SEVEN PRAYERS IN HONOR OF THE SEVEN SORROWS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

V. O God, come to my assistance
R. O Lord, make haste to help me
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen

(The Hail Mary is prayed a total of seven times: once after each of the seven prayers.)

For the First Sorrow - The Prophecy of Simeon:

I grieve for thee, O Mary most sorrowful, in the affliction of thy tender heart at the prophecy of the holy and aged Simeon. Dear Mother, by thy heart so afflicted, obtain for me the virtue of humility and the gift of the holy fear of God

Hail Mary, etc.

For the Second Sorrow – The Flight Into Egypt:

I grieve for thee, O Mary most sorrowful, in the anguish of thy most affectionate heart during the flight into Egypt and thy sojourn there. Dear Mother, by thy heart so troubled, obtain for me the virtue of generosity, especially toward the poor, and the gift of piety.

Hail Mary, etc.

For the Third Sorrow – The Loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple:

I grieve for thee, O Mary most sorrowful, in those anxieties which tried thy troubled heart at the loss of thy dear Jesus. Dear Mother, by thy heart so full of anguish, obtain for me the virtue of chastity and the gift of knowledge.

Hail Mary, etc.

For the Fourth Sorrow- Mary Meets Jesus on the Way to Calvary:

I grieve for thee, O Mary most sorrowful in the consternation of thy heart at meeting Jesus as he carried His Cross. Dear Mother, by thy heart so troubled, obtain for me the virtue of patience and the gift of fortitude.

Hail Mary, etc.

For the Fifth Sorrow- Jesus Dies on the Cross:

I grieve for thee O Mary, most sorrowful, in the martyrdom which thy generous heart endured in standing near Jesus in His agony. Dear Mother, by thy afflicted heart, obtain for me the virtue of temperance and the gift of counsel.

Hail Mary, etc.

For the Sixth Sorrow- Mary Receives Jesus:

I grieve for thee, O Mary most sorrowful, in the wounding of thy compassionate heart, when the side of Jesus was struck by the lance and His Heart was pierced before His body was removed from the Cross. Dear Mother, by thy heart thus transfixed, obtain for me the virtue of fraternal charity and the gift of understanding.

Hail Mary, etc.

For the Seventh Sorrow- Jesus is Placed in the Tomb:

I grieve for thee, O Mary most sorrowful, for the pangs that wrenched thy most loving heart at the burial of Jesus. Dear Mother, by thy heart sunk in the bitterness of desolation, obtain for me virtue of diligence and the gift of wisdom.

Hail Mary, etc.

After the seven prayers, we conclude with the following:

V. Pray for us, O Virgin most sorrowful
R. That we made be worthy of the promises of Christ

Let us Pray

Let intercession be made for us, we beseech Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, now and at the hour of our death, before the throne of Thy mercy, by the Blessed Virgin Mary, Thy Mother, whose most holy soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow in the hour of Thy bitter Passion. Through Thee, Jesus Christ, Savior of the world, Who with the Father and the Holy Ghost lives and reigns, world without end. Amen.

These seven prayers presented in this format were approved by Pope Pius VII in 1815.

Pope Pius VII., at the prayer of the priests of the Pious Union of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, sometimes called "Pious Union of St. Paul" ,granted, by a Rescript of Jan. 14, 1815, issued through the Archbishop of Philippi, at that time vicegerent here in Rome, and kept in the Segretaria of his Eminence the Cardinal-Vicar -
An indulgence of 300 days to all Christians every time they say with devotion the following pious exercise in honour of the sorrowing heart of most Holy Mary.