Our Lady of Sorrows
Stored in Cargo: Our Lady of Sorrows
| Liturgical Feast | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | September 15 |
| Rank | Memorial |
| Type | Fixed |
| Season | Ordinary Time |
| Primary Shrine | Our Lady of Sorrows Basilica |
| Countries | Universal |
| Dioceses | Archdiocese of Chicago |
The Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows is a memorial in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church that honors the Virgin Mary in her compassion with the suffering and death of her Son, Jesus Christ, particularly through the lens of her seven sorrows as enumerated in devotional tradition. Celebrated annually on September 15, immediately following the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on September 14, it invites the faithful to meditate on Mary's steadfast presence at the foot of the Cross and her role as spiritual mother to humanity. According to the General Roman Calendar, this observance occurs within Ordinary Time, fostering contemplation of redemptive suffering amid the liturgical year.
Rooted in scriptural accounts such as John 19:25–27 and Simeon's prophecy in Luke 2:34–35, the memorial emphasizes Mary's fiat extended through sorrow, symbolizing her union with Christ's Paschal Mystery. Though not a solemnity or Holy Day of Obligation, it holds significant devotional value, especially among the Servite Order, and is observed universally under Vatican authority. Liturgical tradition holds this as a call to compassionate solidarity, distinct from the Friday of Sorrows during Lent.
In contemporary practice, the memorial promotes the Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows and recitation of the Stabat Mater, as encouraged in papal writings. Evidence from medieval sources traces its development from the 13th century, formalized in the Roman liturgy by the 19th century. This reflects the Church's commitment to verifiable biblical foundations while nurturing traditions in shrines and dioceses worldwide.
Liturgical observance
The liturgical color is white, signifying Mary's purity and joy in her sorrows' redemptive fruit in the Roman Rite.[1] Ranked as an optional memorial in the General Roman Calendar (2002 edition), it may be celebrated on weekdays but yields to Sundays or higher feasts; local dioceses adapt per their ordo.[2] The optional Sequence is the Stabat Mater, a 13th-century hymn depicting Mary's vigil at the Cross, sung before the Gospel.
Readings from the Lectionary for Mass (no. 639) include the first reading from Hebrews 5:7–9, portraying Christ's obedient suffering; the responsorial psalm from Psalm 31:2–3ab, 3cd–4, 5–6, 15–16, 20 ("In you, O LORD, I take refuge"); the optional Sequence Stabat Mater dolórosa; and the Gospel from John 19:25–27, where Jesus entrusts Mary to the beloved disciple.[3] The Gloria is omitted if in Lent, aligning with the Missale Romanum (third edition, 2002). Eastern Catholic rites may observe variations with Byzantine emphases.
History
Devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows originated in the 13th century with the Servite Order (Order of Servants of Mary), founded in 1233 in Florence, Italy, who focused on meditating upon Mary's seven sorrows as a path to compassion.[4] The feast was first granted to the Servites in 1668 by Pope Clement IX, initially on the third Sunday in September, and extended universally in 1814 by Pope Pius VII following the Napoleonic era's trials.[5] Pope Pius X fixed the date to September 15 in 1913, linking it to the Holy Cross feast.
The 1969 liturgical reform under Pope Paul VI retained its memorial status in the *General Roman Calendar* (2002), emphasizing scriptural sorrow over medieval expansions, though the seven sorrows framework persists in devotion.[6] According to historical records, a Lenten Friday of Sorrows predates it, observed on the Friday before Palm Sunday; consult pre-1962 missals for variations. This reflects universal Roman Rite observance; Eastern Catholic calendars may integrate it differently.
Theological significance
The memorial's Marian significance highlights Mary's co-suffering with Christ, fulfilling Simeon's prophecy of a sword piercing her soul (Luke 2:35), thus participating in the redemptive sacrifice as spiritual mother to the Church.[7] The *Catechism of the Catholic Church* (no. 964) affirms: "Mary's role in the Church is inseparable from her union with Christ and flows directly from it," portraying her sorrows as a model of faithful endurance and intercession.[8] The seven sorrows—Simeon's prophecy, flight to Egypt, loss of the Child Jesus, meeting on the Via Dolorosa, Crucifixion, taking down from the Cross, and burial—illustrate her compassionate fiat.
Papal teachings, such as Pope John Paul II's *Redemptoris Mater* (1987, no. 24), describe Mary's sorrows as "a unique participation in the revelation of mercy," inviting believers to unite personal trials with hers for healing.[9] Liturgical tradition holds this as an ecclesial call to consolation, though no dogmas define the exact number of sorrows; evidence suggests devotional evolution from patristic compassion themes.
This reflects universal Roman Rite observance; Eastern Catholic or local calendars may differ.
Veneration and traditions
Universal veneration centers on the Seven Sorrows Rosary or Chaplet, prayed on Tuesdays and Fridays, with medals depicting Mary crowned with seven swords symbolizing the sorrows.[10] According to devotional practice, the Stabat Mater is sung during September observances, though not prescribed in the *Missale Romanum*; popular customs include black vestments in some locales for solemnity, originating from medieval widow symbolism.[11] This cannot be confirmed as universal.
Locally, processions occur in the Philippines at the Dambana ng Mahal na Birhen ng Turumba, blending sorrow with joyful turumba dances, while in Italy, Servite shrines host vigils.[12] In Latin America, images show Mary in deep blue or purple veils, with foods like bitter herbs symbolizing grief in Mexican traditions. Music features polyphonic Stabat Mater settings by Pergolesi or Scarlatti, enriching global piety but stemming from cultural practices.
Significant locations
Dynamic content
Parishes
Media
Shrines
Dynamic shrines
List of shrines
Our Lady of Sorrows Basilica
- Elevated to basilica status in 1953 and designated a national shrine in 1998 by the Archdiocese of Chicago, it honors Mary's sorrows with weekly novenas and healing Masses tied to the memorial.[13] Pilgrims receive plenary indulgences on September 15 for confession, Communion, and prayers for the Pope's intentions, per Canon 1230. - The Renaissance-style interior features sorrow-themed artworks, fostering devotion.
Shrine of Our Lady of Sorrows
- Established in 1873 by German immigrants in Starkenburg, this 40-acre site includes a Gothic chapel for annual sorrow memorials under the Diocese of Jefferson City.[14] Partial indulgences are granted for visits reciting the Stabat Mater on the feast. - Surrounded by vineyards, it evokes Mary's contemplative grief.
Basilica of Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows
- Dating to the 15th century in La Quercia near Viterbo, this Servite basilica marks the devotion's Italian roots, hosting September processions in the Diocese of Viterbo.[15] Plenary indulgences apply for compliant pilgrims on the memorial. - Frescoes depict the seven sorrows, central to Servite spirituality.
Dambana ng Mahal na Birhen ng Turumba
- A 19th-century shrine in Pakil, Laguna, declared national in 2021 by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, it celebrates the sorrows with unique dancing processions.[16] Feast-day indulgences per Canon 1230 for devotional acts. - The icon's annual "awakening" ritual contrasts sorrow with hope.
References
- ↑ "Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows - September 15, 2025". Catholic Culture. September 15, 2025. https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2025-09-15.
- ↑ "General Instruction of the Roman Missal". Vatican. March 13, 2003. https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20030313_ordinamento-messale_en.html.
- ↑ "Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows". United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. September 15, 2025. https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/091525.cfm.
- ↑ "Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows". Vatican News. Accessed November 16, 2025. https://www.vaticannews.va/en/liturgical-holidays/memorial-of-our-lady-of-sorrows.html.
- ↑ "September 15: Our Lady of Sorrows—Memorial". My Catholic Life!. Accessed November 16, 2025. https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/september-15-our-lady-of-sorrows/.
- ↑ "Liturgical Notes on The Feasts of the Seven Sorrows". The New Liturgical Movement. September 15, 2016. https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2016/09/liturgical-notes-on-feasts-of-seven.html.
- ↑ "Why Our Lady of Sorrows?". Word on Fire. Accessed November 16, 2025. https://www.wordonfire.org/articles/why-our-lady-of-sorrows/.
- ↑ Catechism of the Catholic Church (2nd ed.). Libreria Editrice Vaticana. 1997. pp. 231. ISBN 978-0-877-93191-9Template:Error-small.
- ↑ "Grief divine: A reflection on Our Lady of Sorrows". Salt + Light Media. September 12, 2019. https://slmedia.org/blog/grief-divine-a-reflection-on-our-lady-of-sorrows.
- ↑ "What Are the Seven Sorrows of Mary?". National Catholic Register. September 15, 2017. https://www.ncregister.com/blog/what-are-the-seven-sorrows-of-mary.
- ↑ "The cult of Our Lady of Sorrows". Holyart.com Blog. September 13, 2022. https://www.holyart.com/blog/saints-and-blessed/the-cult-of-our-lady-of-sorrows/.
- ↑ "Feast of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary". FishEaters. Accessed November 16, 2025. https://www.fisheaters.com/customslent10.html.
- ↑ "Our Lady of Sorrows Basilica". Wikipedia. Accessed November 16, 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Sorrows_Basilica.
- ↑ "Shrine of Our Lady of Sorrows". Wikipedia. Accessed November 16, 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrine_of_Our_Lady_of_Sorrows.
- ↑ "Basilica of Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows". GCatholic.org. Accessed November 16, 2025. https://gcatholic.org/churches/italy/0135.
- ↑ "The Shrines Dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows". Association of Catholic Shrines and Pilgrimages. April 8, 2025. https://www.facebook.com/acsp2015/posts/1088376233334740.
External links
- USCCB – Liturgical readings for the memorial
- Vatican News – Overview of the memorial
- Our Lady of Sorrows Basilica – Official site