He does not explicitly name Our Lady as present at the burial. The chaplet invites us to contemplate her sorrow at her Son’s entombment.

Traditional meditation

The New Raccolta (1903), p. 223

The seventh and last dolor of the blessed Virgin, queen and advocate of us, her servants, miserable sinners, was when she saw the holy body of her Son laid in the sepulchre.

Page 45

Pray with this Sorrow

One Our Father. Seven Hail Marys. Meditate on the mystery while saying the prayers.

1 LARGE BEAD 7 SMALL BEADS

1 Our Father 1 Hail Mary on each

Our Father

Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. Amen.

The Hail Mary

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

After the seventh Hail Mary, continue to page 48. The three final Hail Marys and conclusion complete the chaplet.

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The body laid in the sepulchre

St. John gives us a garden and a new sepulchre near the place of Crucifixion. There they lay Jesus. Contemplate His Mother’s sorrow as His body is laid in the tomb.

Allow the burial its place in your prayer. Our Lord truly died and was buried. The Christian who contemplates this mystery believes in His Resurrection, but does not have to pass over the tomb as though death and separation were slight things.

Pray for the dead and for those who mourn them. We commend particular souls to God’s mercy rather than claiming knowledge of their eternal state. At the end of the seven Sorrows, the closing prayer asks Our Lord for mercy now and at the hour of our death. Let the meditation prepare you to make that petition with trust.

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When the house grows quiet

The visitors have gone home. The flowers are fading. A widow finds that the hours once occupied by caring for her husband now seem very long. Other people have returned to their routines; she is learning a house altered by his absence.

The Seventh Sorrow gives those who love her a reason to remember after the funeral week. Jesus is laid in the sepulchre. The chaplet asks us to contemplate His Mother’s sorrow at that burial. We need not hurry this mystery toward a lesson that will make bereavement easy.

Pray for the man who has died. Remember his wife when the first offers of help have ceased. Write his anniversary down. A letter months later, using his name and recalling something good about him, may be a kindness that she keeps.

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The tears of Our Lady

Pray three Hail Marys in veneration of the tears shed by Our Lady in her sorrows.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Then say the versicle, response, and prayer. When praying alone, say both V. and R.

V. Pray for us, Virgin most sorrowful.

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

Let us pray.

Grant, we beseech thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, that the most blessed Virgin Mary, thy mother, may intercede for us before the throne of thy mercy, now, and at the hour of our death, through whose most holy soul, in the hour of thine own passion, the sword of sorrow passed. Through thee, Jesus Christ, Saviour of the world, who livest and reignest, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, for ever and ever. Amen.

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Texts you can check

Prayer order and special texts

The New Raccolta, from the third Italian edition (Philadelphia: Peter F. Cunningham & Son, 1903), pp. 222-224: Act of Contrition, seven meditations, prayer counts, three final Hail Marys, versicle, response, and collect. Historical indulgence material: pp. 224-226. Scan: archive.org/details/TheNewRaccolta.

Common prayers

F. X. Lasance, With God: A Book of Prayers and Reflections (New York: Benziger Brothers, 1911), p. 153. Traditional English Our Father and Hail Mary, as transcribed in the Novena Regina prayer library.

Scripture

Douay-Rheims Bible, Challoner revision. St. Luke 2:34-35; St. Matthew 2:13-15; St. Luke 2:46, 48-50; St. John 19:16-17; 19:25-27, 30; 19:38, 40; 19:41-42. Verse numbers identify the selections and gaps.

Servite history

Patrick Griffin, “Order of Servites,” The Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. 13 (1912), sections “Foundation and history,” “Devotions: manner of life,” and “Affiliated associations.” Online transcription: newadvent.org/cathen/13736a.htm.

Historical development

Frederick G. Holweck, “Feasts of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary,” The Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. 14 (1912). Online transcription: newadvent.org/cathen/14151b.htm. Historical feast dates are not presented here as current calendar instructions.

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A companion to return to

Prepared by Novena Regina. Historical prayers are accompanied by new explanations and examples. This compilation carries no ecclesiastical approval.

Cover: William-Adolphe Bouguereau, Pietà (1876). Public-domain painting and reproduction, obtained through Wikimedia Commons (PD-Art / PD-old-100). The artwork is historical, not AI-generated. Its angels and arrangement belong to the artist’s devotional composition.

Wikimedia Commons file: William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825-1905) - Pieta (1876).jpg

Prayer texts are preserved from the cited editions. Headings, Scripture selections, and companion notes are editorial.

The prayer order at a glance

1. Act of Contrition.

2. Each Sorrow: traditional meditation, one Our Father, seven Hail Marys.

3. Three further Hail Marys.

4. Versicle, response, Let us pray, and collect.

Pray online and read the free companion: novenaregina.com/rosary/seven-sorrows