The Image of the Divine Mercy is a depiction of
Jesus Christ
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...
that is based on
the devotion initiated by
Faustina Kowalska
Maria Faustyna Kowalska, OLM (born Helena Kowalska; 25 August 1905 – 5 October 1938), also known as ''Maria Faustyna Kowalska of the Blessed Sacrament'', Faustyna popularly spelled "Faustina", was a Polish Catholic religious sister ...
.
According to Kowalska's diary, Jesus told her "I promise that the
soul
In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being".
Etymology
The Modern English noun ''soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest attes ...
that will
venerate
Veneration ( la, veneratio; el, τιμάω ), or veneration of saints, is the act of honoring a saint, a person who has been identified as having a high degree of sanctity or holiness. Angels are shown similar veneration in many religions. Etym ...
this image will not
perish. I also promise victory over enemies already here on earth, especially at the hour of death. I myself will defend it as My own glory." (''
Diary
A diary is a written or audiovisual record with discrete entries arranged by date reporting on what has happened over the course of a day or other period. Diaries have traditionally been handwritten but are now also often digital. A personal ...
'' 48)
Jesus is shown, in most versions, as raising his right hand in
blessing
In religion, a blessing (also used to refer to bestowing of such) is the impartation of something with grace, holiness, spiritual redemption, or divine will.
Etymology and Germanic paganism
The modern English language term ''bless'' likely ...
and pointing with his left hand on the
Sacred Heart
The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus ( la, Cor Jesu Sacratissimum) is one of the most widely practised and well-known Catholic devotions, wherein the heart of Jesus is viewed as a symbol of "God's boundless and passionate love for mankind". This devo ...
from which flow forth two rays: one red and one pale. The depiction contains the message "Jesus I trust in you" (
Polish
Polish may refer to:
* Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe
* Polish language
* Poles
Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...
: ''Jezu ufam Tobie''). The rays that stream out have symbolic meanings: red for the
blood of Jesus
Blood of Christ, also known as the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, in Christian theology refers to (a) the physical blood actually shed by Jesus Christ primarily on the Cross, and the salvation which Christianity teaches was accom ...
, and pale for the water (which
justifies souls). The whole image is a symbol of
charity
Charity may refer to:
Giving
* Charitable organization or charity, a non-profit organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being of persons
* Charity (practice), the practice of being benevolent, giving and sharing
* Ch ...
,
forgiveness and
love
Love encompasses a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most sublime virtue or good habit, the deepest Interpersonal relationship, interpersonal affection, to the simplest pleasure. An example of this range of ...
of
God
In monotheism, monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator deity, creator, and principal object of Faith#Religious views, faith.Richard Swinburne, Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Ted Honderich, Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Ox ...
, referred to as the "Fountain of
Mercy
Mercy (Middle English, from Anglo-French ''merci'', from Medieval Latin ''merced-'', ''merces'', from Latin, "price paid, wages", from ''merc-'', ''merxi'' "merchandise") is benevolence, forgiveness, and kindness in a variety of ethical, relig ...
". According to Kowalska's diary, the image is based on her 1931 vision of Jesus.
Kowalska directed the painting of the first image in Vilnius by the artist
Eugeniusz Kazimirowski
Eugeniusz Marcin Kazimirowski (November 11, 1873 – September 23, 1939 in Białystok) was a Polish painter member of the realism movement. He is best known for the first depiction of the Divine Mercy image in 1934, based on a request from Faus ...
. Since then, numerous versions of the image have been painted by other artists, including a popular rendition by
Adolf Hyła
Adolf Hyła (2 May 1897 – 24 December 1965)Słownik Artystów Polskich i Obcych w Polsce działających Wrocław. 1979. (In Polish). Accessed from August 10, 2012. was a Polish people, Polish painter and art teacher.''Faustina: The Apostle of D ...
in
Kraków
Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 1596 ...
. They are widely venerated worldwide and are used in the celebration of
Divine Mercy Sunday
Divine Mercy Sunday (also known as the Feast of the Divine Mercy) is celebrated on the Second Sunday of Easter, which concludes the Octave of Easter. The feast day is observed in the Roman Rite calendar, as well as some Anglo-Catholics of the ...
, observed in Roman Catholic as well as some
Anglican
Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...
churches.
Background
![Brzegi- Udział premier Beaty Szydło w Mszy Świętej - 28564602182](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/81/Brzegi-_Udzia%C5%82_premier_Beaty_Szyd%C5%82o_w_Mszy_%C5%9Awi%C4%99tej_-_28564602182.jpg)
Kowalska was a Polish nun who joined the convent of
Our Lady of Mercy, in
Warsaw
Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...
, in 1925.
[''Ann Ball, 2003 Encyclopedia of Catholic Devotions and Practices'' pages 174-175] In her diary, which was later published as the book ''
Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul'', Kowalska wrote about a number of
visions of Jesus and conversations with him.
Her confessor was
Michael Sopocko
Michael may refer to:
People
* Michael (given name), a given name
* Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael
Given name "Michael"
* Michael (archangel), ''first'' of God's archangels in the Jewish, Christian and ...
, a priest and a professor of theology.
In 1930, Kowalska was assigned to the convent in
Płock
Płock (pronounced ) is a city in central Poland, on the Vistula river, in the Masovian Voivodeship. According to the data provided by GUS on 31 December 2021, there were 116,962 inhabitants in the city. Its full ceremonial name, according to the ...
, Poland. Kowalska stated that in her cell on the night of Sunday, 22 February 1931, Jesus appeared to her as the "King of Divine Mercy" and was robed in a white garment.
Kowalska wrote that Jesus' right hand was raised in a sign of blessing, the other was touching the garment near his breast, and that from beneath the garment slightly down, aside his breast, emanated two large rays, one red, the other white.
[''A Divine Mercy Resource'' by Richard Torretto 2010 "The Image of Divine Mercy" pages 84-107][Catherine M. Odell, 1998, Faustina: Apostle of Divine Mercy OSV Press pages 63-64][Tim Drake, 2002, ''Saints of the Jubilee'', pages 85-95]
In her diary (Notebook 1, items 47 and 48), she wrote that Jesus told her:
[Tim Drake, 2002, Saints of the Jubilee, pages 89-90]
Another nun, Sister Christine, later stated that rays of light from the window were visible that night and attracted the attention of people standing on the other side of the street, implying that it was a "physical" appearance, rather than an interior vision.
Not knowing how to paint, Kowalska approached some other nuns at her convent for help but received no assistance. She attempted to sketch the image with charcoal on canvas but had little success.
[Catherine M. Odell, 1998, Faustina: Apostle of Divine Mercy OSV Press pages 65-75] In her diary (Notebook 1, item 53), she wrote that Jesus told her that she would receive "visible help" with the task. In November 1932, Kowalska left Płock and returned to
Warsaw
Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...
, and in May 1933, she was sent to the convent in
Vilnius
Vilnius ( , ; see also other names) is the capital and largest city of Lithuania, with a population of 592,389 (according to the state register) or 625,107 (according to the municipality of Vilnius). The population of Vilnius's functional urb ...
to work as the gardener.
[Catherine M. Odell, 1998, Faustina: Apostle of Divine Mercy OSV Press , pp. 85-95]
In Vilnius, Kowalska met the priest
Michał Sopoćko
Michael Sopoćko ( pl, Michał Sopoćko ; 1 November 1888 – 15 February 1975) was a Polish Roman Catholic priest and professor at Vilnius University. He is best known as the spiritual director of Faustina Kowalska. He was beatified by Pope Bene ...
, the newly-appointed confessor to the nuns.
Sopocko supported Kowalska's efforts and arranged for the first painting of the image by the artist
Eugeniusz Kazimirowski
Eugeniusz Marcin Kazimirowski (November 11, 1873 – September 23, 1939 in Białystok) was a Polish painter member of the realism movement. He is best known for the first depiction of the Divine Mercy image in 1934, based on a request from Faus ...
,
which was the only rendition that Kowalska saw.
After Kowalska's death, a number of other artists painted their own versions of the image, with the depiction by
Adolf Hyła
Adolf Hyła (2 May 1897 – 24 December 1965)Słownik Artystów Polskich i Obcych w Polsce działających Wrocław. 1979. (In Polish). Accessed from August 10, 2012. was a Polish people, Polish painter and art teacher.''Faustina: The Apostle of D ...
being among the most reproduced ones.
Devotional significance
After the
canonisation
Canonization is the declaration of a deceased person as an officially recognized saint, specifically, the official act of a Christian communion declaring a person worthy of public veneration and entering their name in the canon catalogue of s ...
of Kowalska in April 2000,
devotion
Devotion or Devotions may refer to:
Religion
* Faith, confidence or trust in a person, thing, or concept
* Anglican devotions, private prayers and practices used by Anglican Christians
* Buddhist devotion, commitment to religious observance
* Cat ...
to the Divine Mercy and the image has increased.
[''Sourcebook for Sundays, Seasons, and Weekdays 2011: The Almanac for Pastoral Liturgy'' by Corinna Laughlin 2010 page 195] The devotional following of the image and Kowalska's message has been stronger among Catholics at large than among theologians.
[''Am With You Always'' by Benedict Groeschel 2010 page 548] The author
Benedict Groeschel
Benedict Joseph Groeschel, C.F.R. (July 23, 1933 – October 3, 2014) was an American Franciscan friar, Catholic priest, retreat master, author, psychologist, activist, and television host. He hosted the television talk program ''Sunday Night P ...
considered a modest estimate of the following in 2010 to be over 100 million Catholics.
Kowalska's diary relates the rays of light within the image to life and salvation, stating (Notebook 1, item 299) that she was told by Jesus:
Kowalska also wrote that Jesus stressed the importance of the image as part of the Divine Mercy devotion, and in Notebook 1, item 327, she attributed these words to Jesus:
Catholic devotions thus stress the importance of the image as a "conduit for grace" as part of the Divine Mercy message.
Kowalska's diary also relates the image to
Divine Mercy Sunday
Divine Mercy Sunday (also known as the Feast of the Divine Mercy) is celebrated on the Second Sunday of Easter, which concludes the Octave of Easter. The feast day is observed in the Roman Rite calendar, as well as some Anglo-Catholics of the ...
. Kowalska wrote (Notebook 1, item 49) that Jesus told her that he wanted the Divine Mercy image to be "solemnly blessed" on the first Sunday after Easter; and that Sunday was to be the Feast of Mercy.
[''Faustina: The Apostle of Divine Mercy'' by Catherine M. Odell 1998 page 66]
Pope
John Paul II
Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...
instituted ''Divine Mercy Sunday'' (Dominica II Paschae seu de divina misericordia) and placed it on the
General Roman Calendar
The General Roman Calendar is the liturgical calendar that indicates the dates of celebrations of saints and mysteries of the Lord (Jesus Christ) in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church, wherever this liturgical rite is in use. These celebra ...
. The Divine Mercy image is often carried in processions on Divine Mercy Sunday and is placed in a location in the church so that it can be venerated by those who attended Mass.
The veneration of the Divine Mercy image also takes place in conjunction with the
Divine Mercy Chaplet and Novena.
The Vatican biography of Kowalska states that the veneration of the Divine Mercy image is part of the second component of her message, "entreating God's mercy for the whole world". Praying before the Divine Mercy image (with the signature "Jesus I trust in you") is not only encouraged in Catholic devotions but also mentioned as a partial condition for some of the
indulgences
In the teaching of the Catholic Church, an indulgence (, from , 'permit') is "a way to reduce the amount of punishment one has to undergo for sins". The '' Catechism of the Catholic Church'' describes an indulgence as "a remission before God o ...
associated with Divine Mercy Sunday.
[''Decree of the Apostolic Penitentiary on Divine Mercy Indulgences'' at the Vatican web site]
Artistic renditions
First painting
![Kazimirowski Eugeniusz, Divine Mercy, 1934](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fa/Kazimirowski_Eugeniusz%2C_Divine_Mercy%2C_1934.jpg)
The first painting was made by
Eugeniusz Kazimirowski
Eugeniusz Marcin Kazimirowski (November 11, 1873 – September 23, 1939 in Białystok) was a Polish painter member of the realism movement. He is best known for the first depiction of the Divine Mercy image in 1934, based on a request from Faus ...
, under the supervision of Kowalska and her confessor, Sopoćko, in
Vilnius
Vilnius ( , ; see also other names) is the capital and largest city of Lithuania, with a population of 592,389 (according to the state register) or 625,107 (according to the municipality of Vilnius). The population of Vilnius's functional urb ...
. Sopocko was a professor of theology at the
University of Vilnius
Vilnius University ( lt, Vilniaus universitetas) is a public research university, oldest in the Baltic states and in Northern Europe outside the United Kingdom (or 6th overall following foundations of Oxford, Cambridge, St. Andrews, Glasgow and ...
and introduced Kowalska to Kazimirowski, who was a professor of art there and had painted other religious images. Kowalska gave Kazimirowski specific instructions about the appearance and the posture of the image, which she said she had received from Jesus Christ in a vision. Sopocko himself posed as Jesus for the image as wearing an
alb
The alb (from the Latin ''albus'', meaning ''white''), one of the liturgical vestments of the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, Reformed and Congregational churches, is an ample white garment coming down to the ank ...
, and both he and Kowalska regularly visited the painter's workshop. The final painting satisfied neither Sopocko nor Kowalska, who later wrote that Jesus told her it was not that important for the picture to be beautiful since true beauty would be the blessing that he would bestow upon people by means of the painting.
After its completion in 1934, the Kazimirowski painting first hung in the
Bernardine Sisters' convent
A convent is a community of monks, nuns, religious brothers or, sisters or priests. Alternatively, ''convent'' means the building used by the community. The word is particularly used in the Catholic Church, Lutheran churches, and the Anglican ...
near the
church of St. Michael, where Sopoćko was a rector. In her diary, Kowalska wrote that Jesus told her to inform her confessor that the proper place for the painting was in a church, not in the hallway of a convent. The first public exposition of the Kazimirowski painting was on 26–28 April 1935, at the Church of the
Gate of Dawn
The Gate of Dawn ( lt, Aušros vartai), or Sharp Gate ( pl, Ostra Brama, la, Porta Acialis, be, Вострая Брама, lt, Ašmens vartai, russian: Острая брама) is a city gate in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, and one of ...
in Vilnius.
[ In 1937, on the Sunday after Easter, later instituted as Divine Mercy Sunday by Pope John Paul II, the painting was put on display beside the main altar in St. Michael’s Church in Vilnius. The image, including small reproductions of it on various devotional materials, was used by Sopoćko in promoting devotion to the Divine Mercy.]
In 1948, the Soviet authorities, who then occupied Lithuania, closed St. Michael's Church. The painting remained in the disused church building until 1951, when two pious women from Vilnius, Bronė Miniotaitė and Janina Rodzevič, bought the canvas from a guard and concealed it in an attic for several years. Later, they gave it to the parish priest at the Dominican Church of the Holy Spirit
Dominican Church of the Holy Spirit, Vilnius (Dominikonų St. 8) is a church in Vilnius, Lithuania, a monument of high and late Baroque. Crowned with a cupola, it stands out in the panorama of the old town and can be seen from surrounding str ...
for safekeeping, but he chose not to display it in the church. Sopocko, who had relocated to Poland but was unable to take the painting with him, expressed concern about it to his friend Józef Grasewicz, who obtained the painting and moved it to his own parish church in Nova Ruda, Belarus
Belarus,, , ; alternatively and formerly known as Byelorussia (from Russian ). officially the Republic of Belarus,; rus, Республика Беларусь, Respublika Belarus. is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by R ...
. There, it was displayed and venerated by the local parishioners. In 1970, the Soviets closed that church and used it as a storage warehouse but left the painting hanging in the disused church, where parishioners continued to venerate it in secret. In 1986, Grasewicz arranged for the painting to be replaced by a copy and the original to be secretly transported back to the Church of the Holy Spirit in Vilnius, where it underwent a restoration that significantly changed its appearance, and it was then displayed and venerated in the church. In 2003, the painting, which had deteriorated because of exposure, attempts at cleaning, and the previous restoration, was professionally restored to its original look. In 2005, it was moved to its current location, above the main altar in the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Vilnius.
In 2016, a documentary film, ''The Original Image of Divine Mercy'', was released and told the story of the original Divine Mercy painting and its survival over the decades. Made with the co-operation of the Archdiocese of Vilnius
The Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Vilnius ( la, Archidioecesis Vilnensis; lt, Vilniaus arkivyskupija) is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in Lithuania. Established as the Diocese of Vilnius in t ...
, the film included interviews with Jim Gaffigan
James Christopher Gaffigan (born July 7, 1966) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and producer. His material often addresses fatherhood, laziness, food, religion, and general observations. He is regarded as a "clean" comic, using l ...
, Bishop Robert Barron, Harry Connick Jr., and Archbishop Gintaras Grusas, who also served as executive producer.
Hyła painting
Another painting of the Divine Mercy was made by Adolf Hyła
Adolf Hyła (2 May 1897 – 24 December 1965)Słownik Artystów Polskich i Obcych w Polsce działających Wrocław. 1979. (In Polish). Accessed from August 10, 2012. was a Polish people, Polish painter and art teacher.''Faustina: The Apostle of D ...
as a votive offering
A votive offering or votive deposit is one or more objects displayed or deposited, without the intention of recovery or use, in a sacred place for religious purposes. Such items are a feature of modern and ancient societies and are generally ...
. In painting the picture, Hyła expressed his gratitude for the survival of his family during World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
.
Hyła was given the descriptions from Kowalska's diary by the nuns at the convent and a small copy of the first painting. Hyła's image is somewhat different from Kazimirowski's, as the former figured Jesus as a "Divine Physician" who walks the earth and heals people. He has Jesus approaching the viewer, instead of merely standing. Christ's right hand is lifted up high in benediction, and He is looking into the eyes of the viewer. The original version of the painting had a country landscape in the background, which was removed in a later replica, as it was deemed "non-liturgical".
The Hyła rendition is also called the "Kraków Divine Mercy Image" because it is kept in the sanctuary at Kraków-Łagiewniki at the Divine Mercy Sanctuary, Kraków
The Divine Mercy Shrine ( pl, Sanktuarium Bożego Miłosierdzia) in Kraków, Poland is a Roman Catholic basilica dedicated to the Divine Mercy devotion, and is the resting place of Faustina Kowalska, canonised by the Catholic Church on 30 April ...
. Many artistic reentions of this image were created such as The Divine Mercy Parish in Madaluyong, Philippines which was constructed in 1992 due to vast devotion of itself since 1985.
Other versions
Before Hyła offered his votive painting, the sisters had commissioned Stanisław Batowski to paint a third version. It was lost in a fire, and Batowski painted a fourth painting, which arrived at the convent at almost the same time as Hyła's. Cardinal Sapieha
Prince Adam Stefan Stanisław Bonifacy Józef Cardinal (Catholic Church), Cardinal Sapieha (; 14 May 1867 – 23 July 1951) was a senior-ranking Polish prelate of the Catholic Church who served as Archbishop of Kraków from 1911 to 1951. Betwee ...
, who happened to be in the convent then, selected the Hyła painting because it was a votive image. A number of other artists have painted the image, but Hyła's rendition remains the most reproduced one.[''Butler's lives of the saints: the third millennium'' by Paul Burns, Alban Butler 2001 page 252]
"The image of The Divine Mercy, painted by Adam Styka (1957), sdisplayed in the Sanctuary of The Divine Mercy at the Congregation of Marians in Stockbridge, MA USA." (''Diary'' pictures of images) it was later removed in 2022 during renovation works and relocated to a safe vault in the church.
Another popular image was created in 1982 by American artist Robert Skemp, an illustrator of pop fiction paintings and posters during the baby boomer era. This rendition depicts Jesus standing in front of an arched doorway, with a more pronounced halo
Halo, halos or haloes usually refer to:
* Halo (optical phenomenon)
* Halo (religious iconography), a ring of light around the image of a head
HALO, halo, halos or haloes may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment Video games
* ''Halo'' (franch ...
about his head. Skemp was a devoted catholic during his lifespan and had construct his will to paint the sacred image prior upon his death in 1984. The Skemp and Hyła images are the most ubiquitous depictions found in the Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
, where the devotion to the Divine Mercy is a popular one. The Skemp version of this image were recreated in various places and churches in the Philippines particullary in Bulacan where the 80ft tall image of a replica bearing the tagalog insceiption of "Jesus I Trust In You" is displayed at the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy in 2002.
In 1987, Svitozar Nenyuk also painted the image itself originating its rendion to the Skemp and Hyła's Previous ones.
The Divine Mercy Shrine, Misamis Oriental, in El Salvador City, Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
was built in 2008, and has a 15.24 m (50 ft) statue of the Divine Mercy towering above the shrine.[''BusinessWeek Mindanao'' 26 August 2011: "DIVINE MERCY SHRINE in Misamis Oriental celebrates Birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary]
Banning
In 1959, the Vatican banned the image and its devotion for a number of factors. Some Polish bishops questioned Kowalska's claims and were uncomfortable with the image's similarity to the red-and-white Polish flag
The national flag of Poland ( pl, flaga Polski) consists of two horizontal stripes of equal width, the upper one white and the lower one red. The two colours are defined in the Polish constitution as the national colours. A variant of the flag ...
.[National Catholic Reporter](_blank)
/ref> Polish priests were reported to be interpreting the rays as a symbol of the flag.[ 'Development of the Worship of Divine Mercy in Poland and Abroad'', Bishop Pawel Socha, Peregrinis Cracoviensis 11, 2001/ref> The ban on the image and devotion to it was lifted only on April 15, 1978, after pressure from ]Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...
, who was a great advocate for Kowalska.
See also
* Hour of Mercy
The Divine Mercy is a form of God's compassion, an act of grace based on trust or forgiveness. In Catholicism, it refers specifically to a devotion which had its origin in the apparitions of Jesus Christ reported by Faustina Kowalska.
Etymol ...
* O Blood and Water
The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy, also called the Divine Mercy Chaplet, is a Christian devotion to the Divine Mercy, based on the Visions of Jesus and Mary, Christological apparitions of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus reported by Faustina Kowalska ...
* Divine Mercy Sanctuary (Kraków) Divine Mercy Sanctuary may refer to:
* Divine Mercy Sanctuary, Kraków, with the remains of saint Faustina Kowalska and the most popular Divine Mercy image by Adolf Hyła
* Sanctuary of the Divine Mercy, Vilnius, with the first Divine Mercy image b ...
* Divine Mercy Sanctuary (Płock)
The Divine Mercy Sanctuary is a Roman Catholic chapel, in Poland, dedicated to the Divine Mercy devotion, originated by Faustina Kowalska.
Description
The chapel belongs to Zgromadzenie Sióstr Matki Bożej Miłosierdzia (the Congregation of ...
* Works of Mercy
Works of mercy (sometimes known as acts of mercy) are practices considered meritorious in Christian ethics.
The practice is popular in the Catholic Church as an act of both penance and charity. In addition, the Methodist church teaches that th ...
References
Sources
* '' Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul'' by Faustina Kowalska 2003
online version
* {{ Citation , last = Gaskell , first = Ivan , date = 2009 , title = Jesus Christ as the divine mercy by Eugeniusz Kazimirowski: the most influential Polish painting of the Twentieth Century? , journal = Ars: časopis Ústavu dejín umenia Slovenskej akadémie vied / Journal of the Institute of Art History of Slovak Academy of Sciences , volume = 42 , issue = 1 , pages = 81–91 , url = https://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:4263741
External links
The Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy
The Chapel of Saint Faustina on-line transmissions
Sanctuary of the Divine Mercy
The Divine Mercy Message from Saint Faustina
Divine Mercy images world distribution
Source of Divine Mercy Images in Canada
Divine Mercy image film
Iconography of Jesus
Paintings depicting Jesus
Votive offering
Divine Mercy
Catholicism in Lithuania