How to Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet

How to Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet

How to Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet

The Divine Mercy Chaplet is a powerful prayer devotion that focuses on the mercy of God, inspired by the visions and writings of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska. It is typically prayed using a standard set of rosary beads, though it can also be said without them. Below is a step-by-step guide to praying the chaplet, followed by a brief history of its origins.

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Begin with the Sign of the Cross

    • "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."

  2. Opening Prayers

    • Recite one Our Father:

      • "Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen."

    • Recite one Hail Mary:

      • "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen."

    • Recite the Apostles' Creed:

      • "I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; He descended into hell; on the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen."

  3. On the Large Beads

    • Pray the Eternal Father:

      • "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."

  4. On the Ten Small Beads of Each Decade

    • Pray the For the Sake of His Sorrowful Passion:

      • "For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world."

  5. Repeat for Five Decades

    • Continue to pray the "Eternal Father" on each large bead and the "For the Sake of His Sorrowful Passion" on each of the ten small beads.

  6. Concluding Prayer (Recited three times)

    • "Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world."

  7. Closing Prayer

    • Optional: Recite the following prayer, given by Jesus to St. Faustina:

      • "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."

  8. End with the Sign of the Cross

    • "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."

Brief History of the Divine Mercy Chaplet

The Divine Mercy Chaplet originated from the revelations of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun and mystic who lived from 1905 to 1938. Jesus appeared to her in a series of visions and conveyed the message of His infinite mercy, instructing her to spread devotion to His Divine Mercy.

In 1935, St. Faustina reported that Jesus taught her the chaplet as a means to invoke His mercy for the world. He promised extraordinary graces to those who prayed it, particularly for the dying. The prayer emphasizes trust in God’s mercy and seeks atonement for sins, not only for oneself but also for the whole world.

The chaplet gained widespread popularity after Pope John Paul II canonized St. Faustina in 2000 and designated the Sunday after Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday. Today, millions of Catholics around the world pray the chaplet, especially at 3:00 PM, known as the Hour of Mercy, in remembrance of Christ’s death on the cross.

By incorporating the Divine Mercy Chaplet into your daily prayers, you can deepen your trust in God’s infinite mercy and intercede for the needs of the world.



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