7 Spikes

• In many cultures and religions, 7 is considered a sacred or perfect number.
• As Christianity spread through the Roman Empire, it often incorporated or repurposed existing symbolism and iconography.
• Some scholars argue that certain aspects of Marian devotion may have been influenced by pre-Christian goddess worship, though this is a subject of debate.
• While not directly related to the Seven Sorrows, Mary is sometimes associated with solar imagery in Christian art (e.g., the Woman of the Apocalypse “clothed with the sun”).
  This could be seen as a Christian adaptation of solar deity concepts like Sol Invictus.
• Sol Invictus, meaning “Unconquered Sun,” was indeed a Roman sun god, often depicted on coins during the later Roman Empire. The number of rays or spikes on the solar crown of Sol Invictus can vary in different depictions, but there is a common pattern: On many Roman coins, Sol Invictus is typically shown wearing a radiate crown with 7 rays or spikes.
• The Statue of Liberty’s crown has 7 spikes. These spikes represent the seven seas and seven continents, symbolizing liberty spreading across the world.
• The Virgin Mary also has the 7 Sorrows of Mary, which are often portrayed as daggers into a heart.