Prayer of the Seven Sorrows of the Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus
First Sorrow: The Prophecy of Simeon at the Presentation of the Child Jesus
Virgin Mary, through the sorrow you felt when Simeon foretold that a sword of sorrow would pierce your soul because of the sufferings of Jesus, revealing that your part in our redemption would also be marked by suffering, we accompany you in this sorrow.
Through its merits, make us worthy children of yours and teach us to imitate your virtues.
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.
Second Sorrow: The Flight into Egypt with Jesus and Joseph
Virgin Mary, through the sorrow you felt when you had to flee suddenly to a distant land and endure great hardship, especially while your Son was still so young; soon after his birth, the One who came to bring us eternal life was already being threatened with death. We accompany you in this sorrow.
Through its merits, teach us always to flee from the temptations of the devil.
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.
Third Sorrow: The Loss of the Child Jesus
Virgin Mary, through the tears you shed and the sorrow you felt when you lost your Son and searched for him in anguish for three days, wondering what might have happened to him at an age when he still depended on your care and that of Saint Joseph, we accompany you in this sorrow.
Through its merits, keep young people from losing their way.
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.
Fourth Sorrow: Meeting Jesus Carrying the Cross to Calvary
Virgin Mary, through the tears you shed and the sorrow you felt when you saw your Son carrying the cross as though he bore the weight of our sins and the instrument of his own death: he, the Creator of life, accepted for our sake the humiliation of being condemned to death on a cross. He had been scourged like a criminal and, though he is the true King of kings, crowned with thorns. He endured physical agony, mockery, and humiliation, humbling himself beyond measure to raise us from sin. We accompany you in this sorrow.
Through its merits, make us worthy servants of so great a King and teach us to be humble as he was.
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.
Fifth Sorrow: The Crucifixion and Agony of Jesus
Virgin Mary, through the tears you shed and the sorrow you felt when you saw the cruelty of the nails driven into the hands and feet of your beloved Son, and then watched him suffer on the cross: to give us life, he carried his Passion to death. At that supreme moment of his Passion, you too must have felt as though you were dying of grief. We accompany you in this sorrow.
Through its merits, do not let us die through sin, and enable us to receive the fruits of redemption.
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.
Sixth Sorrow: The Piercing of Jesus' Side and Receiving His Body
Virgin Mary, through the tears you shed and the sorrow you felt when a lance pierced the heart of your Son, as though it had pierced your own heart. His divine Heart is the sign of the great love Jesus bore not only for you, his Mother, but also for us, for whom he gave his life. You had once held your smiling and loving Son in your arms; now his lifeless body was returned to you, a victim of human cruelty and of our sins. We accompany you in this sorrow.
Through its merits, teach us to love Jesus as he loved us.
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.
Seventh Sorrow: The Burial of Jesus and the Solitude of Mary
Virgin Mary, through the tears you shed and the sorrow you felt at the burial of your Son: he, the Creator and Lord of the universe, was laid in the earth. His humility continued to the final moment. Although you knew he would rise on the third day, the reality of death remained. Jesus, perfect innocence and infinite goodness, was tortured and put to the most shameful death to redeem us from our sins. You, our Mother, accompanied him in all his suffering and were now left in deep affliction. We accompany you in this sorrow.
Through its merits, obtain for each of us the particular grace for which we now ask...
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.
Our Mother,
you stood serene and strong beside the cross of Jesus.
You offered your Son to the Father
for the redemption of the world.
In one sense you lost him,
for he had to be about his Father's business,
yet you gained him as the Redeemer of the world,
the friend who lays down his life for his friends.
Mary, how beautiful it is to hear the words of Jesus from the cross:
"Behold your son" and "Behold your Mother."
How good it is to welcome you into our home as John did.
We want always to welcome you into our home.
Our home is the place where we live,
but above all it is the heart,
where the Most Holy Trinity dwells.
Amen.