The “Seven Sorrows Of Mary Rosary” invites the faithful to meditate deeply on the seven moments of intense sorrow that pierced the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary throughout her life. This ancient devotion, also known as the Rosary of the Seven Dolors, calls us to accompany Our Lady through her greatest sufferings as the Mother of our Savior. Each of the seven sorrows is rooted in Scripture and represents a “sword” that pierced Mary’s heart.
Seven Sorrows of Mary Rosary
Opening Prayer:
My God, I offer You this Rosary for Your glory, so I can honor your Holy Mother, the Blessed Virgin, so I can share and meditate upon her suffering. I humbly beg you to give me true repentance for all my sins. Give me wisdom and humility, so that I may receive all the indulgences contained in this prayer. Amen.
Act of Contrition:
O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins because of Thy just punishments, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, who art all good and deserving of all my love.
I firmly resolve with the help of Thy grace to sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin. Amen.
The First Sorrow of Mary – The Prophecy of Simeon
(Luke 2:25-35)
Let us enter into the sorrow that filled Mary’s heart when the devout Simeon, while blessing the Holy Family in the temple, prophesied that her divine Child would be a sign of contradiction and that a sword of sorrow would pierce her own soul.
Pray the Our Father prayer (1 time)
Pray the Hail Mary prayer (7 times)
The Second Sorrow of Mary – The Holy Family’s Escape into Egypt
(Matthew 2:13-15)
Let us enter into the anguish that gripped Mary’s heart when the angel warned Joseph in a dream to flee immediately into Egypt, forcing the Holy Family to abandon their home in the darkness of night to protect the Christ Child from Herod’s murderous intent.
Pray the Our Father prayer (1 time)
Pray the Hail Mary prayer (7 times)
The Third Sorrow of Mary – The Child Jesus is Lost in Jerusalem
(Luke 2: 41-50)
Let us enter into the profound anguish that consumed Mary’s heart during the three days of desperate searching when the twelve-year-old Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, unbeknownst to His parents, leaving Mary and Joseph to seek Him with overwhelming anxiety until they found Him teaching in the temple.
Pray the Our Father prayer (1 time)
Pray the Hail Mary prayer (7 times)
The Fourth Sorrow of Mary – Mary Meets Jesus Carrying the Cross
(Luke 23: 27-29)
Let us enter into the heartbreaking sorrow that overwhelmed Mary’s maternal heart when she encountered her beloved Son on the road to Calvary, beaten and bloodied, carrying the heavy cross upon which He would soon be crucified for our salvation.
Pray the Our Father prayer (1 time)
Pray the Hail Mary prayer (7 times)
The Fifth Sorrow of Mary – Mary Stands at the Foot of the Cross
(John 19: 25-30)
Let us enter into the immeasurable agony that pierced Mary’s heart as she stood faithfully at the foot of the cross, witnessing her innocent Son’s crucifixion and hearing His final words as He entrusted her to the beloved disciple before breathing His last.
Pray the Our Father prayer (1 time)
Pray the Hail Mary prayer (7 times)
The Sixth Sorrow of Mary – Mary Receives the Body of Jesus
(John 19:38-40)
Let us enter into the devastating grief that shattered Mary’s heart as she received the lifeless body of her beloved Son, taken down from the cross and cradled one final time before His burial, holding close the Child she had once held as an infant in Bethlehem.
Pray the Our Father prayer (1 time)
Pray the Hail Mary prayer (7 times)
The Seventh Sorrow of Mary – The Body of Jesus is Laid in the Tomb
(Luke 23: 50-56)
Let us enter into the overwhelming desolation that filled Mary’s heart as she witnessed her beloved Son’s body being wrapped in burial cloths and placed in the cold darkness of the tomb.
Pray the Our Father prayer (1 time)
Pray the Hail Mary prayer (7 times)
Closing Prayers:
V. Pray for us, O most sorrowful Virgin.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray.
Lord Jesus, we now implore, both for the present and for the hour of our death, the intercession of the most Blessed Virgin Mary, Thy Mother, whose holy soul was pierced at the time of Thy Passion by a sword of grief. Grant us this favor, O Savior of the world, Who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.