The Divine Mercy Chaplet has become one of the most beloved devotions in the Catholic Church, prayed by millions worldwide. Given by Jesus Himself to Saint Faustina Kowalska in the 1930s, this simple yet profound prayer invokes God's mercy upon the whole world. In 2026, as the Church continues to emphasize God's mercy, learning and praying this chaplet can transform your spiritual life.
The Origins of the Divine Mercy Devotion
The Divine Mercy devotion originated with Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun who received extraordinary revelations from Jesus between 1931 and 1938. Jesus appeared to her with rays of red and white light streaming from His heart, asking her to spread devotion to His mercy throughout the world.
Saint Faustina: Secretary of Divine Mercy
Helena Kowalska was born in 1905 in Poland to a poor but devout family. Despite having only three years of formal education, she entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy at age twenty. Jesus called her to be the 'secretary' of His mercy, recording His messages in what became her famous Diary, now a spiritual classic read worldwide.
Jesus' Message to the World
The core of Jesus' message to Saint Faustina was simple: God's mercy is infinite and available to all who trust in Him. Jesus told her, 'The greater the sinner, the greater the right he has to My mercy.' He asked that the second Sunday of Easter be celebrated as Divine Mercy Sunday and gave her the Chaplet as a powerful prayer for obtaining mercy.
How to Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet
The Chaplet is prayed using ordinary rosary beads and takes about ten to fifteen minutes. It can be prayed at any time, but Jesus specifically asked that it be prayed at 3:00 PM, the Hour of Mercy, when He died on the cross.
Opening Prayers
Begin with the Sign of the Cross. Then pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and the Apostles' Creed. These opening prayers prepare your heart to enter into the mystery of God's mercy.
On the Large Beads
On each of the five large beads (where you would pray the Our Father in the Rosary), 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 the Small Beads
On each of the ten small beads (where you would pray the Hail Mary), pray: 'For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.' Repeat this for all five decades.
Closing Prayer
After completing the five decades, pray three times: 'Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.' Then conclude with the Sign of the Cross.
The Promises of the Divine Mercy Chaplet
Jesus attached extraordinary promises to this devotion, recorded in Saint Faustina's Diary. These promises reveal the power of trusting in God's mercy.
Graces for Those Who Pray It
Jesus promised: 'Whoever will recite it will receive great mercy at the hour of death. Priests will recommend it to sinners as their last hope of salvation. Even if there were a sinner most hardened, if he were to recite this chaplet only once, he would receive grace from My infinite mercy.'
Graces for the Dying
Jesus gave special promises for praying the Chaplet for the dying: '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.' This makes the Chaplet a powerful prayer for those approaching death.
The Hour of Mercy
Jesus asked that 3:00 PM be honored as the Hour of Mercy: 'At three o'clock, implore My mercy, especially for sinners; and, if only for a brief moment, immerse yourself in My Passion, particularly in My abandonment at the moment of agony. This is the hour of great mercy for the whole world.'
Divine Mercy Sunday
Jesus asked that the first Sunday after Easter be celebrated as the Feast of Divine Mercy. In 2000, Pope Saint John Paul II officially established this feast for the universal Church, canonizing Saint Faustina on the same day.
The Great Promise
Jesus attached an extraordinary promise to this feast: 'The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment.' This promise of complete remission—similar to a plenary indulgence—makes Divine Mercy Sunday one of the most grace-filled days of the year.
Preparing for Divine Mercy Sunday 2026
Divine Mercy Sunday 2026 falls on April 12th. Prepare by making a good Confession during the preceding week, praying the Divine Mercy Novena (beginning on Good Friday), and receiving Holy Communion on the feast day itself. Many parishes hold special Divine Mercy celebrations with Adoration, the Chaplet, and veneration of the Divine Mercy image.
The Divine Mercy Image
Jesus asked Saint Faustina to have an image painted showing Him with red and white rays streaming from His heart, with the inscription 'Jesus, I Trust in You.' This image has become one of the most recognizable in Catholic devotion.
Meaning of the Rays
Jesus explained the symbolism: '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.'
Displaying the Image
Jesus promised blessings to those who venerate the image: 'I promise that the soul that will venerate this image will not perish.' Many Catholics display the Divine Mercy image in their homes as a reminder of God's mercy and an invitation to trust.
Living the Divine Mercy Message
The Divine Mercy devotion is not just about prayers but about living mercifully. Jesus told Saint Faustina that we must show mercy to others through our actions, words, and prayers.
Deeds of Mercy
We show mercy through concrete actions: feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, and performing the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. Every act of kindness becomes a channel of God's mercy to others.
Words of Mercy
Our words can bring mercy or harm. Speaking kindly, offering forgiveness, encouraging the discouraged, and sharing the message of God's mercy are all ways we extend mercy through our speech.
Prayer for Mercy
When we cannot help others through deeds or words, we can always pray for them. The Chaplet itself is a powerful prayer for mercy upon the whole world, especially for sinners most in need of God's mercy.
Conclusion: Trust in Divine Mercy
The Divine Mercy devotion calls us to trust completely in God's infinite mercy. No matter what sins we have committed, no matter how far we have strayed, God's mercy is greater. As Jesus told Saint Faustina, 'Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet.' In 2026, let the Divine Mercy Chaplet become a regular part of your prayer life, and experience the transforming power of God's mercy.
Prayer of Trust: 'Jesus, I trust in You. I trust in Your infinite mercy, which is greater than all my sins. I trust in Your love, which never fails. Help me to be merciful to others as You are merciful to me. Through the prayers of Saint Faustina, teach me to trust in You completely, especially in moments of doubt and fear. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen.'