Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Stemus juxta crucem cum Maria Matre Jesu,

Cujus animam doloris gladius pertransivit.

Thus sings the Church at the head of her Divine Office for the Seven Sorrows, calling all her children to hear and heed:

"Let us stand beside the Cross with Mary the Mother of Jesus,

Whose soul was pierced through with the sword of sorrow."

Some texts to ponder regarding Our Lady of Sorrows:

An Akathist, the Threnody of the Theotokos at the Foot of the Cross, by St Romanos the Melodist;

Venerable John Henry Newman's translation of the portion (ll. 1-24) of the Stabat mater dolorosa formerly used at the Passiontide Office of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Friday after Passion Sunday):

Cheerlessly and tearfully

Stood the dolorous Mother nigh 

To the Cross that bore her Son; 

And her soul was sore bestead 

Sank with Him, and with Him bled 

For a sword through it had gone. 

O how sad and melancholy 

Seemed she then, that Mother holy 

Of the Father's Onlyborn; 

Who was sighing and was tearful 

And did tremble at the fearful 

Pains with which her Son was torn. 

Who could see her and not weep 

Christ's own Mother in so deep 

And so bitter punishment? 

Whose the heart but could condole 

With that Mother's tender soul 

In her Son's afflictions rent? 

For She* saw Him tortured 

By the scourge and cross, instead 

Of His people sunk and lost; 

For She* saw her sweet firstborn 

In the throes of death forlorn 

Giving up at length the ghost. 

[*sic; so capitalized in original]