Seven mysteries of the shedding of the Blood

Seven times the Blood of Christ was poured out.

July is the month of the Precious Blood, and this chaplet meditates on the seven occasions on which Christ shed His Blood — from the circumcision to the piercing of His side. Thirty-three beads, five for each mystery, plus three at the end.

The Seven Sheddings

1. The Circumcision. The first blood shed, eight days after His birth.
2. The Agony in the Garden. Sweating blood in Gethsemane.
3. The Scourging at the Pillar.
4. The Crowning with Thorns.
5. The Carrying of the Cross.
6. The Crucifixion.
7. The Piercing of His Side. Blood and water, after death.

How to Pray It

• For each mystery: one Our Father and five Glory Bes, meditating on that shedding of the Blood.
• After the seventh mystery: three Glory Bes in honour of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
• Conclude with the prayer below.

The Closing Prayer

Eternal Father, I offer You the merits
of the Precious Blood of Jesus, Your beloved Son,
for the forgiveness of my sins,
for the salvation of the dying,
for the release of the souls in purgatory,
and for the needs of Holy Church. Amen.

About This Chaplet

Devotion to the Precious Blood was promoted especially by St. Gaspar del Bufalo in the nineteenth century. The feast of the Most Precious Blood was kept on 1 July before the calendar reform; the devotion continues throughout the month.