Overview

• The observance honors Mary’s compassion in the Gospel events surrounding Jesus’ Passion and other trials.
• The devotion centers on seven moments, from Simeon’s prophecy to the burial of Jesus, with prayers traditionally offered after each sorrow.
• Historical accounts credit the Servite Order from the 12th century with promoting the practice and obtaining a feast on the third Sunday of September.
• Pope Pius VII placed the memorial on the universal calendar in 1814, positioning it the day after the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
• A separate observance known as Viernes de los Dolores falls on the Friday before Palm Sunday, and today’s coverage shared a prayer text for the faithful.