Stabat Mater & Litany
Stabat Mater “The mother standing”
The Stabat Mater Dolorosa is a liturgical hymn associated with Our Lady of Sorrows. The hymn focuses on the pain and anguish Mary experienced at the death of Her Son on the cross. The Latin title of this hymn refers to Mary standing faithfully at the foot of the cross in union with Christ Her beloved Son.
The Stabat Mater was used frequently in the Liturgy for centuries before it became a sequence (a hymn spoken or sung before the Gospel) in 1727 for the feast of the Seven Sorrows (or Dolors) of the Blessed Virgin Mary on September 15th. Its use as a sequence is optional now on that feast day (now called the feast for Our Lady of Sorrows), but the hymn is often prayed with the Stations of the Cross at Lent.
At the cross her station keeping
Stood the mournful Mother weeping
Close to Jesus at the last.
Through her heart, his sorrow sharing,
All his bitter anguish bearing,
Now at length the sword has passed.
Oh, how sad and sore distressed,
Was that Mother highly blessed
Of the sole begotten One!
Christ above in torment hangs,
She beneath beholds the pangs,
Of her dying glorious Son.
Is there one who would not weep,
Overwhelmed in grief so deep
Christ’s dear mother to behold.
Can the human heart refrain
From partaking in her pain,
In that Mother’s pain untold?
Bruised, derided, cursed defiled,
She beheld her tender child
All with bloody scourges rent.
For the sins of his own nation,
There he hung in desolation
Till his spirit forth he sent.
O thou Mother: fount of love!
Touch my spirit from above,
Make my heart with yours accord.
Loving Mother, pierce me through;
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Savior crucified.
Make me feel as you have felt,
Make my heart to glow and melt
With the love of Christ my Lord
Let me share with thee His pain,
who for all our sins was slain,
who for me in torments died.
Let me mingle tears with you
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.
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;
Be to me, O Virgin, nigh,
lest in flames I burn and die,
in His awful Judgment Day.
Christ, when you shall call me hence,
Be your Mother my defense
Be your cross my victory.
While my body here decays,
May my soul your goodness praise,
Safe in heaven eternally.
Litany of Our Lady of Seven Sorrows – by Pope Pius VII
This image of The Most Sorrowful Mother, is located on the place where Jesus died on the Holy Cross.…the Calvary, in Jerusalem.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father of heaven, have mercy on us
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, Paraclete, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity. One God, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.
Holy Virgin of virgins, pray for us.
Mother of the Crucified, pray for us.
Sorrowful Mother, pray for us.
Mournful Mother, pray for us.
Sighing Mother, pray for us.
Afflicted Mother, pray for us.
Forsaken Mother, pray for us.
Desolate Mother, pray for us.
Mother most sad, pray for us.
Mother set around with anguish, pray for us.
Mother overwhelmed by grief, pray for us.
Mother transfixed by a sword, pray for us.
Mother crucified in your heart, pray for us.
Mother bereaved of your Son, pray for us.
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Fount of tears, pray for us.
Sea of bitterness, pray for us.
Field of tribulation, pray for us.
Mass of suffering, pray for us.
Mirror of patience, pray for us.
Rock of constancy, pray for us.
Remedy in perplexity, pray for us.
Joy of the afflicted, pray for us.
Ark of the desolate, pray for us.
Refuge of the abandoned, pray for us.
Shield of the oppressed, pray for us.
Conqueror of the incredulous, pray for us.
Solace of the wretched, pray for us.
Medicine of the sick, pray for us.
Help of the faint, pray for us.
Strength of the weak…
Protectress of those who fight, pray for us.
Haven of the shipwrecked, pray for us.
Calmer of tempests, pray for us.
Companion of the sorrowful, pray for us.
Retreat of those who groan, pray for us.
Terror of the treacherous, pray for us.
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Standard-bearer of the Martyrs, pray for us.
Treasure of the Faithful, pray for us.
Light of Confessors, pray for us.
Pearl of Virgins, pray for us.
Comfort of Widows, pray for us.
Joy of all Saints, pray for us.
Queen of your Servants, pray for us.
Holy Mary, who alone are
beyond compare, pray for us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father of heaven, have mercy on us
God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, Paraclete, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity. One God, have mercy on us.
Virgin Most Sorrowful, pray for us. Amen.
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