St. Maria Faustina Kowalska (1905-1938): A humble, uneducated Polish nun, she began receiving visions and messages from Jesus, which she recorded in her diary.
Apparitions and Revelations: Jesus appeared to her, instructing her to paint an image of Himself with the inscription “Jesus, I trust in You” and to spread the message of His mercy.
The Divine Mercy Image: The image depicts Jesus with his right hand raised in a blessing and his left hand touching his garment above his heart, with red and white rays emanating from his heart, symbolizing the blood and water that flowed from his side on the cross.
The Chaplet of Divine Mercy: Jesus dictated the prayer and structure of the Chaplet to St. Faustina, promising great graces to those who recite it, especially at the hour of death.
Divine Mercy Sunday: Pope John Paul II declared the Sunday after Easter “Divine Mercy Sunday” in 2000, recognizing the importance of the message of Divine Mercy and St. Faustina’s role in spreading it.
Spread of the Devotion: St. Faustina’s diary, the Divine Mercy image, and the Chaplet have become powerful tools for spreading the message of God’s mercy, and the devotion has gained worldwide recognition.
The Message of Mercy: The Divine Mercy message emphasizes that God’s mercy is boundless and available to all, especially those who trust in Him and seek His forgiveness.
The Divine Mercy Novena: Jesus gave St. Faustina nine intentions for which to pray the Chaplet beginning on Good Friday and ending on the Saturday before Divine Mercy Sunday.
Novena Intentions
DAY 1 (Good Friday) – All mankind, especially sinners DAY 2 (Holy Saturday ) – The souls of priests and religious DAY 3 (Easter Sunday) – All devout and faithful souls DAY 4 (Easter Monday) – Those who do not believe in Jesus & those who do not know Him DAY 5 (Easter Tuesday) – The souls of separated brethren DAY 6 (Easter Wednesday) – The meek and humble souls and the souls of children DAY 7 (Easter Thursday) – The souls who especially venerate and glorify Jesus’ mercy DAY 8 (Easter Friday) – The souls who are detained in purgatory; DAY 9 (Easter Saturday) – The souls who have become lukewarm.