Our Lady of Guadalupe

The Rosary of the Seven Sorrows of Mary is a powerful and deeply moving Catholic devotion that focuses on the seven major sorrows the Blessed Virgin Mary endured in her life, especially surrounding the passion and death of her Son, Jesus.

This devotion helps us meditate on Mary’s suffering and grow closer to her compassionate heart. It’s a way to walk with her through grief, and many Catholics pray it seeking healing, repentance, and comfort in suffering.

It’s not the regular 5-decade rosary—this one is made up of seven “decades” (groups of seven Hail Marys), each focused on one of the Seven Sorrows of Mary.

Our Lady made promises to those who pray this rosary with devotion, including:

How to Pray:

“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. Amen.”

The Seven Sorrows (Each Sorrow = 1 decade of 7 Hail Marys)

The First Sword of Sorrow: St. Simeon’s Prophecy (Luke 2:34-35)
And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed”.

Prayer
Beloved Mother Mary, whose Heart suffered beyond bearing because of us, teach us to suffer with you and with love, and to accept all the suffering God deems it necessary to send our way. Let us suffer, and may our suffering be known to God only, like yours and that of Jesus. Do not let us show our suffering to the world, so it will matter more and be used to atone for the sins of the world. You, Mother, who suffered with the Savior of the world, we offer you our suffering, and the suffering of the world, because we are your children. Join those sorrows to your own and to those of the Lord Jesus Christ, then offer them to God the Father. You are a Mother greater than all.

1 Our Father and 7 Hail Marys
Most Merciful Mother, remind us always about the Sorrows of your Son, Jesus.

The Second Sword of Sorrow: The Flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13-14)
When they had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.” Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt.

Prayer
Beloved Mother, who has suffered so much, give to us your courageous heart. Please pray for us to have strength so that we can be brave like you and accept with love the suffering God sends our way. Help us to also accept all the suffering we inflict upon ourselves and the suffering inflicted upon us by others. Heavenly Mother, you, in union with Jesus, purify our suffering so that we may give glory to God and save our souls.

1 Our Father and 7 Hail Marys
Most Merciful Mother, remind us always about the Sorrows of your Son, Jesus.

The Third Sword of Sorrow: The Loss of Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:43-45)
After they had completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances, but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him.

Prayer: Beloved Mother, teach us to accept all our sufferings because of our sins and to atone for the sins of the whole world.

1 Our Father and 7 Hail Marys
Most Merciful Mother, remind us always about the Sorrows of your Son, Jesus.

The Fourth Sword of Sorrow: The Meeting of Mary and Jesus on the Way to Calvary (Luke 23:27-29)
A large crowd of people followed Jesus, including many women who mourned and lamented him. Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep instead for yourselves and for your children, for indeed, the days are coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed’.

Prayer
Beloved Mother, so stricken with grief, help us to bear our own suffering with courage and love so that we may relieve your Sorrowful Heart and that of Jesus. In doing so, may we give glory to God Who gave you and Jesus to humanity. As you suffered, teach us to suffer silently and patiently. Grant unto us the grace of loving God in everything. O Mother of Sorrows, most afflicted of all mothers, have mercy on the sinners of the whole world.

1 Our Father and 7 Hail Marys
Most Merciful Mother, remind us always about the Sorrows of your Son, Jesus.

The Fifth Sword of Sorrow: The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus (John 19:25-27)
Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.

Prayer
Beloved Mother, Queen of the Martyrs, give us the courage you had in all your sufferings so that we may unite our sufferings with yours and give glory to God. Help us follow all His commandments and those of the Church so that Our Lord’s sacrifice will not be in vain, and all sinners in the world will be saved.

1 Our Father and 7 Hail Marys
Most Merciful Mother, remind us always about the Sorrows of your Son, Jesus.

The Sixth Sword of Sorrow: The Piercing of the Side of Jesus, and His Descent from the Cross (John 19:32-34)
So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and then of the other one who was crucified with Jesus. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs, but one soldier thrust his lance into his side, and immediately blood and water flowed out.

Prayer
We thank you, Beloved Mother, for your courage as you stood beneath your dying Child to comfort Him on the Cross. As our Savior drew His last breath, you became a wonderful Mother to all of us; you became the Blessed Mother of the world. We know that you love us more than our own earthly parents do. We implore you to be our advocate before the Throne of Mercy and Grace so that we can truly become your children. We thank you for Jesus, our Savior and Redeemer, and we thank Jesus for giving you to us. Please pray for us, Mother.

1 Our Father and 7 Hail Marys
Most Merciful Mother, remind us always about the Sorrows of your Son, Jesus.

The Seventh Sword of Sorrow: The Burial of Jesus. (John 19:41-42)
Now in the place where he had been crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had yet been buried. So they laid Jesus there because of the Jewish preparation day; for the tomb was close by.

Prayer
Most Beloved Mother, whose beauty surpasses that of all mothers, Mother of Mercy, Mother of Jesus, and Mother to us all, we are your children and we place all our trust in you. Teach us to see God in all things and all situations, even our sufferings. Help us to understand the importance of suffering, and also to know the purpose of our suffering as God had intended it.
You yourself were conceived and born without sin, were preserved from sin, yet you suffered more than anybody else. You accepted suffering and pain with love and with unsurpassed courage. You stood by your Son from the time He was arrested until He died. You suffered along with Him, felt His every pain and torment. You accomplished the Will of God the Father; and according to His will, you have become our Mother. 

We beg you, dear Mother, to teach us to do as Jesus did. Teach us to accept our cross courageously. We trust you, most Merciful Mother, so teach us to sacrifice for all the sinners in the world. Help us to follow in your Son’s footsteps, and even to be willing to lay down our lives for others.1 Our Father and 7 Hail Marys
Most Merciful Mother, remind us always about the Sorrows of your Son, Jesus.

Closing Prayers:

Finish with the sign of the cross.