SEVEN PRAYERS IN HONOR
OF THE SEVEN SORROWS OF 
THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

These seven prayers presented in this format were approved by Pope Pius VII in 1815. We also have each of these prayers on single pages, along with illustrated commentary for each one, as linked below. They start with the following introduction: (they use a familiar verse/response pattern for groups, but you can say each of these lines by yourself, of course!)

There is also a 7 Sorrows Rosary, which our Blessed Mother highly recommended when she appeared in Rwanda, in Africa, as Our Lady of Kibeho in the 1980's, covering these specific events in our Lady's life.

In meditating on them in either this format below or in the 7 Sorrows Rosary linked above, we see right away how our Blessed Mother is also our Sorrowful Mother! We can give her great comfort in praying these prayers either way!

It is also worth pointing out here that the exorcist Father Chad Ripperger has noted that Our Lady of Sorrows’ assistance is quite powerful in the conversion of family members by blocking demons, as mentioned here and here.

He once said that “The negative side is that you’ve got to get the demons out of their lives so that they don’t block the operations of grace and influence the individual. You also have to pray for the grace for them to start leading a moral life.”As Father Ripperger continued “Our Lady under the title of Our Lady of Sorrows is the one to go to for those kinds of graces.”

Our Lady, who is filled with grace, of course, can also help you with much needed graces as you strive for sanctity. Father Ripperger has also noted that, in praying to her as Our Lady of Sorrows, she can reveal your own spiritual defects, your sinful proclivities as it were, so you can fight against these sins with the corresponding virtues, such as humility over pride, temperance over gluttony, and chastity over lust for some prominent examples.

And of course, devotion to our Lady of Sorrows, our Sorrowful Mother, is a great way to comfort her in these days when she sees Her Son and His church suffering so much indifference, opprobrium, blasphemy, and even apostasy in these dark days!

We have an additional page here which covers the devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows, along with these prayers below, in more detail.

V. O God, come to my assistance
R. O Lord, make haste to help me
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen 

(The Hail Mary is prayed a total of eight times, including once after each of the seven prayers.)

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

[For the First Sorrow - The Prophecy of Simeon:]

I grieve for thee, O Mary most sorrowful, in the affliction of thy tender heart at the prophecy of the holy and aged Simeon. Dear Mother, by thy heart so afflicted, obtain for me the virtue of humility and the gift of the holy fear of God

Hail Mary, etc.

[For the Second Sorrow – The Flight Into Egypt:]

I grieve for thee, O Mary most sorrowful, in the anguish of thy most affectionate heart during the flight into Egypt and thy sojourn there. Dear Mother, by thy heart so troubled, obtain for me the virtue of generosity, especially toward the poor, and the gift of piety.

Hail Mary, etc.

[For the Third Sorrow – The Loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple:]

I grieve for thee, O Mary most sorrowful, in those anxieties which tried thy troubled heart at the loss of thy dear Jesus. Dear Mother, by thy heart so full of anguish, obtain for me the virtue of chastity and the gift of knowledge.

Hail Mary, etc.

[For the Fourth Sorrow- Mary Meets Jesus on the Way to Calvary:]

I grieve for thee, O Mary most sorrowful in the consternation of thy heart at meeting Jesus as he carried His Cross. Dear Mother, by thy heart so troubled, obtain for me the virtue of patience and the gift of fortitude.

Hail Mary, etc.

[For the Fifth Sorrow- Jesus Dies on the Cross:]

I grieve for thee O Mary, most sorrowful, in the martyrdom which thy generous heart endured in standing near Jesus in His agony. Dear Mother, by thy afflicted heart, obtain for me the virtue of temperance and the gift of counsel.

Hail Mary, etc.

[For the Sixth Sorrow- Mary Receives Jesus:]

I grieve for thee, O Mary most sorrowful, in the wounding of thy compassionate heart, when the side of Jesus was struck by the lance and His Heart was pierced before His body was removed from the Cross. Dear Mother, by thy heart thus transfixed, obtain for me the virtue of fraternal charity and the gift of understanding.

Hail Mary, etc.

[For the Seventh Sorrow- Jesus is Placed in the Tomb:]

I grieve for thee, O Mary most sorrowful, for the pangs that wrenched thy most loving heart at the burial of Jesus. Dear Mother, by thy heart sunk in the bitterness of desolation, obtain for me virtue of diligence and the gift of wisdom.

Hail Mary, etc.

After the seven prayers, we conclude with the following:

V. Pray for us, O Virgin most sorrowful 
R. That we made be worthy of the promises of Christ

Let us Pray

Let intercession be made for us, we beseech Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, now and at the hour of our death, before the throne of Thy mercy, by the Blessed Virgin Mary, Thy Mother, whose most holy soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow in the hour of Thy bitter Passion. Through Thee, Jesus Christ, Savior of the world, Who with the Father and the Holy Ghost lives and reigns, world without end. Amen.