It is a relief to be able to say to God that “Yes, I am hurting now.” Some things are downright hurtful, wrong, and painful and there is no way around it.  In this context, I have taken comfort in saying the rosary of seven sorrows as I meditate on Our Lady’s Sorrows and apply my own circumstances. In case you haven’t heard of it, it is just like a regular rosary except there are seven sets of seven beads, instead of five sets of ten beads.  Each set corresponds to a certain sorrowful moment in Our Lady’s life on earth. 

“Turn your eyes incessantly to the Blessed Virgin; she, who is the Mother of Sorrows and also the Mother of Consolation, can understand you completely and help you. Looking to her, praying to her, you will obtain that your tedium will become serenity, your anguish change into hope and your grief into love.”

— Saint John Paul II

History of The Seven Sorrows Rosary

To give a brief history, the devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows began with seven cloth merchants in Florence, Italy joined by friendship and a strong devotion to Our Lady.  They eventually left their profession and their fineries to seek solitude and formed a community to dedicate themselves to prayer and penance outside the city walls. In year 1239, while they were meditating on the Our Lord’s Passion and Our Lady’s Sufferings, the Blessed Mother appeared to them and revealed her wish to form an Order dedicated to practicing and promoting the devotion to Her Sorrows. This new order was named Order of Servants of Mary (Servites). The Seven Holy Founders were the first to introduce the Rosary (or Chaplet) of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary. All of the founders have been canonized as saints.

The graces and promises associated with this Rosary are told by St Alphonsus de Liguori in his work the Glories of Mary. He refers to the revelation made to Saint Elizabeth of Hungary at the request of our Lady. Our Lady of Sorrows appeared to St Bridget of Sweden in 14^th century and added more promises to the seven sorrows rosary. It was promoted by Our Lady of Kibeho once again in 1980s to a visionary Marie-Claire Mukangango in Rwanda. To view the complete list of graces and promises for this devotion, please refer to the end of this article.

This rosary consists of seven sets of seven beads.  There are seven mysteries representing moments of Sorrow experienced by our Sorrowful Mother. Many variations are introduced online, with some being more extensive than others. We pray the Lord’s prayer on the big beads and Hail Mary on the small beads. Here is a quick example of how I pray, but please feel free to make adjustment whatever applies to your life now:

Ready? Let’s ask the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Seven Sorrows Rosary

The First Sorrow: The Prophecy of Simon and Anna

Let us pray for all parents who must bear a bad news about their child, whether it be a medical diagnosis, report from school, report from law enforcement, or it may be your own observation.

The Second Sorrow: The Flight into Egypt

Let us pray for those who give up something good to obey God: family, location, job, friends, comforts of life, possessions, routines, fellowship.

The Third Sorrow: The Loss of the Child Jesus at the Temple

Let us pray for parents who have lost their child either physically or spiritually to miscarriage, abortion, crime, suicide, puberty, the secular world, bad company, drugs, alcohol, misunderstanding, mental illness, etc.

The Fourth Sorrow: The Condemnation of Jesus

Let us pray for those burdened by sins, and those who are persecuted. Help us to witness for you courageously.

The Fifth Sorrow: The Crucifixion of Jesus

Help us to stand with Mary in our most darkest hours. Help us not to give in to hate or apathy but choose to forgive and persevere, trusting in God’s plan.

The Sixth Sorrow: The Retrieval of Jesus’ Body

Let us pray for those who have lost a loved one.  Help all those who are sorrowful.

The Seventh Sorrow: The Burial of Jesus

Let us pray that we offer up part of us which must die, so that we live in Christ.

Finish with 1 Our Father for the Father’s heart that was shattered by the loss of His Son, and 3 Hail Marys for Our Lady’s tears.

Graces and Promises

According to St. Alphonsus de Liguori (The Glories of Mary) it was revealed to Saint Elizabeth that at the request of Our Lady, Our Lord promised four principal graces to those devoted to Her Sorrows:

1. That those who before death invoke the divine Mother in the name of Her Sorrows will obtain true repentance of all their sins;
2. That He will protect all who have this devotion in their tribulations, and will protect them especially at the hour of death;
3. That He will impress on their minds the remembrance of His Passion;
4. That He will place such devout servants in Mother Mary’s hands to do with them as She wishes and to obtain for them all the graces She desires.

In addition to these four graces there are also seven promises attached to the practice of daily praying seven Hail Mary’s while meditating on Our Lady’s Tears and Sorrows.

These seven promises were revealed to St. Bridget of Sweden:

1. I will grant peace to their families.
2. They will be enlightened about the divine Mysteries.
3. I will console them in their pains and I will accompany them in their work.
4. I will give them as much as they ask for as long as it does not oppose the adorable will of My divine Son or the sanctification of their souls.
5. I will defend them in their spiritual battles with the infernal enemy and I will protect them at every instant of their lives.
6. I will visibly help them at the moment of their death — they will see the face of their Mother.
7. I have obtained this grace from My divine Son, that those who propagate this devotion to My tears and sorrows will be taken directly from this earthly life to eternal happiness, since all their sins will be forgiven and My Son will be their eternal consolation and joy.