Pope Francis encouraged the spread of devotion to Divine Mercy throughout the world on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of Jesus’ first revelation to St. Faustina Kowalska, which took place on February 22, 1931 in the nunnery in Płock Monastery. (Poland).
This is what the Holy Father said in a letter to the Bishop of Płock, Bishop Piotr Libera, with whom he expressed his spiritual closeness to the faithful celebrating this anniversary.
In the letter, the Pontiff shared the joy of the Church in Płock and encouraged that “this special event is known throughout the world and remains alive in the hearts of the faithful.”
Moreover, the Holy Father recalled the words that St. Faustina received from Jesus and which she wrote in her diary: “Mankind will not find peace until it returns with confidence to my mercy.”
In this direction, the Pope encouraged all believers to “ask Christ for the gift of mercy” and to have “the courage to return to Jesus, to find love and mercy in the sacraments,” to experience “his nearness and tenderness.” to be “more capable of mercy, patience, forgiveness, and charity.”
Finally, the Holy Father emphasized in the letter that St. John Paul II, the apostle of mercy, wanted all the inhabitants of the earth to know the message of God’s merciful love.
For this, he quoted the words of the Polish Pope pronounced in 2002 during a visit to his homeland: “This fire of mercy must be transmitted to the world”, because “in the mercy of God the world will find peace, and humanity, happiness”.
In this regard, Pope Francis greeted the Polish faithful at the end of Sunday Angelus on February 21 and recalled that the Altar in Płock, Poland, “where ninety years ago, the Lord Jesus appeared to St. Faustina Kowalska, entrusting a special message of Divine Mercy ”.
The pontiff stressed that “through St. John Paul II, this message reached the whole world” and added that the message of Divine Mercy “is none other than the gospel of Jesus Christ, who died and rose from the dead, who have mercy on the Father “.
“Let us open our hearts to Him, saying in faith: Jesus, I trust in You”, invited the Holy Father.
Translation and adaptation by Mercedes De La Torre. Originally posted on ACI Print