Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows

Description

Our Lady of Sorrows is our comforter. She is our mother who suffers with us as we go through this hard life.

Through watching her Son die the terrible death of the Cross, Mary entered completely into Jesus’ sufferings and felt them in her most pure heart as a sword stabbing in.

Mary knows suffering.

When sorrows beset us (in deaths, persecutions, trials, sickness, and everything else), know that you can call on Mary as a Mother and tell her everything. Though she was perfect and sinless, she still knows pain and sorrow.

Go to her with your pain. And remember that Jesus redeems it all. Ask her to help you understand how Jesus suffered. Ask her about her sorrows. And tell her yours. She so longs to know you and love you for she is your Mother. And she longs to bring you to her Son who makes all things new.

Like the rosary, the Seven Sorrows Chaplet meditates on the life of Jesus and Mary, but this time through Mary’s Seven Sorrows. The sorrows – or swords – harken back to the Prophecy of Simeon when he said “and you yourself a sword shall pierce” when talking of the sufferings of her Son. The number seven has the Biblical symbolism of completeness and so the Servites chose these seven sorrows as The Seven Sorrows.

They are:
1. The Prophecy of Simeon
2. The Flight into Egypt
3. The Loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple
4. Mary Meets Jesus on the Way to Calvary
5. Mary Stands at the Foot of the Cross
6. Mary Receives the Dead Body of Jesus in Her Arms
7. The Body of Jesus is Placed in the Tomb

 

The prayers of the chaplet are included in a pamphlet (see the photos), but overall the chaplet is very similar to a rosary – at the medal announce the Sorrow and pray an Our Father, then pray a Hail Mary on the next seven beads. There’s an intro and concluding prayer and the simple prayer “O Merciful Mother, remind us always about the Sorrows of your Son, Jesus.” instead of a Glory Be at the end of each “decade”. 

 

Having it’s origins in the 1200’s with the Servite order, this chaplet has a resurgence of popularity since the 1980’s when Our Lady appeared in Rwanda as Our Lady of Kibeho asking for this devotion to be spread. This apparition to three school children was approved by the Church in 2001.

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Fund fact about lapis lazuli – it is the stone that painters would grind up for the blue pigment that was so often used for Mary in paintings. It’s the perfect Marian blue because it literally is The Marian blue.

 

This chaplet is assembled with 49-strand steel beading wire, crimping beads, and wire protectors, so it is super strong and will last a lifetime of use. While I do strength test every rosary, it is still a handmade piece and prone to human error. So, should it break, simply gather all the beads you can find and contact me and I’ll gladly repair it for you for free sans shipping and the replacement of major parts (if you loose the spacers, don’t even worry about it).

The beads are stone and have a weight to them, which I always find helps me really focus when I’m praying. They also take on the ambient temperature of the room- so in winter I usually find my rosary to be a little chilly- just another reminder that you’re praying! But they also quickly warm up from your body heat.

The beading wire stretches slightly as it is used (this is normal) so you will still be able to slide the beads along as you pray.

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Features of the rosary:

Centerpiece: 1″x5/8″ Miraculous Medal with angels nickel silver centerpiece

Seven Sorrows medals: 3/4″x 1/2″ detailed nickel silver

Hail Mary beads: 8mm polished or matte lapis lazuli, 8mm brecciated jasper, 8mm polished onyx and matte black agate

Spacers: black czech glass seed beads, silver plated spacers and bead caps or copper bead caps

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