The Apostolate of Divine Mercy

 The Apostolate of Divine Mercy is a religious and spiritual movement within the Roman Catholic Church that focuses on promoting and spreading devotion to the Divine Mercy, as revealed to Saint Faustina Kowalska, and the message associated with it. The apostolate's primary aim is to encourage people to trust in God's infinite mercy, seek His forgiveness, and practice acts of mercy and compassion in their daily lives.

Key aspects and activities of the Apostolate of Divine Mercy include:

Prayer and Devotion: Members of the apostolate often engage in regular prayer, including the recitation of the Divine Mercy Chaplet and the Novena to the Divine Mercy. These prayers are centered on imploring God's mercy for themselves and for the world.

The Origin of the Devotion to Divine Mercy

 The origin of the devotion to Divine Mercy is closely associated with Saint Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun who lived in the early 20th century. Saint Faustina reported receiving visions and messages from Jesus Christ, who appeared to her as the "Divine Mercy." These visions began in 1931 when she was a member of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Poland.

In one of her visions, Jesus asked Saint Faustina to have an image painted according to the vision she had seen, which depicts Jesus with two rays coming from His heart, one red and one pale (usually blue). The rays symbolize the blood and water that flowed from Jesus' side when He was pierced by a lance on the cross and are a representation of the sacraments of Eucharist and Baptism. Below the image, the phrase "Jesus, I trust in You" is typically written.

Jesus also asked her to promote the message of Divine Mercy, which includes the call to trust in His infinite mercy, perform acts of mercy and charity, and celebrate a special feast on the Sunday after Easter, which is now known as Divine Mercy Sunday.