Who were the Servants of Mary? 

Founded in 1233 by seven Florentine men devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Servants of Mary (Servite Order) began as a humble community of prayer and penance on Monte Senario.

The Seven Holy Founders of the Servite Order (Bonfilius, Alexis, Manettus, Amadeus, Hugh, Sostene and Buonagiunta) were seven men of the town of Florence who became bound to each other in a spiritual friendship. They eventually felt called by Mary, mother of Jesus, towards whom they practised an intense devotion. They reported a vision, shared by all separately at the same moment. None of them was aware that the others also had experienced it. The call was to "leave the world, the better to serve almighty God".

Known as the Seven Holy Founders, they dedicated their lives to serving Christ through Mary, especially in her sorrows.

Today, the Servites continue this mission worldwide, offering compassion, healing, and Marian-centered ministry.

The Origins of the Seven Sorrows Devotion

The Seven Sorrows Devotion emerged from the Servite Order’s profound meditation on Mary’s suffering during the Passion of Christ. Tradition holds that on Good Friday in 1239AD, while the Seven Holy Founders were praying and reflecting on the Passion, the Blessed Virgin appeared to them and asked that they promote devotion to her sorrows. This led to the Rosary of the Seven Sorrows, also known as the Servite Rosary, which invites the faithful to contemplate seven key moments of sorrow in Mary’s life—from Simeon’s prophecy to the burial of Jesus.

The devotion gained popularity during times of great suffering, such as the Black Death, and was formally recognized by the Church in later centuries. It remains a powerful spiritual practice, offering consolation and a deeper union with Christ through the heart of His sorrowful Mother.

The Seven Sorrows of Mary as recorded in Scripture
  1. The prophecy of Simeon (Luke 2:33–35)
  2. The flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13–15)
  3. Loss of the Child Jesus for three days (Luke 2:41–50)
  4. Mary meets Jesus on His way to Calvary (Luke 23:27–31; John 19:17)
  5. Crucifixion and Death of Jesus (John 19:25–30)
  6. The body of Jesus being taken from the Cross (Luke 23:50–54; John 19:31–37)
  7. The burial of Jesus (Isaiah 53:8–9; Luke 23:50–56; John 19:38–42; Mark 15:40–47)

Why Pray the 7 Sorrows Rosary?

We pray the Seven Sorrows Rosary to enter deeply into the heart of Mary and unite our own sufferings with hers.

Each sorrow—like the Flight into Egypt or the Crucifixion—invites us to reflect not only on Mary’s pain, but on her unwavering faith, courage, and love.

Through this devotion, we learn to stand with her at the foot of the Cross, finding strength in sorrow and grace in grief.


It’s also a powerful path of healing. Many who pray it experience consolation, emotional renewal, and a deeper connection to Christ’s Passion.

Our Lady of Kibeho reintroduced this devotion in the 1980s with an urgent call to repentance, reminding us that through Mary’s sorrows, we’re drawn back to the mercy of God.

Our Lady Herself promised many Graces

In the 14th century, Our Lady revealed to St. Bridget of Sweden seven special graces that she would grant to those devoted to her Sorrows. She spoke at length to St. Bridget about the Passion of her Son and her own Sorrows, and made these promises to those who would say seven Hail Marys daily while meditating on her tears and sufferings:

  1. “I will grant peace to their families.”
  2. “They will be enlightened about the divine Mysteries.”
  3. “I will console them in their pains and I will accompany them in their work.”
  4. “I will give them as much as they ask for as long as it does not oppose the adorable will of my divine Son or the sanctification of their souls.”
  5. “I will defend them in their spiritual battles with the infernal enemy and I will protect them at every instant of their lives.”
  6. “I will visibly help them at the moment of their death—they will see the face of their mother.”
  7. “I have obtained this grace from my divine Son, that those who propagate this devotion to my tears and dolors will be taken directly from this earthly life to eternal happiness, since all their sins will be forgiven and my Son will be their eternal consolation and joy.”

How did it gain popularity again in modern times?

The Rosary became popular again following the Marian apparitions in Kibeho, Rwanda, in the 1980s. During Mary’s apparitions to Marie-Claire Mukangango, she assigned the young woman a mission to reintroduce this special Rosary to the world. Marie-Claire was killed in the genocide of over a million people in Rwanda.

Credit: Alekjds, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Credit: Mater Dolorosa, Public Domain

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