Friday of Sorrows

Español

Image: Pieta with Saints Francis, Benedict, John and Mary Magdalene, by Raffaellino del Garbo 

Allocated at the Museum of Beaux-Arts, de la ville de Paris

Friday of Sorrows is a solemn pious remembrance of the sorrowful Blessed Virgin Mary on the Friday before Palm Sunday held in the fifth week of Lent. It is important to reflect on the seven sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who freely accepted her calling to be the Mother of God. The tradition dates to the Colonial period when priests consecrated a chapel to the Virgin of the Sorrows. Altars are built in public areas, markets, homes and churches to commemorate the pain of the Virgin Mary.

This term Pietà is applied to different pieces of art which depict the body of Christ on the lap of his mother Mary after the Crucifixion. Pietà means pity or compassion, and represents Mary sorrowfully contemplating the dead body of her son which she has just received from the Holy Cross.

Prayer to Our Mother of Sorrows. Our mother of sorrows, with strength from above you stood by the cross, sharing in the sufferings of Jesus, and with tender care you bore Him in your arms, mourning and weeping. We praise you for your faith, which accepted the life God planned for you. We praise you for your hope, which trusted that God would do great things in you. We praise you for your love in bearing with Jesus the sorrows of His passion. Holy Mary, Mother of God, stand by us in our trials and care for us in our many needs. Pray for us now and at the hour of our death. Amen!

Get this image, now on sale

This image is a public domain image, which means either that copyright has expired in the image or the copyright holder has waived their copyright. Franciscan Gallery charges for the access to high resolution copy of the image. Manually restoration was necessary in order to improve quality, without covering the original image.