Rosary of the Seven Sorrows
of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Seven Sorrows of Mary, Simon Bening, from the Prayer Book of Cardinal Albrecht, Flemish (Bruges), c. 1525-1530
How to Pray the Rosary of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Rosary of the Seven Sorrows consists, in various forms, of a crucifix or medal, three beads, followed by seven sets of a single bead and then seven beads.
Rosary of the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady
1. Pray the Introductory Prayers (on the medal or Cross).
2. Announce the First Sorrow; then pray the Our Father.
3. Pray seven Hail Mary’s while meditating on the Sorrow.
4. At the conclusion of each Sorrow, pray “Holy Mother hear my prayers, and renew in my heart each wound of Jesus my Saviour.”
5. Repeat steps 2 - 4 for all seven Sorrows.
6. Pray three Hail Mary’s in honour of the tears of Our Sorrowful Mother (on the three final beads).
7. Pray the Closing Prayers.
8. You may also wish to pray the Litany of the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady.
Introductory Prayers
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
My God, I offer you this rosary for your glory. I want to honour your Holy Mother, the Blessed Virgin, by meditating upon and sharing in her suffering.
O my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, trusting in your infinite love I turn to you for forgiveness and mercy. I am truly sorry for the pains you suffered in your most bitter Passion because of my sins. For love of you, and before your holy presence, I utterly renounce and forsake all the sins of my whole life. I ask pardon of you with all my heart. I firmly resolve to amend my life and would rather die than offend you again.
O Blessed Virgin Mary, you are our tender Mother and the refuge of sinners. I run to you with confidence and love. Hide me under your mantle of love and protection. As I meditate upon the swords of sorrow that pierced your Immaculate Heart, obtain for me the forgiveness of my sins and the grace to live a life of heroic holiness.
O Blessed Mother, I unite my heart to yours and
offer this rosary for priests: for their growth in
holiness, obedience to the Magisterium, boldness
in the proclamation of the Gospel, and a
profound love for the people of God. May all
priests humbly lead the souls entrusted to their
care into an intimate relationship with the Lord.
[I also pray for the following particular intentions…]
V. Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and enkindle in them the fire of your love.
R. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created, and you shall renew the face of the earth.
The First Sword of Sorrow
Simeon announces the suffering destiny of Jesus (Luke 2:34-35).
O Mother of Sorrows, how deeply your heart was pierced with sorrow when Simeon announced that Jesus, your beloved Child, was to be a sign that would be rejected. Your heart knew that He was to be the suffering Messiah the prophets had foretold, the man of sorrows, who would carry all our sins and heal us by His wounds. Through this bitter sorrow obtain for us the grace never to reject Jesus or refuse Him anything. Help us to completely surrender our lives to Him and to live according to His most holy will in everything.
Pray the Our Father and seven Hail Mary’s.
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.
Hail Mary
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst 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.
Holy Mother hear my prayers, and renew in my heart each wound of Jesus my Saviour
The Second Sword of Sorrow
Mary escapes into Egypt with Jesus and Joseph (Matt 2:13-15).
O Mother of Sorrows, what pain filled your heart as you fled your home and country knowing that the tyrant Herod was intent on murdering your little Child whom you loved above all else. The hardships of travel, the long journey, and life as a refugee was nothing compared to the torment of such demonic malice directed toward Jesus. Through this bitter sword of sorrow obtain for us the grace never to risk the life of Jesus in our souls through deliberate sin.
Pray the Our Father and seven Hail Mary’s.
Holy Mother hear my prayers, and renew in my heart each wound of Jesus my Saviour.
The Third Sword of Sorrow
Mary seeks Jesus lost in Jerusalem (Luke 2:41-51).
O Mother of Sorrows, what grief filled your heart as you and Joseph searched desperately for Jesus when you could not find Him among your relatives and friends returning home from Jerusalem. When your Son replied that He must be about His Father’s business, you accepted that He had begun the mission that would lead to His sacrificial death. The sorrow of those three days of separation prepared you for the three days of suffering you endured while His body lay lifeless in the tomb. Through this bitter sword of sorrow obtain for us the grace to accept the ways of Divine Providence even when we do not understand them.
Pray the Our Father and seven Hail Mary’s.
Holy Mother hear my prayers, and renew in my heart each wound of Jesus my Saviour.
The Fourth Sword of Sorrow
Mary meets Jesus as He carries His Cross to Calvary (cf. Luke 23:26-31).
O Mother of Sorrows, how it must have wounded your tender maternal heart to see your beloved Son Jesus carrying His Cross to Calvary, the place of execution! How it must have pained you to see Him so bloodied, beaten, and reviled as He strained to fulfill His deepest desire: to give His life as a ransom for us. Through this bitter sword of sorrow obtain for us the grace to deny ourselves, pick up our crosses, and follow Jesus with perseverance and love.
Pray the Our Father and seven Hail Mary’s.
Holy Mother hear my prayers, and renew in my heart each wound of Jesus my Saviour.
The Fifth Sword of Sorrow
Mary stands near the Cross of her Son Jesus (John 19:25-27).
O Mother of Sorrows, here the prophecy of Simeon comes to its ultimate fulfillment: the sword of sorrow impales your heart as you stand beneath the Cross of your Son. Crucified spiritually with your crucified Son, you offered Him to the Father and united yourself completely to His self-offering and sacrificial death. We simply cannot fathom the pain of your offering or the depth of love that inspired it. Through this bitter sword of sorrow obtain for us the grace to unite all our sufferings to our crucified Lord with unselfish generosity and love.
Pray the Our Father and seven Hail Mary’s.
Holy Mother hear my prayers, and renew in my heart each wound of Jesus my Saviour.
The Sixth Sword of Sorrow
Mary receives into her arms the body of Jesus taken down from the Cross (cf. John 19:38).
O Mother of Sorrows, your heart was drowned in grief as you embraced the lifeless corpse of your Son. He who was your very life was now dead. Your light in this life was extinguished. Yet you accepted this sorrow with love knowing that it was all part of the Father’s plan of salvation. Through this bitter sword of sorrow obtain for us the grace to accept with patience and love the sorrows that befall us in this vale of tears, firmly believing that God works all things to the good for those who love Him.
Pray the Our Father and seven Hail Mary’s.
Holy Mother hear my prayers, and renew in my heart each wound of Jesus my Saviour.
The Seventh Sword of Sorrow
Mary helps place the body of Jesus in the tomb (cf. John 19:39-42).
O Mother of Sorrows, who could express the cruel anguish of this moment? The same Child that you once wrapped in swaddling clothes amidst unspeakable joy, you now wrap silently in His burial shroud. Your tears mingle with the blood and dirt that covers His broken body. But even in this moment your trust in His promise did not die. Your mourning was not without hope, for you knew that He would rise again from this grave just as He promised. Through this bitter sword of sorrow obtain for us the grace to believe with unshakable hope in the victory of our Lord even in the darkest moments of life.
Pray the Our Father and seven Hail Mary’s.
Holy Mother hear my prayers, and renew in my heart each wound of Jesus my Saviour.
Pray three Hail Mary’s in honour of the tears of Our Sorrowful Mother.
Closing Prayers
O Mary, you truly became the Queen of all martyrs as these seven bitter swords of sorrow pierced your Immaculate Heart! By the merits of your tearful distress obtain for us and for all sinners the graces of perfect contrition and conversion. Help us always, dear Mother, to imitate you by taking up our crosses and following Jesus with limitless love and generosity. Amen.
Mary, who was conceived without sin and who suffered for us, pray for us. (Say three times).
Pieta of Villeneuve-les-Avignon, Enguerrand Quarton, French, c. 1460
Litany of Our Lady of Seven Sorrows
by Pope Pius VII
V. Lord, have mercy on us.
R. Christ, have mercy on us.
V. Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us.
R. Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.
Holy Virgin of virgins, pray for us.
Mother of the Crucified, pray for us.
Sorrowful Mother, pray for us.
Mournful Mother, pray for us.
Sighing Mother, pray for us.
Afflicted Mother, pray for us.
Forsaken Mother, pray for us.
Desolate Mother, pray for us.
Mother most sad, pray for us.
Mother set around with anguish, pray for us.
Mother overwhelmed by grief, pray for us.
Mother transfixed by a sword, pray for us.
Mother crucified in your heart, pray for us.
Mother bereaved of your Son, pray for us.
Sighing Dove, pray for us.
Mother of Sorrows, pray for us.
Fount of tears, pray for us.
Sea of bitterness, pray for us.
Field of tribulation, pray for us.
Mass of suffering, pray for us.
Mirror of patience, pray for us.
Rock of constancy, pray for us.
Remedy in perplexity, pray for us.
Joy of the afflicted, pray for us.
Ark of the desolate, pray for us.
Refuge of the abandoned, pray for us.
Shield of the oppressed, pray for us.
Conqueror of the incredulous, pray for us.
Solace of the wretched, pray for us.
Medicine of the sick, pray for us.
Help of the faint, pray for us.
Strength of the weak, pray for us.
Protectress of those who fight, pray for us.
Haven of the shipwrecked, pray for us.
Calmer of tempests, pray for us.
Companion of the sorrowful, pray for us.
Retreat of those who groan, pray for us.
Terror of the treacherous, pray for us.
Standard-bearer of the Martyrs, pray for us.
Treasure of the Faithful, pray for us.
Light of Confessors, pray for us.
Pearl of Virgins, pray for us.
Comfort of Widows, pray for us.
Joy of all Saints, pray for us.
Queen of your Servants, pray for us.
Holy Mary, who alone are beyond compare, pray for us.
V. Pray for us, most Sorrowful Virgin,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray. O God, in whose Passion, according to the prophecy of Simeon, a sword of grief pierced through the most sweet soul of Thy glorious Blessed Virgin Mother Mary: grant that we, who celebrate the memory of her Seven Sorrows, may obtain the happy effect of Your Passion, Who lives and reigns world without end. Amen.
Crucifixion, Fourth Panel from the Seven Sorrows Altarpiece, Flemish, c. 1510-1520
Collect
O God, at Whose Passion, according to the prophecy of Simeon, a sword of sorrow pierced the most sweet soul of the glorious Virgin and Mother Mary: mercifully grant, that we who with devotion honour her Sorrows, may obtain the happy fruit of Thy Passion: Who livest and reignest.
DEUS, in cujus Passióne, secúndum Simeónis prophetíam, dulcíssimam ánimam gloriósæ Vírginis et Matris Maríæ dolóris gládius pertransívit: concéde propítius; ut qui dolóres ejus venerándo recólimus, passiónis tuæ efféctum felícem consequámur: Qui vivis et regnas.
Consecration to Our Lady of Sorrows
Most holy Virgin and Queen of Martyrs, Mary, would that I could be in Heaven, there to contemplate the honours rendered to thee by the Most Holy Trinity and by the whole Heavenly Court! But since I am still a pilgrim in this vale of tears, receive from me, thy unworthy servant and a poor sinner, the most sincere homage and the most perfect act of vassalage a human creature can offer thee. In thy Immaculate Heart, pierced with so many swords of sorrow, I place today my poor soul forever; receive me as a partaker in thy dolours, and never suffer that I should depart from that Cross on which thy only begotten Son expired for me.
With thee, O Mary, I will endure all the sufferings, contradictions, infirmities, with which it will please thy Divine Son to visit me in this life. All of them I offer to thee, in memory of the Dolours which thou didst suffer during thy life, that every thought of my mind, every beating of my heart may henceforward be an act of compassion to thy Sorrows, and of complacency for the glory thou now enjoyest in Heaven.
Since then, O Dear Mother, I now compassionate thy Dolours, and rejoice in seeing thee glorified, do thou also have compassion on me, and reconcile me to thy Son Jesus, that I may become thy true and loyal son (daughter); come on my last day and assist me in my last agony, even as thou wert present at the Agony of thy Divine Son Jesus, that from this painful exile I may go to Heaven, there to be made partaker of thy glory. Amen.
This Collect and Consecration first posted on the Feast of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
15 September 2023
There is also a Rosary of the Seven Joys of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Virgin of the Seven Sorrows, Painter in the Low Countries, late 16th Century
This Webpage first posted on
The Commemoration of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Friday in Passion Week,
31 March 2023.
Immaculate Queen of Peace, pray for us.
Immaculata Regina Pacis, ora pro nobis.
