MIRACULOUS MIRACLES™

Prayer — Prayers of the Saints

The Seven Sorrows and Seven Joys of St. Joseph

Traditional; indulgenced by Pius VII, 9 December 1819, and by later popes

Seven pairs, each a grief turned inside out into a gladness — the doubt and the angel, the stable and the angels' song, the flight and the fallen idols — prayed on the Seven Sundays before his feast.

The Prayer
English · Original
Each is followed by an Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be.

I. Pure spouse of most holy Mary, glorious St. Joseph, the trouble and anguish of thy heart were great when, being in sore perplexity, thou wast minded to put away thy stainless spouse; yet was thy joy inexpressible when the Archangel revealed to thee the sublime mystery of the Incarnation.
By this thy sorrow and thy joy, we pray thee comfort our souls now and in their last pains with the consolation of a well-spent life, and a holy death like unto thy own, with Jesus and Mary at our side.

II. Most blessed Patriarch, glorious St. Joseph, chosen to the office of Father of the Word made Man, the pain was keen that thou didst feel when thou didst see the Infant Jesus born in abject poverty; but thy pain was changed into heavenly joy when thou didst hear the harmony of angel-choirs, and behold the glory of that night.
By this thy sorrow and thy joy, we pray thee obtain for us that, when the journey of our life is ended, we too may pass to that blessed land where we shall hear the angel-chants, and rejoice in the bright light of heavenly glory.

III. O thou who wast ever most obedient in executing the law of God, glorious St. Joseph, thy heart was pierced with pain when the precious Blood of the Infant Saviour was shed at His Circumcision; but with the Name of Jesus new life and heavenly joy returned to thee.
By this thy sorrow and thy joy, obtain for us that, being freed, while we still live, from every vice, we too may cheerfully die with the sweet Name of Jesus in our hearts and on our lips.

IV. Most faithful Saint, glorious St. Joseph, who wast admitted to take part in the redemption of man; the prophecy of Simeon foretelling the sufferings of Jesus and Mary caused thee a pang like that of death, but, at the same time, by his prediction of the salvation and glorious resurrection of innumerable souls, filled thee with great joy.
By this thy sorrow and thy joy, help us with thy prayers to be of the number of those who, by the merits of Jesus and the intercession of His Virgin Mother, shall be partakers of the resurrection to glory.

V. Most watchful Guardian, glorious St. Joseph, who wast so intimately familiar with the Incarnate Son of God, greatly thou didst toil to nurture and to serve the Son of the Most High, especially in the flight thou madest with Him into Egypt; greatly also didst thou rejoice to have God Himself always with thee, and to see the overthrow of the idols of Egypt.
By this thy sorrow and thy joy, obtain for us grace to keep far out of the reach of the enemy of our souls, by quitting all dangerous occasions, that so no idol of earthly affection may any longer occupy a place in our hearts, but that, being entirely devoted to the service of Jesus and Mary, we may live and die for them alone.

VI. Angel on earth, glorious St. Joseph, who didst so wonder to see the King of Heaven obedient to thy bidding, the consolation thou hadst at His return from Egypt was disturbed by the fear of Archelaus, but nevertheless, being reassured by the angel, thou didst go back and dwell happily at Nazareth, in the company of Jesus and Mary.
By this thy sorrow and thy joy, obtain for us that, having our hearts freed from idle fears, we may enjoy the peace of a tranquil conscience, dwelling safely with Jesus and Mary, and dying at last in their arms.

VII. Example of holy living, glorious St. Joseph, when through no fault of thine thou didst lose Jesus, the Holy Child, thou didst search for Him with great sorrow for three days, until with joy unspeakable thou didst find Him, who was thy Life, amidst the doctors in the Temple.
By this thy sorrow and thy joy, we pray thee with our whole hearts so to interpose always in our behalf, that we may never lose Jesus by mortal sin; and if we are at any time so wretched as to lose Him, then we pray thee to aid us to seek Him with unwearied sorrow until we find Him, particularly in the hour of our death, that we may pass from this life to enjoy Him for ever in heaven, there to sing with thee His divine mercies without end.

Ant. Jesus Himself was about thirty years old, being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph.
V. Pray for us, holy Joseph.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.
O God, who in thine ineffable providence didst vouchsafe to choose blessed Joseph to be the spouse of thy most holy Mother; grant, we beseech thee, that we may have him for our intercessor in heaven, whom on earth we venerate as our holy Protector. Who livest and reignest, world without end. Amen.
When the Prayer is Said

On the Seven Sundays before 19 March; on Wednesdays; on the two feasts of St. Joseph.

History & Background

The Gospels give Joseph no recorded word, but they give him seven scenes, and every one of them turns. He decides to put Mary away quietly, and the angel comes. The Child is born in a stable, and the sky fills with singing. The circumcision draws blood, and gives the Name. Simeon prophesies a sword, and salvation. Egypt is exile, and the idols fall. The return is shadowed by Archelaus, and ends at Nazareth. The boy is lost three days, and found teaching in the Temple.

The devotion pairs each sorrow with its joy and prays them on seven consecutive Sundays, usually the seven before 19 March. The tradition behind it is a story of two shipwrecked Flemish sailors saved on a plank after invoking the saint, who is said to have asked them for this devotion; like all such stories it is private and carries no authority. The indulgences do: Pius VII in 1819, Gregory XVI in 1836 and Pius IX in 1847 attached grants to it, including — an unusually thoughtful provision — the same plenary indulgence for the illiterate who instead said seven Our Fathers, Hail Marys and Glory bes.

The text is the Raccolta's of 1910.

Indulgences Attached

One hundred days once a day; three hundred days every Wednesday and on the days of the two novenas; plenary on each of the Seven Sundays — Pius VII (9 December 1819), Gregory XVI (22 January 1836), Pius IX (1 February and 22 March 1847) (Raccolta, 1910, no. 300).

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