THE Divine Mercy Chaplet is a Catholic devotional prayer taught by Jesus Christ to Saint Faustina Kowalska, the Apostle of Mercy. Saint Faustina had multiple visions and conversations with Jesus during her lifetime. It was during one of these visions that she learned the prayer, which she prayed to prevent the destruction of a city.
The chaplet commemorates God’s infinite mercy towards humanity through Jesus Christ. It also asks God the Father for His mercy and forgiveness for ourselves and the entire world. The prayer invites us to meditate on God’s mercy in three layers: asking to obtain mercy for ourselves, for us to trust in God’s mercy, and for us to show mercy toward others. The prayer is traditionally recited daily at 3 pm and especially on Fridays. We can also pray it as a Novena, which is usually begun on Good Friday and ending on Divine Mercy Sunday, the Sunday following Resurrection Sunday.
Below is the chaplet prayer following the instruction of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception of the B.V.M. I am also including a video of the prayer in song version by Donna Cori.
Introductory Prayers
Make the Sign of the Cross while praying:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Pray:
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, envelope the whole world and empty yourself out upon us.
Pray 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!
Then pray the Apostles Creed
Divine Mercy Chaplet Decades
Contemplative Image
Pray the Eternal Father Prayer:
Eternal Father, I offer You the body and the blood; the soul and the divinity; of your dearly beloved Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ. In atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.
Pray ten times:
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
Repeat for Decades 2-5
Holy God Prayer
Pray three times:
Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One; have mercy on us and on the whole world.
Concluding Prayer:
Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself
Amen
