Friday of Sorrows of Passion Week Honors Our Lady of Sorrows in Passiontide


In many cultures, it is a tradition in the Church to remember the Blessed Mother under the title of Our Lady of Sorrows in a special way on this Friday before Palm Sunday. It is known as the Friday of Sorrows. It takes place exactly one week before Good Friday and is meant to bring to mind the agony that the Passion of Jesus caused our Blessed Mother. In the Anglican Ordinariate's Divine Worship: The Missal it is called Saint Mary in Passiontide and sometimes it is traditionally known as Our Lady in Passiontide. In certain Catholic countries, especially Brazil, Guatemala, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Peru, the Philippines, and Spain, it is the beginning of Holy Week celebrations and often termed Viernes de Dolores (Friday of Sorrows) or a similar local name. Our Lady of Sorrows has another Feast Day on September 15. The Seven Sorrows include 1. the Prophecy of Simeon, 2. the Flight into Egypt, 3. the Loss of Jesus in the Temple, 4. Mary meeting Jesus on the Via Dolorosa, 5.the Crucifixion of Jesus, 6. Jesus's Descent from the Cross, and 7. Jesus's Burial.
PRAYER from the Collect of the Mass: O God, in whose Passion, according to the prophecy of Simeon, the sword of sorrow didst pierce the most sweet soul of the glorious Mary, Virgin and Mother; mercifully grant that we who call to mind with veneration her anguish and suffering, by the glorious merits and prayers of all the Saints who faithfully stood beneath the Cross interceding for us, may obtain the blessed fruit of Thy Passion, Thou Who livest and reigneth with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.
SEE ALSO: Powerful PRAYERS Honoring Our Lady of Sorrows with Novena, Litany and Rosary and Promises to Share! https://www.catholicnewsworld.com/2024/09/powerful-prayers-honoring-our-lady-of.html
It is customary for people to setup altars to the Virgin of Sorrows on this day, often decorating them with candles, flowers, and a variety of foods. At dawn, men also give flowers to the women in their families. So, it’s somewhat of a beautiful tradition that recognizes the great sorrow that filled Mary’s heart as she witnessed the death of her son upon the Cross. I think the mothers among us are the ones who can, in a special way, understand the great suffering that Mary endured on that first Good Friday.

Before the revision of the Mass following the Second Vatican Council, all of the Roman Rite commemorated the Blessed Mother on this day. In 2002, an optional Opening Prayer was added to the Roman Missal for this day that called to mind the Blessed Mother.

Passion week is the holiest and most solemn week within the tradition of our faith. In Passiontide, let’s call to mind those areas of our lives where we are enduring some kind of hardship or suffering. As difficult as it can be to walk through those moments, we have to cling more firmly each day to Jesus. He is our hope and we can be certain that He and His Mother are with us because they, too, endured incredible suffering. So today, on this Friday of Sorrows, may we ask the Lord and His mother to be our companions, that they might comfort us in our moments of sorrow and pain.
It is customary to sing or recite the Stabat Mater prayer:
Stabat mater dolorosa - (The Sorrowful Mother was Standing)
Latin
English
Stabat mater dolorosa
iuxta crucem lacrimosa
dum pendebat filius
At the Cross her station keeping,
Stood the mournful Mother weeping,
Close to Jesus at the last.
cuius animam gementem
contristantem et dolentem
pertransivit gladius
Though her soul, of joy bereaved,
Bowed with anguish, deeply grieved,
Now at length the sword hath passed.
quam tristis et afflicta fuit
illa benedicta mater unigenti
quae maerebat et dolebat et tremebat dum videbat
nati poenas incliti
Oh how sad and sore distressed
Was that Mother, highly blest,
Of the sole begotten One!
Oh that silent, ceaseless mourning,
Oh those dim eyes, never turning
From that wondrous, suffering Son!
Quis est homo qui no fleret
matrem Christi si videret
in tanto supplicio
Quis non posset contristari
piam matrem contemplari
dolentem cum filio
Who on Christ's dear Mother gazing,
In her trouble so amazing,
Born of woman would not weep?
Who on Christ's dear Mother thinking,
Such a cup of sorrow drinking,
Would not share her sorrow deep? 
Pro peccatis suae gentis
vidit Iesum in tormentis
et flagellis subditum
vidit suum dulcem natum
morientem desolatum
dum emisit spiritum
For the sins of His own nation,
Saw Him hang in desolation
Till His Spirit forth He sent;
Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled,
She beheld her tender Child,
All with bloody scourges rent.
Eia mater fons amoris
O, thou Mother, fount of love!
Me sentire vim doloris
fac ut tecum lugeam
Fac ut ardeat cor meum
in amando Christum Deum
ut sibi complaceam
Touch my spirit from above,
Make my heart with thine accord.
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
tui nati vulnerati
tam dignati pro me pati
poenas mecum divide
Fac me vere tecum flere
crucifixo condolere
donec ego vixero
iuxta crucem tecum stare
meque tibi sociare
in planctu desidero
Holy Mother, pierce me through.
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Savior crucified;
Let me share with thee His pain,
Who for all my sins was slain,
Who for me in torment died.
Let me mingle tears with thee,
Mourning Him who mourned for me,
All the days that I may live.
By the cross with thee to stay,
There with thee to weep and pray,
Is all I ask of thee to give.
Virgo virginium praeclara
mihi iam non sis amara
fac me tecum plangere
fac ut portem Christi mortem
passionis fac consortem
et plagas recolere
Fac me plagis vulnerari
cruce had inebriari
et cruore filii
Virgin of all virgins blest,
Listen to my fond request;
Let me share thy grief divine.
Let me to my latest breath,
In my body bear the death
Of that dying Son of thine.
Wounded with His every wound,
Steep my soul till it hath swooned
In His very blood away.
per te Virgo sim defensus
inflamatus et accensum
in die iudicii
Be to me, O Virgin, nigh,
Lest in flames I burn and die
In His awful judgment day.
Fac me cruce custodiri
morte Christi praemuniri
confoveri gratia
Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence,
Be Thy Mother my defense,
Be Thy Cross my victory.
Quando corpus morietur
fac ut animae donetur
paradisi gloria
While my body here decays
May my soul Thy goodness praise
Safe in Paradise with Thee.
Sources: https://frtompringle.com/2023/03/31/friday-of-sorrows/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friday_of_Sorrows
https://www.catholictradition.org/Mary/7sorrows.htm
Image Quiapo Church FB Page

Comments