The seven sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary, also known as Our Lady of Sorrows or Mater Dolorosa, are significant events in Mary's life that caused her profound grief and are a popular devotion in the Catholic Church. These sorrows are frequently depicted in art and are distinct from the five Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary [1] [2].

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The traditional seven sorrows are:

1. The Prophecy of Simeon: When Mary and Joseph presented the infant Jesus at the Temple, Simeon prophesied to Mary, "And you yourself a sword will pierce" (Luke 2:35), indicating the future suffering she would endure because of her son [3] [4] [5]. This prophecy foreshadowed the immense pain Mary would experience throughout Jesus' life and passion [6].
2. The Flight into Egypt: Warned by an angel in a dream that King Herod intended to kill Jesus, Joseph took Mary and the child and fled to Egypt to escape the persecution (Matthew 2:13-14) [3] [4] [5]. This forced journey into a foreign land brought hardship and fear to the Holy Family [6].
3. The Loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple: When Jesus was twelve years old, Mary and Joseph lost him for three days during their return journey from Jerusalem after the Passover feast. They found him in the Temple, listening to and questioning the teachers (Luke 2:43-50) [3] [4] [5]. This period of anxious searching caused Mary great distress [6].
4. Mary Meets Jesus on the Way to Calvary: As Jesus carried his cross to his crucifixion, Mary met him on the Via Dolorosa. This encounter, though not explicitly detailed in the Gospels, is a traditional Fourth Station of the Cross, depicting her immense sorrow at seeing her son's suffering and humiliation [3] [4] [5] [7].
5. The Crucifixion of Jesus: Mary stood at the foot of the cross as Jesus was crucified (John 19:25-27) [3] [4] [5]. Witnessing her son's agonizing death was an unspeakable sorrow, fulfilling Simeon's prophecy [6].
6. Jesus' Body is Taken Down from the Cross: After Jesus' death, his body was taken down from the cross and placed in Mary's arms, a scene often depicted in art as the Pietà (Mark 15:42-46) [3] [4] [5]. This moment represented profound grief as she held her lifeless son [6].
7. The Burial of Jesus: Mary witnessed the burial of Jesus in the tomb (John 19:38-42) [3] [4] [5]. This final act of laying her son to rest brought immense sorrow and a sense of finality, though her faith in God's plan remained [6].

Devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows has a long history, particularly gaining prominence around the 11th century in Western Christianity [2]. The Servite Order, founded in 1233, significantly contributed to the spread of this devotion, developing practices such as the Rosary of the Seven Sorrows and the Black Scapular of the Seven Dolours of Mary [2] [8]. The feast of Our Lady of Sorrows is celebrated liturgically every September 15th [1] [4].

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