Who is the patron saint of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy?

St. Faustina Kowalska is the patron saint associated with the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. The prayer is offered through their intercession.

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Chaplet of Divine Mercy

The Chaplet of Divine Mercy was given by Jesus to St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun, in a series of revelations between 1931 and 1938 recorded in her Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul. The chaplet is a powerful intercessory prayer offered for the conversion of sinners, the consolation of the dying, and the mercy of God upon the whole world. Jesus told Faustina that whoever prays this chaplet will receive 'great mercy at the hour of death' — and that He delights especially in this prayer offered at 3:00 PM, the Hour of Mercy (the hour of His death on Calvary). The chaplet is prayed on standard rosary beads, which makes it accessible to anyone with a rosary, and takes approximately ten minutes. Devotion to Divine Mercy was suppressed for many years, but Pope St. John Paul II — himself a Pole and a fellow countryman of St. Faustina — canonized her on April 30, 2000, and established Divine Mercy Sunday (the second Sunday of Easter) as a feast for the universal Church. The Chaplet of Divine Mercy has become one of the most widely-prayed devotions in the modern Church, especially favored by hospital chaplains, hospice volunteers, and those praying for the conversion of loved ones. It is the daily prayer at the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, and at the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Łagiewniki, Kraków — the place where Faustina lived, died, and is now entombed.

Saint Maria Faustyna Kowalska — Anonymous photograph, c. 1930s

10 min

Duration

1 day

Commitment

Beginner-Friendly

Level

St. Faustina Kowalska

Patron Saint

How to Pray

Using a standard five-decade rosary, begin with the Sign of the Cross, an Our Father, a Hail Mary, and the Apostles' Creed on the crucifix and opening beads. On each of the five large beads (where the Our Father is normally prayed), pray: 'Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.' On each of the ten small beads of each decade, pray: 'For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.' At the end of all five decades, conclude by praying three times: 'Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.' The chaplet is especially powerful when prayed at 3:00 PM (the Hour of Mercy), at the bedside of the dying, on the nine days before Divine Mercy Sunday (the Divine Mercy Novena, beginning Good Friday), and in moments of personal anguish or fear. It can be prayed silently, aloud, alone, or in a group. Many parishes lead the chaplet weekly, often on Fridays in remembrance of Christ's Passion. Catholics praying for the conversion or peaceful death of a loved one often commit to praying the chaplet daily for a sustained period — a month, the duration of an illness, the time leading up to a major decision. The chaplet pairs naturally with attendance at the Divine Mercy Novena from Good Friday to Divine Mercy Sunday.

Prayer Text

Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world. For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.