Feast of Divine Mercy

Jesus repeatedly asked for the institution of the Feast of Divine Mercy.
From the "Diary":
In the evening, standing in my cell, I saw the Lord Jesus dressed in a white robe: one hand raised to bless, while the other touched the robe on his chest, which slightly moved aside let out two large rays, red one and the other. other pale. Muta I kept my eyes fixed on the Lord; my soul was taken by fear, but also by great joy. After a moment, Jesus said to me: «Paint an image according to the model you see, with the following written: Jesus I trust in You! I want this image to be venerated first in your chapel, and then in the whole world. I promise that the soul who will venerate this image will not perish. I also promise victory on enemies already on this earth, but particularly in the hour of death. I myself will defend it as My own glory. » When I spoke to the confessor, I received this answer: "This is about your soul." He said to me thus: "Paint the divine image in your soul". When I left the confessional, I heard these words again: «My image is already in your soul. I wish there is a feast of Mercy. I want the image, which you will paint with the brush, to be solemnly blessed on the first Sunday after Easter; this Sunday must be the feast of Mercy. I desire that the priests announce My great Mercy for the souls of sinners. The sinner must not be afraid to approach Me ». «The flames of Mercy devour Me; I want to pour them on the souls of men ». (Diary- IQ part I)

«I want this image to be exposed to the public on the first Sunday after Easter. Such Sunday is the feast of Mercy. Through the Incarnate Word I make known the abyss of My Mercy ». It happened in a wonderful way! As the Lord asked, the first tribute of veneration for this image by the crowd took place on the first Sunday after Easter. For three days this image was exposed to the public and was the object of public veneration. It had been placed in Ostra Brama on a window at the top, which is why it was visible from far away. A solemn triduum was celebrated in Ostra Brama at the end of the Jubilee of the Redemption of the World, for the 19th centenary of the Savior's Passion. Now I see that the work of Redemption is connected with the work of Mercy requested by the Lord. (IQ Diary Part I)

A mysterious recollection took hold of my soul and continued until the holidays lasted. The amiability of Jesus is so great that it cannot be described. The following day, after the Holy Communion, I heard this voice: «My daughter, look at the abyss of My Mercy and honor and glory to this My Mercy and do it in this way: gather all the sinners of the whole world and immerse them in the abyss of My Mercy. I wish to give myself to souls. I desire souls, My daughter. On the day of My feast, on the feast of Mercy, you will cross the whole world and lead the soulled souls to the source of My Mercy, I will heal and fortify them "(Diary QI part III)

Once the confessor ordered me to ask Jesus what the two rays that are in this image mean, I replied: "Okay, I will ask the Lord". While praying I heard these words internally: «The two rays represent the Blood and the Water. The pale ray represents the Water that justifies souls; the red ray represents the Blood which is the life of souls ... Both rays came from the depths of My Mercy, when on the cross My Heart, already in agony, was torn with the spear. These rays shelter souls from My Father's indignation. Blessed is he who will live in their shadow, since the right hand of God will not strike him. I wish that the first Sunday after Easter is the Feast of Mercy.
+ Ask My faithful servant that on that day you speak to the whole world of this My great Mercy: on that day, whoever approaches the source of life will achieve total remission of sins and penalties.
+ Humanity will not find peace until it turns with confidence to My Mercy. (IQ Diary Part III)

Sister Faustina found much resistance because, as she was told by her confessor Don Michele Sopocko, the feast of Divine Mercy already existed in Poland and was celebrated in mid-September. She confides her perplexity to Jesus who insists on wanting the image to be solemnly blessed and receive public worship on the first Sunday after Easter, so that every soul thinks about it and becomes aware of it.

It will be John Paul II who fully accepts this request from Jesus. His encyclicals: "Redemptor Hominis" and "Dives in Misericordia" reveal the shepherd's trepidation and express how convinced he is that the worship of Divine Mercy represents a "salvation table" for humanity.
He writes: "The more the human conscience, succumbing to secularization, loses the sense of the very meaning of the word" mercy ", the more it distances itself from God, distances itself from the mystery of mercy, the more the Church has the right and the duty to appeal to the God of mercy "with loud cries". These "loud cries" must be proper to the Church of our times, addressed to God to implore his mercy, whose certain manifestation it professes and proclaims as happened in the crucified and risen Jesus, that is, in the paschal mystery. It is this mystery that carries within itself the most complete revelation of mercy, that is, of that love which is more powerful than death, more powerful than sin and all evil, of the love that lifts man from the abysmal falls and frees him from biggest threats. " (Dives in Mercy VIII-15)
On April 30, 2000, with the canonization of Saint Faustina Kowalska, John Paul II officially instituted the feast of Divine Mercy for the whole Church, setting the date on the second Sunday of Easter.
"It is important then that we collect the entire message that comes to us from the word of God on this second Easter Sunday, which from now on will be called the" Sunday of Divine Mercy "throughout the Church. And he adds:
“The canonization of Sister Faustina has a particular eloquence: by this act I intend today to convey this message to the new millennium. I transmit it to all men so that they learn to know better the true face of God and the true face of the brothers. " (John Paul II - Homily April 30, 2000)
In preparation for the Feast of Divine Mercy, the Novena of Divine Mercy is recited, which begins on Good Friday.