Gospel in Art: Our Lady of Sorrows

The Great Rood of Westminster Cathedral, carved in Bruges. Painted by William Symons after design by John Francis Bentley © Westminster Cathedral / Christian Art / Emmett Glynn

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 15 September 2026
John 19:25-27

At that time:

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.

When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, 'Woman, behold, your son!'

Then he said to the disciple, 'Behold, your mother!'

And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.

Reflection on The Great Rood

The day after we celebrated the Feast of The Exaltation of the Holy Cross, we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. The Cross and Mary's sorrow are inseparably bound together; her suffering united to the suffering of her Son.

This title of 'Our Lady of Sorrows' given to Our Lady focuses on her intense suffering and mourning during the passion and death of her son. The title is not, however, limited to the suffering Mary shared in at the end of Jesus' life, but refers to all seven sorrows of Mary. These are:

1. The Prophecy of Simeon (Luke 2:34-35) - the sorrow of hearing that her beloved Son would be rejected and that a sword would pierce her own soul.
2. The Flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13-21) - the sorrow of fleeing her home with Joseph and the infant Jesus to escape Herod's murderous intentions.
3. The Loss of Jesus for Three Days (Luke 2:41-50) - the sorrow of searching anxiously for her twelve-year-old Son, not knowing where he was.
4. The Carrying of the Cross (John 19:17) - the sorrow of seeing her Son condemned, humiliated and carrying the instrument of his own death.
5. The Crucifixion of Jesus (John 19:18-30) - the sorrow of standing at the foot of the Cross and watching her Son suffer and die.
6. Jesus Taken Down from the Cross (John 19:39-40) - the sorrow of receiving the lifeless body of her Son after his death.
7. Jesus Laid in the Tomb (John 19:39-42) - the sorrow of seeing her Son buried and the tomb closed upon him.

In many ways, the Great Rood at Westminster Cathedral is the perfect image to contemplate across these two consecutive feasts: yesterday's Exaltation of the Holy Cross and today's feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. On one side we see Christ crucified, giving his life for the salvation of the world. But turn to the reverse of the Rood and we encounter his Mother: Mary, the Mother of Sorrows, sharing in the suffering of her Son. The two sides belong together. We cannot look upon the sacrifice of the Son without remembering the sorrow of the Mother who remained faithfully beside him.

The Great Rood itself dominates the interior of Westminster Cathedral, suspended high above the nave and sanctuary. Rising some thirty feet, it was designed by the Cathedral's architect, John Francis Bentley, carved in wood in Bruges, Belgium, and painted by William Christian Symons. From the entrance of the Cathedral, our eyes are drawn immediately towards the crucified Christ. Yet hidden from that first view, on the reverse, is Mary. There is something deeply moving about that. Christ faces the people; Mary remains behind him. She does not draw attention to herself, but stands quietly and faithfully with her Son, just as the Gospel tells us she stood at Calvary.

We produced a video last year on the Great Rood, you can watch it HERE.

LINKS

Christian Art: www.christian.art
Today's image: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/john-19-25-27-2026/