Septem Dolorum Beatæ Mariæ Virginis

Stabat Mater. J-J Tissot.
Brooklyn Museum.

Today, the Church recalls for us the Seven Dolours of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

We pray that our Blessed Mother will intercede on behalf of family members who have suffered the catastrophic consequences of sin, asking that her Divine Son will heal the wounds, repair the damage and undo the scandal caused.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. 

Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, 

sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper 

Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. 

Amen.

WE fly to thy loving protection, O holy Mother of God; 

despise not our petitions in our necessities, 

but deliver us always from all dangers, 

O glorious and blessed Virgin. 

Amen.

Stabat Mater

STABAT Mater dolorosa

iuxta Crucem lacrimosa,

dum pendebat Filius.

AT, the Cross her station keeping,

stood the mournful Mother weeping,

close to Jesus to the last.

Cuius animam gementem,

contristatam et dolentem

pertransivit gladius.

Through her heart, His sorrow sharing,

all His bitter anguish bearing,

now at length the sword has passed.

O quam tristis et afflicta

fuit illa benedicta,

mater Unigeniti!

O how sad and sore distressed

was that Mother, highly blest,

of the sole-begotten One.

Quæ mærebat et dolebat,

pia Mater, dum videbat

nati pœnas inclyti.

Christ above in torment hangs,

she beneath beholds the pangs

of her dying glorious Son.

Quis est homo qui non fleret,

matrem Christi si videret

in tanto supplicio?

Is there one who would not weep,

whelmed in miseries so deep,

Christ's dear Mother to behold?

Quis non posset contristari

Christi Matrem contemplari

dolentem cum Filio?

Can the human heart refrain

from partaking in her pain,

in that Mother's pain untold?

Pro peccatis suæ gentis

vidit Iesum in tormentis,

et flagellis subditum.

Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled,

she beheld her tender Child

All with bloody scourges rent:

Vidit suum dulcem Natum

moriendo desolatum,

dum emisit spiritum.

For the sins of His own nation,

saw Him hang in desolation,

Till His spirit forth He sent.

Eia, Mater, fons amoris

me sentire vim doloris

fac, ut tecum lugeam.

O thou Mother! fount of love!

Touch my spirit from above,

make my heart with thine accord:

Fac, ut ardeat cor meum

in amando Christum Deum

ut sibi complaceam.

Make me feel as thou hast felt;

make my soul to glow and melt

with the love of Christ my Lord.

Sancta Mater, istud agas,

crucifixi fige plagas

cordi meo valide.

Holy Mother! pierce me through,

in my heart each wound renew

of my Savior crucified:

Tui Nati vulnerati,

tam dignati pro me pati,

poenas mecum divide.

Let me share with thee His pain,

who for all my sins was slain,

who for me in torments died.

Fac me tecum pie flere,

crucifixo condolere,

donec ego vixero.

Let me mingle tears with thee,

mourning Him who mourned for me,

all the days that I may live:

Iuxta Crucem tecum stare,

et me tibi sociare

in planctu desidero.

By the Cross with thee to stay,

there with thee to weep and pray,

is all I ask of thee to give.

Virgo virginum præclara,

mihi iam non sis amara,

fac me tecum plangere.

Virgin of all virgins blest!,

Listen to my fond request:

let me share thy grief divine;

Fac, ut portem Christi mortem,

passionis fac consortem,

et plagas recolere.

Let me, to my latest breath,

in my body bear the death

of that dying Son of thine.

Fac me plagis vulnerari,

fac me Cruce inebriari,

et cruore Filii.

Wounded with His every wound,

steep my soul till it hath swooned,

in His very Blood away;

Flammis ne urar succensus,

per te, Virgo, sim defensus

in die iudicii.

Be to me, O Virgin, nigh,

lest in flames I burn and die,

in His awful Judgment Day.

Christe, cum sit hinc exire,

da per Matrem me venire

ad palmam victoriæ.

Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence,

by Thy Mother my defense,

by Thy Cross my victory;

Quando corpus morietur,

fac, ut animæ donetur

paradisi gloria. Amen.

While my body here decays,

may my soul Thy goodness praise,

safe in paradise with Thee. Amen.

From the Liturgia Horarum. Translation by Fr. Edward Caswall (1814-1878)

"Stabat Mater Dolorosa is considered one of the seven greatest Latin hymns of all time. It is based upon the prophecy of Simeon that a sword was to pierce the heart of His mother, Mary (Lk ii.35). The hymn originated in the 13th century during the peak of Franciscan devotion to the crucified Jesus and has been attributed to Pope Innocent III (d. 1216), St. Bonaventure, or more commonly, Jacopone da Todi (1230-1306), who is considered by most to be the real author.

The hymn is often associated with the Stations of the Cross. In 1727 it was prescribed as a Sequence for the Mass of the Seven Sorrows of Mary (September 15) where it is still used today. In addition to this Mass, the hymn is also used for the Office of the Readings, Lauds, and Vespers for this memorial. There is a mirror image to this hymn, Stabat Mater speciosa, which echoes the joy of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the birth of Jesus."

[Taken from the Treasury of Latin Prayers, by Michael Martin]

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.