Divine Mercy Chaplet
The Divine Mercy Chaplet is a prayer that is closely associated with the devotion to the Divine Mercy, which is based on visions of Jesus experienced and written about by Saint Faustina Kowalska, a 20th-century Polish nun. It is a simple but powerful prayer that is prayed using an ordinary rosary.
The chaplet can be started with opening prayers that are taken directly from Saint Faustina Kowalska’s diary.
Opening Prayers (optional):
Saint Faustina’s Prayer for Sinners
O Jesus, eternal Truth, our Life, I call upon You and I beg Your mercy for poor sinners. O sweetest Heart of my Lord, full of pity and unfathomable mercy, I plead with You for poor sinners. O Most Sacred Heart, Fount of Mercy from which gush forth rays of inconceivable graces upon the entire human race, I beg of You light for poor sinners. O Jesus, be mindful of Your own bitter Passion and do not permit the loss of souls redeemed at so dear a price of Your most precious Blood. O Jesus, when I consider the great price of Your Blood, I rejoice at its immensity, for one drop alone would have been enough for the salvation of all sinners. Although sin is an abyss of wickedness and ingratitude, the price paid for us can never be equalled. Therefore, let every soul trust in the Passion of the Lord, and place its hope in His mercy. God will not deny His mercy to anyone. Heaven and earth may change, but God's mercy will never be exhausted. Oh, what immense joy burns in my heart when I contemplate Your incomprehensible goodness, O Jesus! I desire to bring all sinners to Your feet that they may glorify Your mercy throughout endless ages (Diary, 72).
You expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us.
(Repeat three times)
O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, I trust in You!
The main chaplet itself is prayed as follows:
1. At the cross or crucifix on your rosary, begin with the Sign of the Cross.
2. On the first bead following the crucifix (at the beginning of the rosary), recite the Our Father.
3. On the following three beads (representing the three divisions of the rosary), recite the Hail Mary.
4. On the next bead, recite the Apostles' Creed.
5. On the large bead (at the beginning of the chain), recite the Eternal Father prayer:
"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."
6. On the ten small beads of the decades (what would be the Hail Mary beads when praying the rosary), recite the following prayer:
"For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world."
7. Repeat step 6 for each decade, continuing through the five decades of the chaplet.
8. Conclude with the following prayer recited three times:
"Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world."
The Divine Mercy Chaplet is often prayed for the intention of God's mercy and forgiveness, both for oneself and for the whole world. It is a means of seeking God's mercy, trusting in His love and compassion, and interceding for the conversion and salvation of souls.
The chaplet can be recited privately or in a group setting. It is often prayed on Divine Mercy Sunday, and it is especially encouraged to be prayed during the Hour of Mercy, which is traditionally observed at 3:00 p.m., the hour that recalls the time of Jesus' death on the cross. This prayer is a powerful way to participate in the devotion to the Divine Mercy and to meditate on the profound gift of God's mercy to humanity.
Updated 07-02-2023