{{Short description|Catholic feast day}} {{Infobox holiday |holiday_name = Divine Mercy Sunday |type = christian |image = Divine Mercy Sanctuary in Vilnius4.JPG |imagesize = |caption = The first Divine Mercy painting by [[Eugene Kazimierowski|Kazimierowski]] (1934) at the [[Divine Mercy Sanctuary (Vilnius)]] |official_name = Feast of the Divine Mercy |nickname = |observedby = [[Roman Catholic Church]] |longtype = |begins = |ends = |date = [[Second Sunday of Easter]] |date{{LASTYEAR}} = {{#time: F j| {{Calendar date |holiday=Easter |year={{LASTYEAR}}}}+7 days}} |date{{CURRENTYEAR}} = {{#time: F j| {{Calendar date |holiday=Easter |year={{CURRENTYEAR}}}}+7 days}} |date{{NEXTYEAR}} = {{#time: F j| {{Calendar date |holiday=Easter |year={{NEXTYEAR}}}}+7 days}} |date{{NEXTYEAR|2}} = {{#time: F j| {{Calendar date |holiday=Easter |year={{NEXTYEAR|2}}}}+7 days}} |celebrations = |observances = [[Catholic Mass|Mass]], [[Sacrament of Penance|sacramental confession]] |firsttime = {{start date and age|2000|4|30}} }} {{Divine Mercy}} '''Divine Mercy Sunday''' (also known as the '''Feast of the Divine Mercy''') is a [[feast day]] that is observed in the [[Roman Rite]] calendar, as well as some [[Anglo-Catholic]]s of the [[Church of England]] (it is not an official Anglican feast). It is celebrated on the [[Second Sunday of Easter]], which concludes the [[Octave of Easter]].<ref>{{cite web |title=St. Mary Magdalene Church, Diocese of Manchester (UK) |url=https://www.stmarymagdaleneeccles.org.uk/about-us/divine-mercy-1/ |publisher=Church of England |access-date=11 April 2021}}</ref><ref name="Brockman2011">{{cite book|last=Brockman|first=Norbert|title=Encyclopedia of Sacred Places|url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediasacr00broc|url-access=limited|date= 2011|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=9781598846546|page=[https://archive.org/details/encyclopediasacr00broc/page/n170 140]|quote=The feast is October 5, and Divine Mercy Sunday is celebrated in the Catholic Church on the first Sunday after Easter. Some Anglican parishes observe it as well.}}<!--|access-date=26 April 2014--></ref> It is originally based on the [[Catholic devotion]] to the [[Divine Mercy (Catholic devotion)|Divine Mercy]] that [[Faustina Kowalska]] reported as part of her [[Visions of Jesus and Mary|visions of Jesus]], and is associated with special promises from Jesus and [[indulgence]]s issued by the [[Catholic Church]].
According to the diary of Kowalska, the feast of Divine Mercy receives the biggest promises of [[Grace in Christianity|grace]] from Jesus in the Divine Mercy devotion. A person who goes to [[sacrament]]al [[Confession (religion)|confession]] (the confession may take place some days before) and receives [[Eucharist|holy communion]] on that Sunday, shall obtain the total forgiveness of sins and punishments. This grace is similar to the grace received at baptism and greater than a plenary indulgence.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2024-04-06 |title=Divine Mercy Sunday: everything you need to know |url=https://international.la-croix.com/pray/divine-mercy-sunday-everything-you-need-to-know |access-date=2024-12-27 |website=La croix international |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Mass prep – 30 seconds / 3 points: a Sunday of '2nd baptism?' |url=https://aleteia.org/2022/04/23/mass-prep-30-seconds-3-points-a-sunday-of-2nd-baptism |access-date=2024-12-27 |website=Aleteia — Catholic Spirituality, Lifestyle, World News, and Culture |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2024-04-03 |title=How to Obtain the Unique Plenary Indulgence Jesus Offers on Divine Mercy Sunday |url=https://www.churchpop.com/how-to-obtain-the-unique-plenary-indulgence-jesus-offers-on-divine-mercy-sunday/ |access-date=2024-12-27 |website=ChurchPOP |language=en}}</ref> Additionally, the Catholic Church also grants a [[plenary indulgence]] (observing the usual rules) with the recitation of some simple prayers.<ref name="Drake85">''Saints of the Jubilee'' by Tim Drake 2002 {{ISBN|978-1-4033-1009-5}} pp. 85–95</ref><ref name="Decree" /><ref name="Ball174">Ann Ball, 2003 ''Encyclopedia of Catholic Devotions and Practices'' {{ISBN|0-87973-910-X}} pp. 174–175</ref>
==Devotion to the Divine Mercy== [[Faustina Kowalska]], a [[Polish people|Polish]] nun, reported [[Visions of Jesus and Mary|visions and visitations from Jesus]] and conversations with him. He asked her to paint the vision of his merciful divinity being poured from his [[Sacred Heart]] and specifically asked for a feast of [[Divine Mercy (Catholic devotion)|Divine Mercy]] to be established on the first Sunday after Easter Sunday, so that mankind would take refuge in him:<ref name="Drake89">Tim Drake, 2002, Saints of the Jubilee, {{ISBN|978-1-4033-1009-5}} pp. 89–90</ref><ref name="odell66">''Faustina: The Apostle of Divine Mercy'' by Catherine M. Odell 1998 {{ISBN|0-87973-923-1}} p. 66</ref>
{{blockquote|I want the image solemnly blessed on the first Sunday after Easter, and I want it to be venerated publicly so that every soul may know about it.|Jesus' words| ''Diary'' 341}}
{{blockquote|Let all mankind recognize My unfathomable mercy. It is a sign for the end times; after it will come the day of justice.||''Diary'' 848}}
{{blockquote|Souls perish in spite of My bitter Passion. I am giving them the last hope of salvation; that is, the Feast of My Mercy. If they will not adore My mercy, they will perish for all eternity… tell souls about this great mercy of Mine, because the awful day, the day of My justice, is near.||''Diary'' 965}}
{{blockquote|Sunday, April 28, 1935. Low Sunday; that is, the Feast of The Divine Mercy, the conclusion of the Jubilee of Redemption. When we went to take part in the celebrations, my heart leapt with joy that the two solemnities were so closely united.|Faustina's words|''Diary'' 420}}
{{blockquote|This Feast emerged from the very depths of My mercy, and it is confirmed in the vast depths of my tender mercies. Every soul believing and trusting in My mercy will obtain it.|Jesus' words|''Diary'' 420}}
{{blockquote|Yes, the first Sunday after Easter is the Feast of Mercy, but there must also be deeds of mercy, which are to arise out of love for Me. You are to show mercy to our neighbors always and everywhere. You must not shrink from this or try to absolve yourself from it.||''Diary'' 742}}
In several entries in [[Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul|her diary]], Kowalska reported a promise of a grace of forgiveness associated to the Feast of Divine Mercy on Mercy Sunday:<ref name="Divine Mercy Sunday Information">{{Cite web|url=http://divinemercysunday.com/packet.htm|title=Divine Mercy Sunday Packet for Pastors|website=divinemercysunday.com}}</ref>
{{blockquote|Ask of my faithful servant [a priest] that, on this day, he tell the whole world of My great mercy; that whoever approaches the Fountain of Life on this day will be granted complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. Mankind will not have peace until it turns with trust to My mercy.||''Diary'' 300}}
{{blockquote|I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day, the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain the complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which grace flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet.||''Diary'' 699}}
{{blockquote|I want to grant a complete pardon to the souls that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion on the Feast of My Mercy.||''Diary'' 1109}}
This special promise of grace of forgiveness is similar to the grace received at baptism and greater than a plenary indulgence. It forgives the punishments due to sin but also the sins themselves and does not require a complete detachment from sin like indulgences do.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> This would mean that the person would go immediately to [[heaven]] without suffering in [[purgatory]] if the person would die in that state of grace.
On March 23, 1937, Kowalska wrote in her diary (Notebook III, item 1044) that she had a vision that the feast of Divine Mercy would be celebrated in her local chapel, and would be attended by large crowds, and that the same celebration would be held in Rome attended by the pope.<ref name="Drake85" /><ref name="Ball174" /> She wrote: "The crowd was so enormous that the eye could not take it all in. Everyone was participating in the celebrations."<ref name="Drake85" />
Divine Mercy Sunday is also the day after the culmination of the [[novena]] of the [[Chaplet of Divine Mercy]].<ref name="EWTNDMNV">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/devotions/novena-13366|title=Divine Mercy Novena | EWTN|website=EWTN Global Catholic Television Network}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.voting4life.org/Pages/009_Divine_Mercy.htm|title=009_Divine_Mercy|website=www.voting4life.org}}</ref> Kowalska wrote Jesus instructed her that the Feast of Mercy (the Sunday after [[Easter]]) be preceded by a [[Chaplet of the Divine Mercy#Divine Mercy Novena|Divine Mercy Novena]] which would begin on [[Good Friday]].<ref name="EWTNDMNV" />
The first Mass during which the [[Divine Mercy image]] was displayed was on April 28, 1935 (the Feast of Divine Mercy), the second Sunday of Easter, and was attended by Kowalska. (Diary of St. Faustina, item 420).<ref name="odell102" /> April 28, 1935 was also the celebration of the end of the ''Jubilee of the Redemption'' by [[Pope Pius XI]].<ref name="odell102" /><ref>Miravalle, Mark ''Introduction to Mary'' 1993, {{ISBN|978-1-882972-06-7}}, p. 122</ref> [[Michael Sopocko]] (Kowalska's confessor) celebrated the Mass that Sunday and obtained permission to place the image within the [[Gate of Dawn|Gate of Dawn church]] in [[Vilnius]] during the Mass.<ref name="odell102">''Faustina: The Apostle of Divine Mercy'' by Catherine M. Odell 1998 {{ISBN|0-87973-923-1}} pp. 102–103</ref><ref>''A Divine Mercy Resource'' by Richard Torretto 2010 {{ISBN|1-4502-3236-1}} p. 16</ref>
==Vatican approval== The devotion was actively promoted by [[Pope John Paul II]]. On April 30, 2000, the [[Canonization]] of Faustina Kowalska took place and the second Sunday of Easter was officially designated as the Sunday of the Divine Mercy in the [[General Roman Calendar]].<ref name="Torretto">''A Divine Mercy Resource'' by Richard Torretto 2010 {{ISBN|1-4502-3236-1}} pp. 188–190</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/homilies/2000/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_20000430_faustina.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110505032503/https://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/homilies/2000/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_20000430_faustina_en.html|url-status=dead|title= Canonization of Sr. Mary Faustina Kowalska | John Paul II |date=30 April 2000 |archive-date=May 5, 2011|website=The Holy See}}</ref> On April 22, 2001, which was one year after establishing Divine Mercy Sunday, Pope John Paul II re-emphasized its message in the [[Resurrection of Jesus|resurrection]] context of Easter:
<blockquote> Jesus said to Sr Faustina one day: "Humanity will never find peace until it turns with trust to Divine Mercy". Divine Mercy! This is the Easter gift that the Church receives from the risen Christ and offers to humanity<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/homilies/2001/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_20010422_divina-misericordia.html|title= Sunday of Divine Mercy | John Paul II |date=22 April 2001 |website=The Holy See}}</ref> </blockquote>
The devotion to Divine Mercy Sunday grew rapidly after its designation by Pope John Paul II and is now widely celebrated by Catholics.<ref name="Sourcebook">''[https://books.google.com/books?id=kQWbWCXMGQgC&pg=PA195 Sourcebook for Sundays, Seasons, and Weekdays 2011: The Almanac for Pastoral Liturgy]'' by Corinna Laughlin, 2010, {{ISBN|1-56854-871-0}}, p. 195.</ref> 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 the Mass.<ref name="Sourcebook" />
The liturgical celebration of Divine Mercy Sunday reflects the devotional elements of Divine Mercy – the former alternate opening prayer of that Mass began with: <blockquote> Heavenly Father and God of mercy, we no longer look for Jesus among the dead, for he is alive and has become the Lord of life.<ref name="Torretto58" /> </blockquote>
This opening prayer refers to divine mercy as the key element in the plan of God for salvation and emphasizes the belief that it was through mercy that God gave his only son for the redemption of mankind, after the fall of Adam.<ref name="Torretto58">''A Divine Mercy Resource'' by Richard Torretto 2010 {{ISBN|1-4502-3236-1}} pp. 58–59</ref>
[[File:Beatification of John Paul II (1).jpg|thumb|240px|''Divine Mercy Sunday'', May 1, 2011, at the Vatican included the [[beatification of Pope John Paul II]], for which over a million pilgrims went to Rome.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/vaticancityandholysee/8486488/Pope-John-Paul-II-beatified-in-front-of-audience-of-1.5-million.html|title=Pope John Paul II beatified in front of audience of 1.5 million|website=The Telegraph |url-access=registration |date=1 May 2011 |first1=Nick |last1=Squires |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231123150450/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/vaticancityandholysee/8486488/Pope-John-Paul-II-beatified-in-front-of-audience-of-1.5-million.html |archive-date= 2023-11-23}}</ref>]]
John Paul II, who died in April 2005 on the vigil of Divine Mercy Sunday, was himself [[Beatification and canonisation of Pope John Paul II|beatified]] on Divine Mercy Sunday, May 1, 2011, by his successor, [[Pope Benedict XVI]],<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12191423|title=Pope paves way to beatification of John Paul II|work=BBC News|access-date=2011-01-14|date=January 14, 2011}}</ref> and was [[Canonization|canonized]] together with [[Pope John XXIII]] on Divine Mercy Sunday, April 27, 2014, by [[Pope Francis]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vatican.va/special/canonizzazione-27042014/index_en.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140427150647/https://www.vatican.va/special/canonizzazione-27042014/index_en.html|url-status=dead|title=Canonization of Blesseds John XXIII and John Paul II, 27 April 2014|archive-date=April 27, 2014|website=The Holy See}}</ref>
===Plenary indulgence=== In June 2002, John Paul II granted [[indulgences]] to Catholics who recite specific prayers on that day, and the grants were then formally decreed by the [[Apostolic Penitentiary]].<ref name=Decree>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/tribunals/apost_penit/documents/rc_trib_appen_doc_20020629_decree-ii_en.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080219214545/https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/tribunals/apost_penit/documents/rc_trib_appen_doc_20020629_decree-ii_en.html|url-status=dead|title=Decree on Indulgences attached to devotions in honour of Divine Mercy|archive-date=February 19, 2008|website=www.vatican.va}}</ref> Priests are encouraged on that day to lead the prayers in honor of Divine Mercy, inform the parishioners about the Divine Mercy, and hear confessions.<ref name=Decree />
====Conditions====
The plenary indulgence is obtained by observing the usual dispositions that are in place for the granting of this grace through the intercession of the Catholic Church:<ref name=NCR>{{cite web|url=https://www.ncregister.com/blog/joseph-pronechen/how-to-get-a-plenary-indulgence-on-divine-mercy-sunday|title=How to Get a Plenary Indulgence on Divine Mercy Sunday|last=Pronechen|first=Joseph|date=April 26, 2009|website=[[National Catholic Register]]|access-date=April 16, 2020}}</ref><ref name=Decree />
* Participation in the prayers and devotions held in honor of Divine Mercy in a church or chapel while "completely detached from the affection for a sin, even a venial sin", or recitation of the [[Our Father]] and the [[Nicene Creed|Creed]] in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament exposed or reserved in the [[Church tabernacle|tabernacle]], adding the prayer "Merciful Jesus, I trust in you" * [[Confession (Catholic Church)|Sacramental confession]] * [[Eucharist in the Catholic Church|Holy Communion]] * Prayer for the intentions of the pope
Additionally, the faithful who, for a justified reason beyond their control, are unable to go to a church or chapel may obtain an indulgence with the recitation of the Our Father and Creed before an image of Jesus, adding the prayer "Merciful Jesus, I trust in you", with the conditions of detachment of sin, and intention to fulfill the dispositions above as soon as possible.<ref name=Decree/>
If even this is impossible to achieve, the indulgence can be obtained by the faithful if they "united with those carrying out the prescribed practice for obtaining the indulgence in the usual way", and offer to Jesus a prayer and their sufferings, again with the resolution of fulfilling the normal conditions at the earliest opportunity.<ref name=Decree/>
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==Further reading== * {{Cite book|title=Pope Benedict's Divine Mercy Mandate|last=Came|first=David|year=2009|publisher=Marian Press |isbn=978-1-59614-203-9}} * {{Cite book|title=[[Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul]]|last=Kowalska|first=Faustina|year=2003|publisher=Marian Press |isbn=1-59614-110-7}} {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040922161041/http://www.saint-faustina.com/Diary/DMIMS1.shtml|date=22 September 2004|title=Full text}}
{{Liturgical year of the Catholic Church}} {{Authority control}}
[[Category:Catholic devotions]] [[Category:Catholic holy days]] [[Category:Eastertide]] [[Category:Divine Mercy (Catholic devotion)]] [[Category:April observances]] [[Category:Christian Sunday observances]]