Friday of Sorrows

During Lent, all Catholics are preparing themselves to celebrate the most important celebration for all Christians: The Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. For this, the Roman Catholic Church presents to us the Lenten Observances (Fasting, Prayer, and Almsgiving), in addition to Penance, as tools that help us to live this wonderful mystery of our faith. Prayers, such as the Sorrowful mysteries of the Holy Rosary and the Stations of the Cross, help us to meditate on the last moments of the life of Jesus Christ before His crucifixion.

The most important mystery for our faith is the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Our Lord, Jesus Christ; however, there is another person who is also important for the lives of all who believe in the Resurrected Lord: The Blessed Virgin Mary. Our Mother suffered as well to see her Son crucified on the Cross. The Church wants to remember in a special way our Mother and her sorrows; therefore, the Church has the Friday before Palm Sunday to venerate the Blessed Virgin Mary as preparation for Holy Week.

This Friday, March 27th, is known in the Church as Friday of Sorrows. In some countries, such as Mexico, Guatemala, Italy, Peru, Brazil, Spain, Malta, Nicaragua, and the Philippines, Friday of Sorrows is the beginning of the Holy Week celebrations.

Historically, Pope Benedict XIII, in 1727, extended a feast commemorating the sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary, assigning to its celebration the Friday in Passion Week, one week before Good Friday. Later, in 1954, Pope Saint John XXIII reduced this feast to the level of a commemoration. In 1969 the celebration was removed for the General Roman Calendar as a duplicate of the feast on September 15th. However, in 2015 the Catholic Church restored the observance on the Friday in the Passion Week or the Friday of Sorrows.

Let us adore Our Lord Jesus Christ, who sacrificed Himself for us on the Cross because through this beautiful act of love, He restored our dignity as God’s children. Also, let us venerate Our Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary. She was always present in the more important moments of the life of her Son: His incarnation, nativity, first miracle, His Passion and Death. She suffered as well to see her Son hung up on the Cross. Let us venerate and express our love for Our Mother. Allow us to unite ourselves with the sorrows of Mary on Friday of Sorrows as the beginning of Holy Week.

God bless you, and may the Blessed Virgin Mary be with you always!
Fr. Jorge Ramirez