Pray the Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary, meditating on the seven sorrows that pierced the heart of Our Lady throughout the life and Passion of her Son, Jesus Christ.

September is traditionally associated with devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows, and on September 15 the Church celebrates the Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows, immediately following the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

In this prayer, we meditate on:

1. The Prophecy of Simeon — “And thy own soul a sword shall pierce.” (Luke 2:35)
2. The Flight into Egypt
3. The Loss of Jesus for Three Days
4. The Way to Calvary
5. The Crucifixion
6. The Descent from the Cross
7. The Burial of Jesus

Each sorrow is followed by a prayer asking Our Lady to obtain a particular virtue for us: humility, generosity, chastity, patience, temperance, fraternal charity, and diligence.

The devotion to the Seven Sorrows has deep roots in Catholic tradition, particularly through the Servite Order, which helped spread devotion to the Sorrows of Mary. The faithful have long contemplated Mary standing beside the suffering Christ and united their own sufferings to His Passion through her.

The purpose of this devotion is not simply to dwell on sorrow. By contemplating the heart of Mary united to the Passion of Christ, we are led more deeply into the mystery of Christ’s sacrifice, the seriousness of sin, the value of every human soul, and the call to pray and work for the salvation of souls.

Traditional accounts of the devotion also speak of seven special graces associated with honoring Our Lady’s Sorrows, including peace in families, enlightenment concerning divine mysteries, consolation in suffering, assistance in spiritual battle, and help at the hour of death. These are traditional devotional promises associated with the Seven Sorrows and should be understood within the Church’s broader teaching on grace, prayer, and perseverance.

At the end of the chaplet, we pray the beautiful Prayer of St. Alphonsus de Liguori, asking Our Lady to obtain for us the grace to truly love God.

Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us.

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