Why has the Catholic Church traditionally dedicated the month of September to Our Lady of Sorrows?
The answer is simple: The Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows falls right in the middle of the month, on September 15. But how was that date chosen for this memorial? Because the day before, September 14, is the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross.
Like many of the lesser-known Marian feasts, the Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows is tied to an event in the life of her Son. On September 14, we celebrate the instrument of Christ's victory over death; and the next day, we remember the suffering of Mary as she stood at the foot of the Cross and witnessed the torture and death of her Son.
Through these Prayers for September, we can unite ourselves to Mary in her sorrow, in the hope that we will one day also share her joy in the triumph of her Son.
(A contemporary icon of the Theotokos Lamentation, or the Lamentation of the Mother of God at the Cross. Photo © Slava Gallery, LLC; used with permission.)
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