Friday of Sorrows: what were the seven sufferings of the Virgin Mary, according to Catholic tradition

The Friday of Sorrows is celebrated before Palm Sunday, exactly one week before Good Friday. In the Catholic tradition, an altar is placed to the Virgin Mary to contemplate, console and learn from her pains. The seven days before Holy Week are known as the Week of Passion, which occurs during Lent and refers to the pains of the Virgin in the week before the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The seven sorrows are a series of events that the Virgin Mary experienced and can be seen visually represented with seven swords that cross her heart. They are related to Jesus because Mary's suffering comes from what they did to her. Believers pray them in the rosary as they are found in the Bible, after praying every pain ends with a Hail Mary.

The first pain is about The Prophecy of Simeon in the presentation of the Child Jesus, the prophet uttered the bitter passion and death of Jesus since he realized everything he would suffer and warned Mary that a sword of pain would pierce her soul for all the sufferings of her son.

The second is The Flight into Egypt, which considers the great pain Mary felt when Saint Joseph was warned by an angel, so she had to flee with Joseph and Jesus in order to protect her son from the massacre decreed by Herod.

Our Lady's third pain is The Loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple, when Mary lost her son she returned to Jerusalem and sought him for three days in great pain until she found him in the temple. The fourth is when Mary meets Jesus on the way to Calvary, the Virgin reunited with Jesus and saw him being tortured by whips as he walked dragging the cross crowned with thorns.

The fifth is The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus and it is the moment when Jesus is placed on the cross with nails in his feet and hands; Our Lady suffered to see her son tortured in that way and heard Jesus forgive his enemies. The sixth pain is when Mary receives Jesus down from the cross, considered to be the bitterest moment that tore Mary's soul when she saw Jesus' corpse on her lap, covered in blood and hurt by the deep wounds they inflicted on her.

The last pain is when Jesus is buried, Mary accompanied her son in all the sufferings and saw his body for the last time as he was placed inside the tomb, and although she knew that he would rise again on the third day she was left alone and full of pain.

The suffering Virgin Mary told Saint Brigida that those who pray remembering their pains and sorrow would achieve seven special favors: peace in their families, trust in God's actions, comfort in sorrows, defense and protection from evil, in addition to giving what they ask for as long as they do not oppose the will of Jesus, visit on the deathbed and forgiveness of all sins.

The Friday of Sorrows is confused with the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows but it takes place on September 15.

KEEP READING: