From the desk of the Tar Heel disciple:
September 9, 2025
Prior to the reform of the general (Roman) liturgical calendar of the Catholic Church in 1969, there were two feasts of Our Lady of Sorrows: one on the Friday before Palm Sunday and one on September 15. (While the former was abolished in 1969, in the third edition of the revised Roman Missal [2002], an optional collect for the Mass of that day which reflects the Marian devotion was restored). In 1814, Pope Pius VII had established the third Sunday of September as the feast of the Seven Dolors (Sorrows) of the Blessed Virgin Mary for the entire Latin rite Church. In another reform of the calendar, in 1912, which was intended to give prominence to Sundays over the feast days of the saints, Pope Pius X moved this Marian feast to the day after the feast of the Holy Cross (celebrated on September 14), where it now remains, thus symbolically and liturgically placing the Virgin Mary at the foot of the Cross of her son.
Since their founding in the 13th century, the Servite Friars have greatly promoted devotion to the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary through the special chaplet for that purpose and the black scapular.
The seven sorrows are generally recognized as:
1. The prophecy of Simeon
2. The flight into Egypt
3. The loss of Jesus for three days in the temple
4. Meeting Jesus on his way to Calvary
5. Jesus’ crucifixion and death
6. Jesus is taken down from the Cross
7. Jesus is laid in the tomb
In some places and centuries, this devotion was known as Our Lady of Compassion. The Latin roots of the word “compassion” are cum and patior, which means “to suffer with.” This word thus highlights the Virgin Mary suffering with her son for the salvation of the world.
YouTube video (via EWTN) of Mother Angelica on Our Lady of Sorrows (originally aired 1998):
https://missions.ewtn.com/seasonsandfeastdays/ourladyofsorrows/
Books, booklets, scapulars, chaplets, etc., related to Our Lady of Sorrows
