Our Lady of Sorrows Novena – 9 Days of Prayer
Novena to Mary meditating on her seven sorrows — the mother who walked the whole way of her Son's suffering and did not turn back
Our Lady of Sorrows remembers the seven sorrows of Mary, from Simeon's prophecy to the burial of Jesus. She walked the whole way of her Son's suffering and did not turn back. This novena offers her your own pain and asks for her comfort. Her feast is September 15, and many people pray it after a loss. The seven sorrows include the flight into Egypt and the loss of Jesus in the Temple, experiences every parent can recognise. Praying with Mary does not remove pain, but it reminds you that you are not alone in it.
A novena is nine consecutive days of prayer. Begin nine days before the feast (September 15) and finish on its eve. You can pray this novena at any time of year.
Pray this novena with daily reminders in the Sacred Novenas app
Open in the app App StoreGoogle PlayOur Lady of Sorrows Novena – prayer for all nine days
Intention: For Those Who Suffer and for the Grace of Compassion
Our Lady of Sorrows, Stabat Mater — the Mother stood. At the foot of the Cross, when the disciples had fled and the sky had darkened, you stood. You did not run. You did not look away. You watched your Son die. A sword pierced your soul, as Simeon had foretold thirty-three years before. You held Him in your arms once at His birth and once at His death.
Mater Dolorosa, we meditate on your seven sorrows:
The prophecy of Simeon — when joy was still fresh and you were told a sword would pierce your heart. You received it and kept it.
The flight into Egypt — when Herod's murder hunted your Child and you fled in the night with Joseph, not knowing how long, not knowing where.
The loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple — three days of searching in anguish, not knowing if He was safe, then finding Him about His Father's business — a mystery you had to ponder.
Meeting Jesus on the Way of the Cross — your eyes finding His, His finding yours, the weight of what He carried visible on His face.
The Crucifixion — standing at the foot, watching, unable to stop it, trusting even in this.
The Taking Down from the Cross — holding Him as you had held Him as a newborn, His body now cold.
The Burial — walking away from the sealed tomb, leaving Him there, the longest Saturday anyone has ever lived.
I bring my own sorrows to you now.
(Pause to mention your intentions)
Our Lady of Sorrows, you know what it is to suffer without relief, to love without being able to help, to trust when trust costs everything. Stand with me in my own darkness. And teach me, as you learned, that the Cross is not the end of the story.
Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory Be...
Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us.
Pray this prayer once a day for nine days in a row.
Traditional Catholic Devotional Prayer · Feast Day: September 15 (day after the Exaltation of the Cross). The Seven Sorrows devotion dates to the 12th century
More novenas
- Divine Mercy Novena
- Sacred Heart of Jesus Novena
- Immaculate Conception Novena
- Holy Spirit Novena
- Our Lady of Guadalupe Novena
- Assumption of Mary Novena
Frequently asked questions
When should I start the Our Lady of Sorrows Novena?
Begin on September 6 to end on September 14, the eve of the feast on September 15, or any time you grieve.
How do I pray the Our Lady of Sorrows Novena?
Pray the daily prayer once a day, reflecting on one of Mary's sorrows.
Who is the Our Lady of Sorrows Novena for?
It is for the grieving, for parents who have lost a child and for the suffering.
Pray this novena with daily reminders in the Sacred Novenas app
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