History of the Divine Mercy Devotion

From the diary of a young Polish nun, a special devotion to Jesus as The Divine Mercy began spreading throughout the world in the 1930s. Based on the writings of Saint Faustina Kowalska, an uneducated Polish nun who, in obedience to her spiritual director, wrote a diary of about 600 pages recording the revelations she received about God’s mercy. Even before her death in 1938, the devotion to The Divine Mercy had begun to spread. The Divine Mercy Devotion and Message has been approved by the Roman Catholic Church. Sr. Faustina was recently canonised on April 30, 2000, on Mercy Sunday - Second Sunday of Easter. This message of hope, revealed to her by Our Lord Himself and promulgated by her during her life, has been an inspiration to many. It is hoped that everyone who reads the following words may be reminded that God's love is infinite. His life is given to all who seek it regardless of their sinfulness.

The Picture

Paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the signature: Jesus, I trust in You. I desire that this image be venerated, first in your chapel, and [then] throughout the world." (Diary, 47)

"During prayer I heard these words within me: The two rays denote Blood and Water. The pale ray stands for the Water which makes souls righteous. The red ray stands for the Blood which is the life of souls... These two rays issued forth from the very depths of My tender Mercy when My agonized Heart was opened by a lance on the Cross. (Diary,299)

In His great Mercy, Jesus promises a great deal to those who venerate this image...

"I promise that the soul that will venerate this image will not perish. I also promise victory over [its] enemies already here on earth, especially at the hour of death. I Myself will defend it as My own glory." (Diary, 48)

These rays shield souls from the wrath of My Father. Happy is the one who will dwell in their shelter, for the just hand of God shall not lay hold of him. I desire that the first Sunday after Easter be the Feast of Mercy." (Diary,299)

The Feast

In His revelations to St. Faustina Kowalska, Jesus Christ asked that the first Sunday after Easter be established as Mercy Sunday, the "Feast of Divine Mercy," when His graces will be available in an extraordinary way to all those who ask. On Sunday, April 30, 2000, Pope John Paul II formally announced that the Sunday after Easter would henceforth be known as "Divine Mercy Sunday."

The Devotion

The devotion is practiced by praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet and Novenas to the Divine Mercy both of which may be prayed at any time, but especially at "The Hour of Great Mercy" -- 3:00 PM, the hour our Lord died, and in conjunction with Divine Mercy Sunday.
On Divine Mercy Sunday, a plenary indulgence may be gained, under the usual conditions, if one trusts in the Divine Mercy and reflects the Divine Mercy in his life, prays the Divine Mercy Novena from Good Friday to Low Sunday, goes to Confession on Low Sunday (or in the 7 days preceding), venerates the image of the Divine Mercy on Low Sunday, and attends Mass and receives Communion on Low Sunday.

The Chaplet

Jesus said to Sister Faustina:

"Say unceasingly this chaplet that I have taught you. Anyone who says it will receive great Mercy at the hour of death. Priests will recommend it to sinners as the last hope. Even the most hardened sinner, if he recites this Chaplet even once, will receive grace from My Infinite Mercy. I want the whole world to know My Infinite Mercy. I want to give unimaginable graces to those who trust in My Mercy...."

"....When they say this Chaplet in the presence of the dying, I will stand between My Father and the dying person not as the just judge but as the Merciful Savior".

Say the chaplet: The Chaplet

The Novena

Jesus asked that the Feast of the Divine Mercy be preceded by a Novena to the Divine Mercy which would begin on Good Friday.  He gave St. Faustina an intention to pray for on each day of the Novena, saving for the last day the most difficult intention of all, the lukewarm and indifferent of whom He said:

"These souls cause Me more suffering than any others; it was from such souls that My soul felt the most revulsion in the Garden of Olives. It was on their account that I said: 'My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass Me by.' The last hope of salvation for them is to flee to My Mercy.

In her diary, St. Faustina wrote that Jesus told her:

"On each day of the novena you will bring to My heart a different group of souls and you will immerse them in this ocean of My mercy ... On each day you will beg My Father, on the strength of My passion, for the graces for these souls."

Say the novena: The Novena