Feast of Divine Mercy – Sunday after Easter

The feast was incorporated into the universal Catholic calendar by Blessed Pope John Paul II, who based it on the writings of Saint Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun who documented her encounters with Jesus Christ. Christ asked her to describe the outpouring of mercy that derives from his pierced heart. The words of Christ, according to Saint Faustina, were: “Proclaim that mercy is the greatest attribute of God”. He asked the saint to diffuse an image of his pierced side and the flow of blood and water, as is described in the Gospel of Saint John: “One of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out. (He who saw this has testified so that you also may believe. His testimony is true, and he knows that he tells the truth.) These things occurred so that the scripture might be fulfilled, "None of his bones shall be broken." And again another passage of scripture says, "They will look on the one whom they have pierced."” (John 19:34-37). He also revealed to her the signature that went with the image: “Jesus, I trust in you”.

The spirituality of this feast promotes the faith in the mercy of God and the practice of acts of mercy for the benefit of those around us, especially those most in need. Pope John Paul II was proclaimed blessed on this feast day.