Our Lady of Sorrows is one of the invocations of the Virgin Mary, whom we can also know as the Virgin of Bitterness, Virgin of Angustias or simply as La Dolorosa, in this article we are going to tell you what her story is and everything about its celebration of September 15.
Our Lady of Sorrows
The Virgin of Sorrows is recognized by wearing a black or purple dress, which is a sign of her mourning, in Latin she is called Maria Virgo Perdolens o Mother of Sorrows, and is one of the Marian devotions venerated in the Catholic Church. This devotion to Sorrows expresses the pain and suffering of the Virgin as a mother, witnessing the suffering of her son and having to endure the seven sorrows, which are linked to the seven moments of Jesus' life, described in the Gospels, where she suffered in silence while he carried out his work as Redeemer.
This devotion arose at the end of the 1239th century, and by 15 the spirituality of the Diocese of Florence, the Order of the Servites or Friars Servants of Mary, was united to the Holy Virgin and the date of its celebration was set on September XNUMXth under the name of Our Lady of Sorrows. You can read more about the characteristics of Our Lady of Sorrows in other contexts.
The Seven Sorrows
The seven sorrows of the Virgin begin when Mary and Joseph take Jesus to his presentation in the temple (Luke 2,22:35), there they meet the old Simeon, who upon seeing the child, told him that he was ready for the ruin and resurrection of many people in Israel and that a sword would pierce her soul, but Mary in her humility and simplicity kept all those words in her heart.
The second of his pains was the persecution of Herod and his flight to Egypt (Matthew 2, 13:15), when Herod learns of the birth of the Messiah in Bethlehem, he gives the order to kill all children under two years of age, a An angel appears to Mary and Joseph and warns them to take the child and go to Egypt to save him. Imagine the pain and fear she felt when she ran away, fearful that they would be caught by the soldiers.
The third pain is suffered when Jesus is lost in the Temple of Jerusalem for three days (Luke 2, 41:50), they had gone to make the corresponding offerings and when they leave they realize that Jesus is not with them they return to look for them and after three days they find him in the Temple, Mary cried in those three days, she was with several priests and they talked about the laws, when they reprimand him, Jesus replies that he is taking care of his father's affairs.
The fourth pain comes when he sees Jesus carrying his cross, beaten, scourged, humiliated, walking down the road of bitterness on the way to Calvary. On that cross, he bore the full weight of all human sins, both those that had been committed and those that were about to be committed. He accepted that suffering and felt how he was despised and condemned to a terrible death. He was scourged like a thief, but the King of kings; a crown of thorns was placed on his head and fastened tightly until blood flowed. What pain and humiliation, just to save us from our sins.
The fifth pain was the crucifixion and death of Jesus (John 19, 17:30), there Mary suffered the greatest pain seeing her son being nailed to the cross and seeing his agony for hours, she suffered the pain of seeing his murderers full of cruelty and making fun of him, this is the greatest pain a woman can have, seeing her son die, that is a sword that pierces to the depths of the soul.
The sixth pain is the one you receive when Jesus is taken down from the cross, but before that he is pierced by a lance and then placed in your arms (Mark 15, 42-1-46), that lance was the one that pierced your heart as a mother, what a strong pain to have your lifeless son in your arms, a being that you carried in your womb for nine months, you raised him and saw him become a man and that in a brief moment he is dead and you have to hold him for the last time. You who saw him smiling at your side and kind, now they give him back to you dead, being the victim of the evil of the human being and of our sins.
The seventh sorrow is when Jesus is buried (John 19:38-42). She accompanied her son to his final resting place in his earthly body, and this sorrow is even stronger, seeing him taken to a tomb guarded by soldiers. Those who killed him now watch over his grave, and Mary only forgives and loves. She already knew that Jesus would rise on the third day, but her sorrow is still greater because of the suffering she endured.
history of devotion
The devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows dates back many centuries, as early as the XNUMXth century, writers on ecclesiastical subjects wrote of the Compassion of the Virgin as referring to her role as the Mother of God suffering the pain of the crucifixion of her only Child. Since then, devotion has been made to the seven sorrows of Mary and hymns began to be written for the faithful to express their affiliation with the Sorrowful Virgin.
In the Middle Ages, the name of the Transfixion of Mary, the Recommendation of Mary at Calvary, began to be celebrated, and a commemoration was held in her honor during Easter. By the 12th century, Servite monks held a celebration in memory of Mary under the Cross, holding services and Mass. Then, in the 17th century, the third Sunday of September was established as the day of the celebration of Our Lady of Sorrows.
The Friday before Palm Sunday there was a special commemoration of the Virgin of Sorrows, and it was known as Friday of Sorrows. Benedict III fixed the celebration of the Fridays of Sorrows in the year 1472 and later Pope Pius VII established the feast for Our Lady of Sorrows in the year 1814 for September 15, the day after the exaltation of the Holy Cross.
The celebration of this feast is a prelude to Holy Week or Passion Week, during which both Jesus and Mary endured great suffering. In 1970, Pope Paul VI united the two festivals on the last day of summer. This is the most widely observed devotion, not only among the faithful and devotees, but also across countries.
Her image is displayed in almost all the churches of the world, even in the most remote towns and villages, and it is common to see them in procession during Holy Week. This is because it was spread as a devotion by the Servites from the 1233th century onwards. This Order was founded in XNUMX by seven noble people from Florence who worked in the Chapel of the Annunziatta. According to legend, they had a vision of the Virgin Mary dressed in mourning and surrounded by many angels.
In the Middle Ages, special devotion was held to the five joys of the Virgin Mary, complemented by a feast in her honor for the five sorrows of the Passion. Later, these were carried out seven times to complete the journey to Calvary and her entire life. It was the Servites who felt great devotion to Mary's suffering, and for this reason, they were authorized to celebrate a feast day for her seven sorrows on the third Sunday of September. Our Lady of Sorrows enjoys special devotion in Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Spain, Panama, Portugal, Guatemala, Italy, and Mexico, and she is the patron saint of Slovakia.
Devotion in Colombia
In this country it is one of the most important devotions in Popayán, the Friday before Holy Week is the Friday of Sorrows, where a procession is made with the steps of the Virgin followed by Saint John the Evangelist and they make the five painful mysteries. There are three images brought from Spain and dating from the eighteenth century that are the Dolorosa itself, San Juan and the Crucifix. The procession begins at the church of San Agustín and ends there.
Later the Dolorous Virgin is taken out again in precession on Holy Tuesday surrounded by many white flowers. She is considered the Patron Saint of the Colombian Llaneros and also of those from Venezuela, she is venerated in Casanare, Vichada, Meta and Arauca. In the Eastern plains she is called the Virgin of Manare or Virgin of the sorrows of Manare, and a festival is held for her on January. She is the Patron Saint of the Municipality of Paz de Ariporo in the Department of Casanare, where more than 20 faithful come to visit her at her sanctuary.
The image of the Colombian Virgin of Sorrows is made of wood and was brought from Spain to Betoyes by Jesuit Father José Gumilla, where she was venerated as a symbol of the Good Journey. When Betoyes Arauca was destroyed, it was taken to Manare, and then, when this town was also destroyed, it was taken to Paz de Ariporo on March 18, 1953.
Now, in the municipality of Sonsón in Antioquía, a devotion is made to the Virgen de los Dolores on Holy Saturday, they sing the Stabat Mater to her and take her out in a procession from Soledad, where the faithful follow her with lighted candles as a sign of pain. , this same procession is made in the Municipality of Armenia where the tour is made through the center of the city until they reach the Cathedral.
Devotion in Ecuador
The devotion of the Virgen de los Dolores in Ecuador is done in the cities of Quito, Guayaquil, Cuenca and Riobamba, but on April 20, it is usually done by the religious schools of these communities. It is made that day since it tells a story that on April 20, 1906 the Miracle of the Virgin of the school occurred, when a group of students from the San Gabriel de Quito School were present and a painting of the painful opened and closed its eyes for 15 minutes, Pope Pius XII ordered the canonical coronation of Our Lady of Sorrows in this school and John Paul II named her the Patron Saint of Youth Education.
devotion in Spain
In Spain her devotion is very strong and her cults are held in September and on Fridays of Sorrows, her image is taken in procession during Holy Week in many cities of Spain, among the main ones stands out the Esperanza Macarena of Seville, image of dress under a canopy and the Virgen de las Angustias by Juan de Juni in Valladolid, in all of them we see a totally destroyed Virgin Mary at the foot of the cross.
She is the Patron Saint of the city of Cartagena with the name of Our Lady of Charity, and the Blessed Virgin of Mercy of Capuz also comes out on Good Friday. In these images, the feeling of Mary is seen when she is taking her son who is lowered from the cross, representing the seventh of her sorrows.
In Lorca the main image is that of the Brotherhood of Farmers Paso Azul, the Virgen de los Dolores, which was carved by José Capuz Mamano in 1942, the sculpture is full size, no dresses are placed on it since it is polychrome , he is facing forward with his hands on his chest, and on his knees. The remarkable thing about the image is her face, which is completely beautiful, with an expression of serenity and affliction, in her hands you can see a sword of pain that crosses her heart.
This image is venerated in the Church of San Francisco de Lorca and is carried in procession on Good Friday, leading the procession. Also on Good Friday, it is carried behind the image of the Most Holy Christ of Good Death. On the morning of Good Friday, a serenade is sung to it, during which thousands of people gather at the church to wait for it to emerge. The faithful follow in devotion. A salve composed in 1903 by Juan Antonio Gómez Navarro is sung to it, and it is played on the church organ, which has stood there since the XNUMXth century.
In Cangas de Morrazo, Pontevedra, she is the titular figure of the Brotherhood of the Most Holy Virgin of Sorrows and Solitude. She is a dressable wooden sculpture dating from the 18th century. Her procession takes place on Good Friday, which is a holiday in the town, meaning no one works. Her procession is under a canopy, with a maroon dress, a blue cloak, and her respective crown. She is also taken out on Holy Thursday and Good Friday, but on this day she is dressed entirely in black. She is present at the descent from the cross on that day and at the wake on Holy Saturday night.
In the city of Toro in Zamora, a carving of the Virgin dates from 1792 on Friday of Sorrows that was made by Felipe Gil, she was the venerable image of the Congregation of the Third Order of Servants of Mary or better known as Los Servitas that was founded in 1791 from the parish of San Julián de los Caballeros.
The image was blessed with all honors on May 27, 1792 with great solemnity, but in 1844 the Servites disappeared as a congregation, giving way in 1884 to the formation of an association of women to be owners of the image and it was not until the year 2011 when men are accepted again to be part of the association, thanks to the intervention of the Bishopric of Zamora.
Her association began organizing the procession on Good Friday and the novena held in her honor in the days leading up to it. The image also takes part in the transfer of Santo Ecce Homo on Holy Tuesday to the Church of Santa Catalina. It also takes part in the procession of the Brotherhood of the Sweet Name of Jesus of Nazareth, Our Lady of Angustias, and the Souls of La Campañilla, which take place at dawn on Good Friday. It joined the latter in 1957. Women dressed in mourning for this procession must wear their comb and mantilla.
The Vera Cruz brotherhood now worships Our Lady of Sorrows Crowned, a work created by José Montes de Oca between 1723 and 1724. Her veneration is attested to in a will written by Sister Catalina García on September 16, 1645, which states that the Santa Vera Cruz brotherhood must leave three low masses for her. Isabel de Castillo also left a testimony in her will dated January 26, 1726, in which she also orders masses to be said in her name.
This sculpture by Vera Cruz measures 1 meter 62 centimeters high, and has all the typical details of its sculptor: a face full of serenity and purity, the eyelids and the furrows of his eyes are well demarcated, his eyebrows are thick and straight with a slight angle, the nose is straight and proportionate, small mouth and bulbous lips leaving it half open where his white teeth can be detailed, on his chin a well demarcated dimple can be seen.
The Brotherhood of Solitude has its image of Our Lady of Sorrows in her crowned solitude. It is unknown who sculpted it, but it is believed to date back to the 1156th century. In 1582, local resident Bartolomé Ximenes established that a mass be held for the image on Fridays of each month. It was in XNUMX when the procession of the Brotherhood of Solitude is known to have begun, along with that of the Hospital of San Bartolomé.
This image of the Virgin has a closed mouth, where it can be seen that the corner of her lips is sunken, her face maintains the tradition of serenity and has a wide neck with no peculiarities in her anatomy. Its figure is hieratic and with its sober expressiveness they make it have features used in the baroque that are loaded with a lot of drama, they make it charged with serenity and have a great balance, this is one of the oldest images known to exist. They go out in procession throughout the Province of Seville and they come out on Good Friday.
Other places in Spain where the Virgin of Sorrows is worshipped include Corral de Amaguer in Toledo, Arroyo de la Miel in Málaga, Cuenca, La Rinconada, Zahara de la Sierra in Cádiz, Almería, Santa Fe, Almuñécar, Fuente Vaqueros, Montilla, and Ortigueira in A Coruña. This devotion was brought to Latin America by the conquistadors.
In conclusion, devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows is practiced throughout Spain, apart from those we mentioned which are the largest centers of devotion, whether they call her La Piedad, Dolores, Angustias, Lagrimas, Soledad, we are talking about hundreds of Our Lady of Sorrows found in this nation, and it would be impossible to name them all. What is important about all of them is the love and devotion of the Spanish people to the Virgin Mary.
Devotion in Guatemala
The Virgen de los Dolores or de la Soledad in Guatemala has thousands of devotees who go to her as a sign of devotion and also for promises during Lent and Holy Week, in this country her feast is held on September 15 with many celebrations in different temples, but they are called wakes, these are done with the great solemnity of the mass.
During Holy Week, all the images of María Santísima de los Dolores go out in procession followed by her faithful devotees who are in charge of carrying them and make the walk after processional step after Jesus the Nazarene or the Lord in his grave. There are several churches and temples that have this image of Marian dedication, all are dressed in beautiful clothes, tunics and velvety cloaks embroidered with gold or silver threads.
Devotion in Nicaragua
Several ceremonies and acts are performed for the Virgen de los Dolores in Nicaragua, during Holy Week processional processions are performed for her, carrying her on shoulders and walking through many streets in various cities. On Friday of Sorrows there is a concert with sacred music, people must meditate at this time and then they make the procession of the Way of the Cross with the sculptures of Jesus; Sorrowful Mary and Saint John the Evangelist.
Other cities in Nicaragua where the Virgin of Sorrows is taken out in procession include León, where she is taken out on Holy Monday alongside Our Lord of Consolation of the Review.
In Granada, as in León, a parade is held on Holy Tuesday morning with Jesus of Nazareth of the Poor and Our Lady of Bitterness, and then in the afternoon there is the procession of Jesus of the Great Power and Our Lady of the Crowned Sorrows, which has a route that lasts for hours, until it returns to the church of Xalteva at night.
On Good Friday, the meeting of the image of the Virgin with Saint John and Jesus of Nazareth is made when the Via Sacra is made, in several cities of Nicaragua, the meeting is done precisely in the fourth station, already at night the procession is made solemn of the Entombment of Recumbent Christ that is followed by the image of the Sorrowful.
The next day, Glory Saturday, the procession of Our Lady of Solitude is held, with Saint John and Mary Magdalene to meditate on the seventh sorrow. Later, on September 15, the mass is held in honor of the Virgin and a procession called Dolores Gloriosos.
Devotion in Mexico
In this country we find many advocations of this devotion, on the sixth Friday of Lent the exhibition of the Virgin of Sorrows is made on a large altar, the difference of this devotion with respect to other countries is that in Mexico the times in which the Hail Marys must be said are increased, which are generally seven, one for each sorrow, they also usually add Glorias, opening or beginning prayers.
They also make a closing prayer composed of three Hail Marys, an Our Father and a Glory Be, as well as an ejaculation to the Sorrowful Virgin and a final offertory.
As for the celebrations that they do, we have that on the Friday before Good Friday, which is known as Friday of Sorrows, a first party is held, placing an altar with many glass containers filled with liquids of various colors that represent tears and they place a golden dagger in his chest.
A second religious festival is held on September 15th. Mexicans associate the Virgin with their declaration of independence, that is, the beginning of the War of Independence, which they call the Cry of Dolores, which occurred on September 15, 1810, right in the Parish of Our Lady of Dolores, Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato. A solemn mass is held there dedicated to their patron saint.
In Teocaltiche, Jalisco, the patron saint festivities are held in honor of La Dolorosa, which are from November 1 to 11, during which time the inhabitants carry out many activities to worship the Lady of Sorrows, such as:
- Sing the mornings to the Virgin
- After the mornings mass is done in his name
- A theater for the people in the main square
- Miss Teocaltiche is elected
- Absent Son Celebration
- Dances, balls, parades, charreadas, and an exhibition of typical popular crafts.
In the State of Querétaro, specifically at the Basilica of Los Dolores de Soriano, the same thing happens as in Teocaltiche, in addition to a tour of the Virgin through the city, where she passes by several churches and parishes. During this pilgrimage through the various parishes, she is sung to, flowers are thrown to her, and it ends with concerts.
Devotion in Panama
In Panama there is a procession on Friday of Sorrows in Natá de los Caballeros and later they take it out on Good Friday, in a procession of about six hours that ends at three in the morning, when it enters the Basilica the music is placed by Hail Regina. Many years ago it was customary at the end of the Holy Burial to sing the Dolorosa standing next to the Cross.
On March 20, 2010, the image that was brought from Spain was taken to the Basilica, Our Lady of Bitterness and Hope, a sorrowful Mary carrying Jesus in her arms when he was lowered from the cross. The anecdote of this image is that more than 24 men had to carry it to be able to place it inside the basilica since they could not handle it.
Other countries that follow the Devotion
This dedication is followed in other parts of the world, so we are going to mention some of them, which we consider important for you to know:
Argentina: has devotions in Dolores in Buenos Aires, Villa Eloisa in Santa Fe; in the province of Córdoba it is done in Villa Dolores and Río Ceballos and Exaltación de la Cruz in Buenos Aires.
Colombia: in Cundinamarca in Bojacá and Guatavita where their festivals are held during the Dorado Festival.
VenezuelaThe Virgin of Sorrows is the patron saint of the city of Valencia, but there she is known as Our Lady of Help. Her story is better known as the mistake of the recipient, since when the image was delivered to the city, they expected a Virgin of Help and not a Sorrowful Virgin, but they received it anyway and named it as they had intended.
This Marian devotion is also celebrated in the state of Portuguesa, in Paraíso de Chabasquén, in the Parish of Our Lady of Sorrows. Their feast day is held on September 15th, after the celebration of Our Lady of Coromoto, the patron saint of the entire country. In Altagracia de Orituco, in the Camoruco sector, is the Parish of Our Lady of Sorrows. There is a chapel here that was designated a parish in 2006, elevating the chapel to a church.
Peru: Our Lady of Sorrows is in Cajamarca and she is the patron saint and Queen of the city, as is Angia, and her celebration is the Friday before Holy Week or Friday of Sorrows. The image they have there is one of the oldest known and was donated by Emperor Carlos V, it can be found in the Temple of San Francisco, in a beautiful altar.
This image was crowned on June 14, 1942 while the I Diocesan Eucharistic Congress of Cajamarca was taking place, the coronation was made by Pope Pius XII through his representative in the Apostolic Nuncio of Peru, Monsignor Fernando Cento.
Other cities with representations of the Virgin of Sorrows include Ayacucho, where one of the most crowded processions takes place. In Tarma, Holy Week is celebrated in the Sevillian style, and in the city's Cathedral, there is a Baroque-style wooden carving holding a Spanish crown, with a face filled with unique sorrow and serenity. This carving is carried in procession during Holy Week from Good Friday to Good Friday.
In Lima, Peru's capital, there are also three images of Our Lady of Sorrows, which are carried in procession during Holy Week. These images are under the custody of the Monastery of the Trinitarian Nuns of Barrios Altos on Holy Sunday. The other two images from the Convent of San Agustín are not carried in procession, and the one from the Sanctuary of Solitude is carried in procession on Good Friday.
Other images that we can highlight in this country are that of the Santiago de Surco District, which is from the colonial era, that of the Chorrillos District, that of the city of Huancayo, that of the Pueblo de la Soledad in the Parcoy district, and that of the city of Chancay.
Prayer to Our Lady of Sorrows
This prayer to the Virgen de los Dolores is the best known and prayed by its faithful and devotees, it can be done on a daily basis since it is quite short and easy to learn.
Our Lady of Sorrows! That you were serene and strong next to the cross of your holy Son Jesus. That you offered your Son to God the Father as a token for the redemption of the world.
Knowing that you were losing him, although you also knew that he was taking care of his Father's things, at the same time you were winning him since he became the Redeemer of the World and the friend who even gives his life for that of all his friends.
Mary, how beautiful it must be that you have listened to the words of your sacred son when he said his wise words "There you have your Son, there you have your mother".
How wonderful it is that we can be welcomed into a home just as John welcomed you into his. That's why we want you to be in our homes, this place where we live together as a family, but also in the home of our hearts, where we will also be united with the Holy Trinity. Amen.
Novena to Our Lady of Sorrows
When you begin to do this novena, you must first make the sign of the cross, and then continue with the prayers and considerations. Therefore, it is important that when you do it, you be in a completely quiet place, so that you can meditate on the daily consideration and internalize the words you are receiving.
Opening Prayer
This initial prayer must be done with great faith, remember that it is the beginning of the novena, and we must begin it with encouragement, to continue forward and obtain the favor of the Virgin.
Oh Virgin, the one who suffered the most in the whole world!, the one who suffered the most after her son Jesus, and with the pains that you had to endure eternally for his death, I ask you to give me the strength to pay for my sins. .
Just as you suffered for them, so that when I am crucified by my feelings and lusts on the cross of Christ, I may carry it as a great duty through the path of my life, and following in the footsteps of my Lord Jesus Christ, to be persevering at your side.
Beloved Mother, may I, like you who were always at the foot of the cross, at Jesus' side, live and die with you, finding my redemption and being sanctified by the powerful blood of Jesus. I ask you, through your great sorrows, to listen to what I ask of you through this novena, and if it is for your conviction and for my benefit, that you may grant it to me. Amen.
First Day: Mary gives birth in a manger
According to the scriptures Joseph of the family of David, had to leave Nazareth to go to Bethlehem in Judea, and register in the census with Mary, his wife, she was pregnant, and it turns out that when they arrived in Bethlehem the time came to have her son, but all the inns were full, so she had to have her son in a manger, wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and placed him on dry grass.
Prayer
This Prayer should be done at the end of the daily meditation of the novena, that is throughout the nine days.
O Sorrowful Virgin! That you were the leafy and fruitful tree, and that you should have been afflicted, and here I am like the dry and sterile grass, today I want to ask you to live by your side, be modest and fight against adversity, I ask you to grant me to have the soul of penance , be humble and achieve Christian suffering in order to imitate you and your beloved son, who died on the cross for me, Amen.
Second day: Mary and old Simeon
Mary and Joseph admired the things said about their son, but the elderly Simeon approached them and blessed them. He told Mary that this child would be the cause of the rise and fall of many among the people of Israel, and that for her, he would be a sword that would pierce her heart. Today, we implore you not to allow us to fall into the worldliness of our enemies, but to be among those who profess your teachings, which demonstrate our Christian essence, and that in the same way, may we also be among those for whom Jesus will be the resurrection and the life.
Third day: Mary flees to Egypt
After the Magi had visited Mary and the child, an angel appeared to Joseph while he was sleeping and told him to take the child and his mother and go to Egypt, and stay there until the Lord commanded them, since Herod was seeking the child to kill him. He did as the angel commanded and remained in Egypt until Herod died.
Fourth day: Jesus lost in the temple
Every year Joseph went to Jerusalem for the Jewish Passover, and when Jesus was 12 years old, they went and when the celebration was over they were returning home, but Jesus stayed in Jerusalem and they had not realized, since they were in a caravan, after a day of traveling they began to look for him among their acquaintances, when they did not find him they returned to Jerusalem, after three days they found him in the temple, surrounded by many priests who listened to him and asked him questions.
When his parents approached him they were amazed, but Mary told him why he had done that to them, since they were both looking for him, to which Jesus replies that they were looking for him if he was busy with his father's things, Mary and Joseph did not understand the words of their son, and then the three returned to Nazareth where Jesus lived according to what his parents told him.
And Mary kept these things in her heart, since as her son grew, he became wiser and more favored before God and men. Today we beg you not to allow us to fall into sin and that if at any time I fall I can look for you repentant and that I look for you and find you to make my confession in the temple and I can continue in the only true religion.
Fifth day: Mary suffers because Jesus is not understood
Very close to the Jewish festival of the Huts, the brothers told him not to stay there, but to go to Judea so that his disciples from there could also see everything he was doing, because when someone wants to be known, he does not do hidden things, and as and he made them manifest before the world. Jesus' brothers did not believe in him.
But he told them that their time had not yet come, but that for them any time was good, the world did not hate them but Jesus, because he was the witness that their works were evil, he told them to go to the party, since their time had not yet come and that was why he would not go.
Sixth day: Mary at the foot of the Cross
When Jesus is crucified, on the cross was his mother Mary, and her sister, the wife of Cleofás and also Mary Magdalene. When he sees his mother and sees John his beloved disciple, he said to his mother: "Woman, there is your son" and then he said to him "Son, there you have your mother", and from that moment the disciple received her in his house.
We ask you to help us take advantage of the results of the passion so that we can be true Christians united in the crucifixion with Christ, that we know that it is an honor to suffer for being a Christian and that we must also practice Christian virtues.
Seventh day: Mary sees Jesus die on the cross
Jesus gives a loud cry and stops breathing, the veil that was in the temple was torn in two and the centurion who was in front of him said that this man was truly the Son of God, the women who were in the distance, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome, who always followed Jesus and had served him, there were also other women. When Jesus is taken down from the cross, we must think about asking him for forgiveness for our faults that caused him to die, and for that we have his wounds in our minds and hearts, as proof of his love, which is until our death.
Eighth day: Jesus is buried and Mary feels alone
Joseph of Arimathea arrived in the afternoon. He was also one of Jesus' disciples. He went to Pilate to ask him to release Jesus' body to him. Pilate agreed. Joseph then took the body, wrapped it in clean linen, and carried it to a tomb hewn out of rock. He had a large rock rolled in to block the entrance and then left. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were left alone there.
For that pain of burying your son we ask you to grant us that we can die in the Christian religion and that once buried we are faithful to Christ so that when the final judgment arrives we can resurrect as Christians and be at the right of Christ.
Ninth day: pain becomes joy
Many women who came from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb, they saw how the body was placed. They went home to prepare the balms and perfumes to put on, but they had to wait until Sunday, because on Saturday they had to rest.
On Sunday first thing in the morning they are going to take the balms and put them on the body, they saw that the stone had been moved, and they fell into a great bewilderment, two men appear with very white clothes and the fearful women did not raise their eyes from the ground. They ask them why they were looking for the living among the dead, that he was not there since he had risen, and the women remembered the words of Jesus.
Final prayer for every day
This prayer is done at the end of each daily meditation recitation, every day of the novena:
Father, who gives us comfort and is filled with immense mercy and goodness, you were able to give us Mary to be the model Mother of all Christians, so that our faith might increase and she might give us strength for our hope, and that the virtue of charity might be born in us, so that it might be the sign of the love you have for all of us.
You, who know better than anyone what our sorrows and pains are, we ask that through your will you may free us from them. We also ask that nothing, no person, may separate us from you and your love, and that our desire to live may never be taken away from us. Today we raise this prayer to you through Jesus Christ, who is Our Lord, your Son, the Son of Mary, the Virgin of Sorrows, who lives and reigns at your side throughout all the centuries. Amen.
Poem to the 7 Sorrows of the Virgin Mary
This poem is a beautiful compilation that was made in honor of the Dolorous Virgin, and her seven sorrows, in which she is exalted as the Mother of God.
Today I ask you, Queen full of Glory, Daughter of our eternal Father, who were the mother of the Divine Word, and the spouse of the Holy Spirit, I ask you to grant me compassionate protection for sinners, with devotion, tears and fervor, with compassion and much affection through your seven sorrows.
In your first pain, I feel like that prophecy of Simeon that told you, that a sword would pierce you with great pain, Oh My Mother! What a day of rigor for us that would be.
In your second pain, I feel that our beloved Jesus in an unexpected warning to Egypt in winter sent you Oh what an eternal feeling!, with longing, fear and pain, in your chest it felt.
In your third pain, it pains me that your heart was pierced, when your son was lost, and that he did not pass until he was found. Oh with what pain and care! You lost your son and that Mother would not look for him.
In your fourth sorrow it pains me to see your son on the ground with a cross, so you went to help him and encourage him and a gang of wild beasts prevented you from doing so, how cruel this cruelty and rudeness would be for you.
In your fifth pain it hurts me to see you cry at the foot of the cross, there you saw the cruelties they did so that the voice would only say Holy, holy, holy. Oh what anguish! It would be everything that afflicted you there.
In your sixth pain it hurts me to see your son in your arms, that Jesus badly wounded and all shattered. Oh what great agony! What a sad life, my mother, in your chest you would feel.
In your seventh and last pain, it hurts me very tenderly, that you left it buried in a cold cave. Oh what great bitterness! Your chest would feel when without it you already saw yourself.
I hope just as I tell you that through your seven pains we can achieve the favors of this your hurt devotee, what crime did our dear teacher, Jesus, your son, commit, that's why on this day we make you a Hail Mary.
The Seven Graces of Our Lady of Sorrows to Saint Bridget
It is said that the Virgin Mary of Sorrows appeared to Saint Bridget, giving her the message that those who honored her daily along with their pains and tears and prayed seven Hail Marys, would be granted seven graces in their lives:
- It would give their families peace.
- They would have illumination in the Divine Mysteries.
- He would give them comfort in their sorrows and be their companion in their work.
- He would give them everything that was asked of him as long as they did not oppose the will of his divine son and the sanctification of souls.
- In their spiritual struggles he would defend them against any enemy and give them protection at any time in their lives.
- Give them assistance at the moment of death, there they would see the face of their Mother.
- She would get from her Divine Son that those souls who made the propagation of her devotion to her tears and her pains could have in this earthly life a great eternal happiness since their sins would be erased and that her Son and her would be our consolation and happiness.
Rosary to Our Lady of Sorrows
If you make this Rosary to Our Lady of Sorrows, you must do it with true faith and repentance, so that you get forgiveness for your sins and so that your soul is freed from your guilt and repentance. At the beginning you must make the sign of the cross: In the name of the Father, the son and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Opening Prayer
This prayer is made at the beginning of the Rosary, firstly to offer it to the seven sorrows of Mary and secondly, for the intentions of healing and health that are desired for someone in particular.
My God and Lord! I offer you this rosary that is for your glory, to honor you as the Holy Mother, our Virgin Mary, to share and meditate on all the suffering you went through, with humility I beg you to help me repent of all my sins, I I ask that you give me wisdom and make me a more humble person so that I can receive your indulgences with love and kindness through this Prayer. Amen.
Act of Contrition
The act of contrition is the way of asking for forgiveness or repenting of sins, before praying the mysteries of the rosary.
OMG! Today I feel very sorry for having caused you such serious offenses, since I know that I can lose heaven and suffer from the pains of hell, but it weighs me more because I offended you who are a good god and that the only thing you expect from me it is my love, today I firmly desire and through your help, confess my sins, do the penances that they order and correct the path of my life. Amen. (At the end, pray 3 Hail Marys).
First Sorrowful Mystery
Simeon makes his prophecy to Mary right at the time of purification, when, according to the Law of Moses, they were to take the child to the Temple in Jerusalem and present him to the Lord. From the moment they presented him, the law stated that any male who opened the womb would be called holy and belonged to the Lord. There, Simeon holds the child in his arms, and his heart is lifted up by the Holy Spirit. He recognizes him as the promised savior, and for that reason he praises God for giving him life to contemplate the Messiah.
Now he could die in peace. He blessed them and told Mary that her son would be the cause of many in Israel to fall and rise, and that he would be a sword piercing her heart. Mary already knew that her son would be the Savior of all mankind, and she accepted Simeon's prophecy, understanding his words.
Even so, her heart was heavy and she was filled with confusion, for she knew the suffering and death that her son must endure, so every time she looked at him she thought of this suffering that he must endure and that was also the cause of her suffering.
Prayer
This prayer is made after the description of each mystery and at the end, the Our Father and the seven Hail Marys are prayed.
Beloved Mother, your heart must have suffered a pain greater than expected. We ask you to teach us to suffer at your side and to show us the love you have, so that we may accept the suffering that God deems necessary for us to endure. Grant that we may suffer, and that through our suffering, only the Lord may know it, just as he knew yours and Jesus's. Do not let the world know our sorrows; may they have meaning, and may this meaning serve as atonement for our sins.
Your Mother who suffered next to your son Our Savior, we give you all our suffering and that of the world since we are your children, we ask you to join all that suffering together with yours and those of your Holy Son Jesus Christ, so that they may be taken before God our Creator, and that he knows that we are his work, since you are the best mother in the world.
Pray the Our Father and three Hail Marys.
Second Sorrowful Mystery
The family must flee to Egypt, following a message Joseph receives in a dream from an angel. Mary's heart is filled with sadness, and they rise in haste and flee to Egypt because Herod had ordered all the little boys to be killed in order to destroy the Messiah. She takes her son in her arms and they hurry, but God has power over all things and that's why he helps them in their escape, showing them the way just as he shows us the way so that we know how to reach our destination without being caught by our enemies.
Mary's heart grew more distressed. It was winter and cold. Tired, sleepy, and hungry, they made the long journey, seeking only safety and comfort for their son, always fearing that the soldiers would find them, since they hadn't left Bethlehem. During that time, her heart was always troubled, but she knew they would reach a place where they would be welcomed.
Third Sorrowful Mystery
Jesus is lost in the temple, he was the only Son of God and also of Mary, and she loved him more than anything since God was her father. When she lost him for three days in the temple of Jerusalem, she thought that the world was immense and that she was alone and she thought that she could not live without him, it was a great pain since Jesus had never caused her any affliction and was very obedient. to their earthly parents.
She felt guilty for having lost him, but in reality Jesus no longer needed to be cared for by her, the pain she felt was that Jesus had stayed without her permission. That same pain she would feel when Jesus was abandoned by his apostles in his passion and death.
Fourth Sorrowful Mystery
Mary is one of the people who sees her son being led to Calvary, carrying his heavy cross, to be crucified on it. She must have seen him growing weaker as the soldiers kept whipping him, and her heart grew more anguished and painful. Between the pressures and the shoving, he lost more and more energy, until he fell, exhausted and unable to get up. Mary's eyes filled with love and tears until she met Jesus's eyes, in which she saw pain and blood.
Both hearts were carrying a very heavy burden; every pain Jesus feels, she feels it, but she also knows that she can do nothing but continue believing and trusting in God and giving him her sufferings so that everything would be in his hands.
Fifth Sorrowful Mystery
Mary followed her son through all this suffering until they reached Calvary. Her suffering was silent. She saw him fall several times with his cross, and each time he was beaten by the soldiers, forcing him to get up. She knew her son was innocent, but they still mocked him. Mary suffered and wept. They humiliated him when they took his clothes. Mary's heart ached when her son was nailed to the cross. Her pain was intense, since neither she nor Jesus knew what sin was, since they had always been invested with holiness.
Every nail they placed in his body, Mary felt the pain in her heart, and with each pain, her life was drained away. When the cross was raised, it shook violently, causing the weight of Our Lord to tear at his aching flesh, and the pain tore through his body like molten iron. For three hours, he suffered hanging on the cross, but he also suffered as he watched his mother suffer for him. She lay at his feet until he died. Then he was taken down from the cross and placed in her arms; Mary cried out in pain.
Sixth Sorrowful Mystery
It was Jesus' friends, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, who took him down from the cross and placed him in Mary's arms. She knew that her son was God incarnate and that his role was to be the savior of humanity. She saw his body whipped and scourged, large strips of skin torn from his back, wounds from head to toe, and his head shattered by the thorns in the crown they had placed on him. Seeing him in that condition, she knew that his suffering and agony were very intense.
She cleansed his body and in a short time she saw the life of her son since he was born in the manger, she was very distressed since they had to prepare his burial, but she became stronger and braver, and became the Queen of Martyrs, she anointed her son and prayed that he could see his riches in paradise and that he would reach heaven and she also prayed for every soul in this world to be received with love by God.
Seventh Sorrowful Mystery
Jesus was carried to a tomb in a hollowed-out rock, but his life was always linked to Mary's, and she believed that he would continue to live; she found solace in the knowledge that her son's suffering was over. As a mother, she, with the help of John and the holy women who always accompanied him, carried his body with great care and devotion, leaving him alone there.
Mary goes home and there she continues to suffer, since for the first time she is alone without Jesus, she did not know what loneliness was until that moment, it was a new bitter and painful feeling, each time her heart died little by little since her son had died, but she knew the prophecy of his resurrection.
Therefore, Queen of Martyrs, for that heart that suffered, we pray that through your tears shed for your Sacred Son in those sad and painful moments, you may obtain for us and for all those who have sinned the graces of complete sincerity and true repentance.
Note: After reading each mystery, pray the prayer detailed in the first mystery, followed by the Our Father and the seven Hail Marys. At the end, repeat three times: Mary, conceived without sin, and who suffered for us all, we ask you to pray for us. Conclude the rosary by making the sign of the cross.
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