The Chaplet of Divine Mercy is a Catholic devotion that focuses on God's mercy, inspired by the visions of Saint Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun known as the "Apostle of Mercy". It is prayed using a standard set of rosary beads and consists of specific prayers that invoke God's mercy for oneself and the whole world.
History
The Chaplet was revealed to St. Faustina Kowalska in 1935 during a vision in which she saw an angel sent to punish a city. She prayed for mercy, but her prayers seemed powerless. Then, she saw the Holy Trinity and felt Jesus' grace, hearing the words: "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." As she continued praying, the angel became powerless to carry out the punishment. The next day, she received further instructions on how to pray the Chaplet, and Jesus later promised great graces to those who recite it, especially for the dying.
How to Pray the Chaplet
The Chaplet is prayed using ordinary rosary beads and follows this structure:
Sign of the Cross: Begin by making the Sign of the Cross.
Opening Prayers:
"You expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world." (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!"
Pray the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Apostles' Creed.
On the "Our Father" bead, pray: "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."
On each of the ten "Hail Mary" beads, pray: "For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world."
Repeat for five decades.
Concluding Prayer (Repeat three times): "Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world."
Optional Closing 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."
The Chaplet is often prayed at 3 PM, known as the Hour of Mercy, in remembrance of Christ’s death on the cross. It is also commonly prayed as a novena for nine days leading up to Divine Mercy Sunday, which falls on the Sunday after Easter.
Chaplet of Divine Mercy
Sign of the Cross
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
Opening Prayer
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.
O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fountain of Mercy for us, I trust in Thee!
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.
Hail Mary
Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and in the hour of our death. Amen.
Apostles Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth, and in in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, 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, sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.
Eternal Father
Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Thy dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ,
in atonement for our sins and for the sins of the whole world.
Response
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion,
have mercy on us and on the whole world.
Holy God
Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One,
have mercy upon us and on the whole world.
Closing Prayer
Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion — inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Thy mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Thy holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself.
La Coronilla a la Divina Misericordia
La Señal de la Cruz
En el nombre del Padre, del Hijo y del Espíritu Santo. Amén.
Oración Al Principio
Expiraste, Jesús, pero la fuente de vida brotó para las almas y el mar de misericordia se abrió para el mundo entero. Oh fuente de vida, insondable Misericordia Divina, abarca al mundo entero y derrámate sobre nosotros.
O Sangre Y Agua
Oh Sangre y Agua que brotaste del Corazón de Jesús, como una Fuente de Misericordia para nosotros.
Padre Nuestro
Padre Nuestro, que estás en el cielo, santificado sea tu nombre; venga a nosotros tu reino; hágase tu voluntad en la tierra como en el cielo.
Danos hoy nuestro pan de cada día; perdona nuestras ofensas, como también nosotros perdonamos a los que nos ofenden; no nos dejes caer en la tentación, y líbranos del mal. Amén.
Salve Maria
Dios te salve María, llena eres de gracia, el Señor es contigo, bendita eres entre todas las mujeres y bendito es el fruto de tu vientre, Jesús.
Santa María, Madre de Dios, ruega por nosotros pecadores, ahora y en la hora de nuestra muerte. Amén.
Credo
Creo en Dios, Padre Todopoderoso, Creador del cielo y de la tierra. Creo en Jesucristo, Su único Hijo, nuestro Señor, que fue concebido por obra y gracia del Espíritu Santo, nació de Santa María Virgen, padeció bajo el poder de Poncio Pilato, fue crucificado, muerto y sepultado, descendió a los infiernos, al tercer día resucitó de entre los muertos, subió a los cielos y está sentado a la derecha de Dios Padre Todopoderoso. Desde allí ha de venir a juzgar a vivos y muertos.
Creo en el Espíritu Santo, la santa Iglesia Católica, la comunión de los santos, el perdón de los
Padre Eterno
Padre Eterno, te ofrezco el Cuerpo y la Sangre, el alma y la divinidad de tu Amadísimo Hijo, nuestro Señor Jesucristo, como propiciación de nuestros pecados y los del mundo entero.
Respuesta
Ten misericordia de nosotros y del mundo entero.
La Doxología
Santo Dios, Santo Fuerte, Santo Inmortal.
Ten piedad de nosotros y del mundo entero.
Oración Final
Oh Dios Eterno, en quien la misericordia es infinita y el tesoro de compasión inagotable, vuelve a nosotros Tu mirada bondadosa y aumenta Tu misericordia en nosotros, para que en momentos difíciles no nos desesperemos ni nos desalentamos, sino que, con gran confianza, nos sometamos a Tu santa voluntad, que es el Amor y la Misericordia Mismos. Amen
Corona Divinae Misericordiae
Signum Crucis
In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.
Precatio Initialis
Expirásti, O Jesu, sed Fons vitæ pro ánimis scaturívit, et oceánus misericórdiæ pro toto mundo apértus est. O Fons vitæ, Divína Misericórdia inscrutábilis, invólve totum mundum et deple Se super nos. Amen
Pater Noster
Pater noster, qui es in cælis, sanctificétur nomen tuum. Advéniat regnum tuum. Fiat volúntas tua, sicut in cælo, et in terra.
Panem nostrum quotidiánum da nobis hódie, et dimítte nobis débita nostra sicut et nos dimíttimus debitóribus nostris. Et ne nos indúcas in tentatiónem, sed líbera nos a malo. Amen
Ave Maria
Ave María, grátia plena, Dóminus tecum; benedícta tu in muliéribus, et benedíctus fructus ventris tui, Iesus.
Sancta María, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatóribus, nunc, et in hora mortis nostræ. Amen.
Symbolum Apostolorum
Credo in Deum Patrem omnipoténtem, Creatórem cæli et terræ, et in Iesum Christum, Fílium eius únicum, Dóminum nostrum, qui concéptus est de Spíritu Sancto, natus ex María Vírgine, passus sub Póntio Piláto, crucifíxus, mórtuus, et sepúltus; descéndit ad ínfernos; tértia die resurréxit a mórtuis; ascéndit ad cælos, sedet ad déxteram Dei Patris omnipoténtis; inde ventúrus est iudicáre vivos et mórtuos.
Credo in Spíritum Sanctum, sanctam Ecclésiam cathólicam, sanctórum communiónem, remissiónem peccatórum, carnis resurrectiónem, vitam ætérnam. Amen.
Pater Aeterne
Pater aeterne, offero tibi Corpus et Sanguinem, animam et divinitatem dilectissimi Filii Tui, Domini nostri, Iesu Christi,
in propitiatione pro peccatis nostris et totius mundi.
Pro Dolorosa
Pro dolorosa Eius passione,
miserere nobis et totius mundi.
Sanctus Deus
Sanctus Deus, Sanctus Fortis, Sanctus Immortalis,
miserere nobis et totius mundi.
Closing Prayer
Deus aetérne, in quo misericórdia imménsa est altitúdinis et ærárium compassiónis exhauríri non potest, réspice nos benigne, et cresce in nobis misericórdiam tuam, ne moméntis difficílibus desperémus nec mæsti fiámus, sed confidéntia magna nos submittámus Voluntáti Sanctæ tuæ, quæ est Cáritas Misericordiáque Ipsa.
