The Seven Sorrows Rosary
The Rosary of the Seven Sorrows originally was revealed to St. Bridget of Sweden in the 14th Century and regained popularity due to the apparition of Our Lady of Kibeho in Rwanda (1980’s) where Mary urged people to pray this rosary.
It consists of praying seven sets of an Our Father and seven Hail Marys while meditating on the Seven Sorrows of Mary. Her Seven Sorrows are based on Scripture and help us to meditate on the suffering Mary endured as the Mother of Jesus. Through meditating on her Seven Sorrows we can come to understand more deeply her love for her Son and her love for us. Our Lady of Sorrows Feast Day is September 15th.
The prayers and instructions on how to pray this rosary, as well as options to pray along with us via video and audio, can be found below. You can also find some links for where to find a Seven Sorrows Rosary here.
You can also access our other videos here and audio recordings here.
Prayers for the Seven Sorrows Rosary
Begin with the Sign of the Cross:
In the name of The Father, and The Son, and The Holy Spirit. Amen.
Introductory Prayer:
My God, I offer You this Rosary for Your glory, so I can honor your Holy Mother, the Blessed Virgin, so I can share and meditate upon her suffering. I humbly beg you to give me true repentance for all my sins. Give me wisdom and humility, so that I may receive all the indulgences contained in this prayer.
Act of Contrition:
O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended You, and I detest all my sins because I dread the loss of Heaven and the pains of hell; but most of all because they offend You, my God, You Who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Your grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen.
After the Act of Contrition:
Pray 3 Hail Mary’s
Then pray: Most Merciful Mother, remind us always about the Sorrows of your Son, Jesus.
For each Sword of Sorrow below, pray 1 Our Father and 7 Hail Mary’s. Then conclude with:
Most Merciful Mother, remind us always about the Sorrows of your Son, Jesus.
The First Sword of Sorrow: The Prophecy of Simeon (Luke 2:22-35)
The Second Sword of Sorrow: The Flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13-15)
The Third Sword of Sorrow: The Loss of Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:41-52)
The Fourth Sword of Sorrow: Mary Meets Jesus on the Way to Calvary (Luke 23:27-31)
The Fifth Sword of Sorrow: Mary Stands at the Foot of the Cross (John 19:25-27)
The Sixth Sword of Sorrow: Mary Receives the Dead Body of Jesus in Her Arms (John 19:38-40)
The Seventh Sword of Sorrow: The Body of Jesus is Placed in the Tomb (John 19:41-42)
Concluding Prayer:
Queen of Martyrs, your heart suffered so much. I beg you, by the merits of the tears you shed in these terrible and sorrowful times, to obtain for me and all the sinners of the world the grace of complete sincerity and repentance. Amen.
Three times, pray:
Mary, who was conceived without sin and who suffered for us, pray for us.
Then end with Sign of the Cross:
In the name of The Father, and The Son, and The Holy Spirit. Amen.
About the Seven Sorrows Rosary
The Rosary of the Seven Sorrows dates back to the Middle Ages, but it gained new popularity following the Marian apparitions in Kibeho, which have been approved by the Catholic Church. During Mary’s apparitions to Marie-Claire Mukangango, she assigned the young visionary a mission to reintroduce this special rosary to the world. Before her untimely death, Marie Claire did just that, traveling widely to teach it to thousands of people, who then taught it to thousands of others. (Marie-Claire was killed in the genocide of over a million people in Rwanda, a tragedy that was foretold through visions of rivers of blood that the young people in Kibeho received several years before the killings.)
She (the Holy Virgin) promised that when prayed with an open and repentant heart, the rosary would win us the Lord’s forgiveness for our sins and free our souls from guilt and remorse. She also promised that over time, the rosary would develop within us a deep understanding of why we sin, and that knowledge would give us the wisdom and strength to change or remove any internal flaws, weaknesses of character, or personality faults causing unhappiness and keeping us from enjoying the joyous life God intended for us.
(“About” text above shared from: https://7sorrowsrosaries.com/pages/seven-sorrows-rosary)
Looking for a Seven Sorrows Rosary?
If you don’t have a Seven Sorrows rosary, I’ve provided some links below where you can find them:
- Merciful Mother Rosaries (these are custom-made rosaries)
- PAX Goods
- Etsy
- Amazon
- The Catholic Company
Seven Sorrows Rosary Prayer Cards Available
Now available in 2 sizes: Regular Size (4.25×5.5″, folded) and Large Print (5×7″, folded)
If you’d like a Seven Sorrows Rosary Prayer Card mailed to you or to someone you know, please choose the appropriate option below. Please contact Laura@healingheartofjesus.com with any questions.
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