Our Lady of Sorrows Novena
Contents
Show HideOur Lady of Sorrows is a title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows originated in the 14th century. The feast of Our Lady of Sorrows is celebrated in the Church the day after the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross.
Devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows can bring us closer to Our Lord and His Sorrowful Mother. You can use this Novena to seek intercession from Our Lady of Sorrows in many aspects of your life.
About Our Lady of Sorrows
The title of Our Lady of Sorrows originates from the many Scripture passages describing the suffering and sorrows of Mary.
One of the most explicit descriptions of Mary’s suffering in the Bible occurs in John 19:25: “Standing by the Cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister.” This passage states explicitly that Our Lady witnessed the crucifixion of her Son.
Another Scripture passage that discusses the sorrow of Mary is in Luke 2:35 at the Presentation of the Infant Jesus in the Temple, when Simeon says to Mary, “And you yourself a sword shall pierce.”
Many saints in the early Church were devoted to Mary in her sorrow. St. Ephrem the Syrian wrote the “Lamentation of Mary” in 373. St. Romanus the Melodist wrote the “Hymn of Mary at the Cross” in 500 about Jesus teaching His mother about the cross.
Other saints from the following centuries that were devoted to Mary’s sorrows include St. Ambrose, St. Anselm, and St. Bernard. These saints often meditated on Our Lady’s sorrows. They also preached about the sorrows she endured.
There is also some literature written by Franciscans and Servites that feature devotion to Mary’s sorrows. One such piece was The Plaint of the Madonna written by an Italian Franciscan named St. Jacopone da Todi in 1306.
A more organized devotion to the Sorrows of Mary seems to have begun in the middle of the 13th century. Bl. Henry Suso, a Dominican mystic, is thought to have contributed to developing the devotion.
Early devotion to the Sorrows of Mary focused on only five Sorrows but eventually developed into the Seven Sorrows of Mary. This focus on the Sorrows of Mary began to appear in many prayers, meditations, and religious poems. Artistic representation of the Pieta soon developed as well.
In 1432, a provincial synod in Cologne established a feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. This feast originally focused on commemorating Mary’s sorrow during Jesus’ crucifixion and death. The feast was only celebrated in a small number of dioceses.
In 1482, the feast was added to the Roman Missal under a different title. This new feast of Our Lady of Compassion emphasized Our Lady’s love in suffering with Christ.
The feast began to gain popularity in France during the 1600s. In 1688, the Servites gained permission to celebrate the Feast of the Seven Sorrows of Mary. Pope Innocent XII later named it the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows.
Our Lady of Sorrow’s Feast Day: September 15th
Why Pray the Our Lady of Sorrows Novena?
Our Lady of Sorrows is the patron saint of several places, including Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Malta, and Mississippi. You can pray the Our Lady of Sorrows Novena if you live in one of these areas or are planning to travel to one of these areas. Or you can use this novena to seek Our Lady of Sorrows’ intercession for someone you know who lives in one of these areas or is planning to travel to one of these areas.
Additionally, you can pray the Our Lady of Sorrows Novena to ask for Mary’s intercession if you are experiencing sorrow in your life. Or you can pray this novena for someone you know who is experiencing sorrow.
You can pray the Our Lady of Sorrows Novena for any intention!
Our Lady of Sorrows Novena Prayers
Our Lady of Sorrows Novena - Day 1
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us Our Lady of Sorrows to be our loving mother. We ask You to hear the petitions she brings before Your throne on our behalf.
Our Lady of Sorrows, your Son gave you to us to be our mother also. We can look to your perfect example of virtuous living and holy motherhood. In your motherly love for us, you can help us through your powerful intercession.
We ask you to bring all of our prayers before the throne of your Son, and we particularly ask today that you pray that God may bless and protect all mothers.
Pray for us, that we may imitate your holy example in all that we do. Pray that we may grow closer to your Son each day of our lives.
And we especially ask in this novena for (mention your intentions here).
Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Our Lady of Sorrows Novena - Day 2
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us Our Lady of Sorrows to be our loving mother. We ask You to hear the petitions she brings before Your throne on our behalf.
Our Lady of Sorrows, you willingly chose to become the mother of Our Savior. Though you may not have known every detail of the sufferings you would endure with your Son, you unconditionally agreed to raise Him in a holy family life.
We ask you to bring all of our prayers before the throne of your Son, and we particularly ask today that you pray that God may bless and protect all families.
Pray for us, that we may always carry out the duties of our vocation faithfully and joyfully. Pray that we may grow in holiness and virtue each day.
And we especially ask in this novena for (mention your intentions here).
Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Our Lady of Sorrows Novena - Day 3
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us Our Lady of Sorrows to be our loving mother. We ask You to hear the petitions she brings before Your throne on our behalf.
Our Lady of Sorrows, during your Son’s infancy Simeon foretold that a sword would someday pierce your heart. You must have known that you would experience great pain in watching your Son suffer. You eventually watched Our Lord’s extreme suffering in His Passion and death.
We ask you to bring all of our prayers before the throne of your Son, and we particularly ask today that you pray that God may strengthen and comfort all parents who must witness their children’s suffering.
Pray for us, that we may always offer to God all the sufferings we face. Pray that we may grow in union with your Son each day of our lives.
And we especially ask in this novena for (mention your intentions here).
Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Our Lady of Sorrows Novena - Day 4
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us Our Lady of Sorrows to be our loving mother. We ask You to hear the petitions she brings before Your throne on our behalf.
Our Lady of Sorrows, you bore witness to the torture of your Son during His Passion. You were with Him at the cross as He died. You knew the unspeakable pain of grief over the death of your Son and your Savior.
We ask you to bring all of our prayers before the throne of your Son, and we particularly ask today that you pray that God may comfort and strengthen all who are grieving a loved one’s death.
Pray for us, that we may never allow any sufferings to deter us from serving God. Pray that we may hold fast to your Son in the midst of any trials we might face.
And we especially ask in this novena for (mention your intentions here).
Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Our Lady of Sorrows Novena - Day 5
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us Our Lady of Sorrows to be our loving mother. We ask You to hear the petitions she brings before Your throne on our behalf.
Our Lady of Sorrows, you must have felt unspeakable sadness over the treatment of your Son at His Passion and death. As you remained with Him on His way to death, you suffered with Him.
We ask you to bring all of our prayers before the throne of your Son, and we particularly ask today that you pray that God may comfort and strengthen all who are suffering emotional anguish.
Pray for us, that we may always unite any sufferings of our own to those of your Son. Pray that we may grow to a deeper intimacy with your Son at every opportunity.
And we especially ask in this novena for (mention your intentions here).
Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Our Lady of Sorrows Novena - Day 6
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us Our Lady of Sorrows to be our loving mother. We ask You to hear the petitions she brings before Your throne on our behalf.
Our Lady of Sorrows, you agreed unconditionally to become the Mother of God. You trusted deeply in God even when you knew of the sufferings you would endure along with your Son. Even as He was tortured and killed, your trust in God did not waver.
We ask you to bring all of our prayers before the throne of your Son, and we particularly ask today that you pray that we and all people may grow in trust in God.
Pray for us, that we may grow in every virtue we need for holiness. Pray that we may do all we can to grow closer to your Son each day of our lives.
And we especially ask in this novena for (mention your intentions here).
Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Our Lady of Sorrows Novena - Day 7
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us Our Lady of Sorrows to be our loving mother. We ask You to hear the petitions she brings before Your throne on our behalf.
Our Lady of Sorrows, you accepted the mission of becoming the Mother of God and the mother of us all. Your Son gave you to us so that you might care for us through your powerful intercession.
We ask you to bring all of our prayers before the throne of your Son, and we particularly ask today that you pray that we and all people may grow in devotion to you.
Pray for us, that we may always make use of all the helps God gives us for our salvation. Pray that we may do all we can to advance in holiness and virtue each day of our lives.
And we especially ask in this novena for (mention your intentions here).
Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Our Lady of Sorrows Novena - Day 8
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us Our Lady of Sorrows to be our loving mother. We ask You to hear the petitions she brings before Your throne on our behalf.
Our Lady of Sorrows, you suffered greatly as you watched your Son’s Passion and death on the cross. But you endured your suffering heroically and united it perfectly with the suffering your Son endured.
We ask you to bring all of our prayers before the throne of your Son, and we particularly ask today that you pray that we may grow in our ability to unite our sufferings to your Son’s sufferings.
Pray for us, that we may always make use of every opportunity God gives us to grow in holiness. Pray that we may grow closer to your Son each day of our lives.
And we especially ask in this novena for (mention your intentions here).
Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Our Lady of Sorrows Novena - Day 9
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us Our Lady of Sorrows to be our loving mother. We ask You to hear the petitions she brings before Your throne on our behalf.
Our Lady of Sorrows, you care for your Son’s Church with tender motherly love. The Church has honored you and your Seven Sorrows for many centuries. Your prayers can bring our Church to greater strength and holiness.
We ask you to bring all of our prayers before the throne of your Son, and we particularly ask today that you pray that the Church may be strong and vibrant.
Pray for us, that we may always be eager to serve your Son and His Church in whatever ways He calls us to. Pray that we may truly strive to become saints each day.
And we especially ask in this novena for (mention your intentions here).
Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Click here to find more novenas like this one.
Sign up here to pray more novenas with thousands of faithful people from around the world!