Together with Mary, Mother of Christ, who stood beneath the Cross, we pause beside all the crosses of contemporary man… And we ask all you who suffer to support us. We ask precisely you who are weak to become a source of strength for the Church and humanity. In the terrible battle between the forces of good and evil, revealed to our eyes by our modern world, may your suffering in union with the Cross of Christ be victorious!
– Pope St John Paul II, Salvifici Doloris
Our Lady of Sorrows – Feast: 15th September
Today’s feast is written by Fr Nicholas Schofield in Saints of the Roman Calendar.
This feast originated as a memorial of the Seven Sorrows of Mary, most of which were linked to the events of Good Friday, when she stood at the foot of the cross. We remember that the Blessed Virgin had to live through the personal tragedy of seeing her Son die. She had a unique share in our redemption, offering her Son’s life to the Lord, trusting that it was part of his plan.
Collect
O God, who willed
that, when your Son was lifted high on the Cross,
his Mother should stand close by and share his suffering,
grant that your Church,
participating with the Virgin Mary in the Passion of Christ,
may merit a share in his Resurrection.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Latin
Deus, qui Filio tuo in cruce exaltato
compatientem Matrem astare voluisti, da Ecclesiæ tuæ,
ut, Christi passionis cum ipsa consors effecta,
eiusdem resurrectionis particeps esse mereatur.
Qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti,
Deus, per omnia sæcula sæculorum.
Stabat Mater
At, the Cross her station keeping,
stood the mournful Mother weeping,
close to Jesus to the last.
Through her heart, His sorrow sharing,
all His bitter anguish bearing,
now at length the sword has passed.
O how sad and sore distressed
was that Mother, highly blest,
of the sole-begotten One!
Christ above in torment hangs,
she beneath beholds the pangs
of her dying glorious Son.
Is there one who would not weep,
whelmed in miseries so deep,
Christ’s dear Mother to behold
Can the human heart refrain
from partaking in her pain,
in that Mother’s pain untold?
Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled,
she beheld her tender Child,
all with bloody scourges rent.
For the sins of His own nation,
saw Him hang in desolation,
till His spirit forth He sent.
O thou Mother! Fount of love!
Touch my spirit from above,
make my heart with thine accord:
Make me feel as thou hast felt;
make my soul to glow and melt
with the love of Christ my Lord.
Holy Mother! Pierce me through,
in my heart each wound renew
of my Saviour crucified.
Let me share with thee His pain,
who for all my sins was slain,
who for me in torments died.
Let me mingle tears with thee,
mourning Him who mourned for me,
all the days that I may live.
By the Cross with thee to stay,
there with thee to weep and pray,
is all I ask of thee to give.
Virgin of all virgins blest!,
Listen to my fond request:
let me share thy grief divine.
Let me, to my latest breath,
in my body bear the death
of that dying Son of thine.
Wounded with His every wound,
steep my soul till it hath swooned,
in His very Blood away.
Be to me, O Virgin, nigh,
lest in flames I burn and die,
in His awful Judgement Day.
Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence,
by Thy Mother my defense,
by Thy Cross my victory;
While my body here decays,
may my soul Thy goodness praise,
safe in paradise with Thee. Amen.
The original Latin
Stabat Mater dolorosa,
Juxta Crucem lacrimosa,
dum pendebat Filius.
Cuius animam gementem,
contristatam et dolentem,
pertransivit gladius.
O quam tristis et afflicta
fuit illa benedicta,
mater Unigeniti!
Quae maerebat et dolebat,
pia Mater, dum videbat
nati poenas inclyti.
Quis est homo qui non fleret,
Matrem Christi si videret,
in tanto supplicio?
Quis non posset contristari
Christi Matrem contemplari,
dolentem cum Filio?
Pro peccatis suae gentis,
vidit Iesum in tormentis,
et flagellis subditum.
Vidit suum dulcem Natum,
moriendo desolatum,
dum emisit spiritum.
Eia, Mater! Fons amoris!
me sentire vim doloris,
fac, ut tecum lugeam.
Fac, ut ardeat cor meum;
in amando Christum Deum
ut sibi complaceam.
Sancta Mater! Istud agas,
crucifixi fige plagas
cordi meo valide.
Tui Nati vulnerati,
tam dignati pro me pati,
poenas mecum divide.
Fac me tecum pie flere,
crucifixo condolere,
donec ego vixero.
Juxta Crucem tecum stare,
et me tibi sociare,
in planctu desidero.
Virgo virginum praeclara!
Mihi iam non sis amara:
fac me tecum plangere.
Fac, ut portem Christi mortem,
passionis fac consortem
et plagas recolere.
Fac me plagis vulnerari,
fac me Cruce inebriari,
et cruore Filii.
Flammis ne urar succensus,
per te, Virgo, sim defensus,
in die iudicii.
Christe, cum sit hinc exire,
da per Matrem me venire,
ad palmam victoriae.
Quando corpus morietur,
fac, ut animae donetur,
paradisi gloria. Amen.
Want the Saint of the Day sent straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Saint of the Day emails and we’ll help you get to know the saints by sending you an email on the feast or memorial of every major saint, and on the optional memorial of select other saints. Opt out at any time.
