Twenty years ago, John Paul II made the Act of Entrustment of the World to the Divine Mercy in Krakow-Lagiewniki, the place of the revelations of the Merciful Jesus to Sister Faustina Kowalska. The event marked the last pilgrimage of the Polish Pope to Poland. The anniversary celebrations took place in the same venue, under the motto Mercy as hope for the world, on 13-17 August.
The central ceremony took place on Sunday, August 14th. It was presided over by Archbishop Marek Jedraszewski, the Metropolitan of Kraków, in the presence of many participants from all over the world. The cult of the Divine Mercy was ignited by St. Faustina, who recorded the message of the Merciful Jesus in her “Diary” – one of the most purchased books in the world.
The Archbishop of Krakow referred to the current problems the world is facing, pointing to the rejection of Christ’s message of truth and love as the cause of the rejection of human dignity. “Rejection of God always has a very definite price. The Lord God is constantly bending over such an unfortunate person, trying to save them,” Archbishop Jedraszewski said, emphasizing the importance of God’s mercy for the modern world.
The consecration of two new Bells of Hope, destined for Ukraine and Australia, followed the homily. The project Bells of Hope is to promote devotion to the Divine Mercy.
Fr. Leszek Gęsiak SJ, the spokesman of the Polish Bishops’ Conference, noted that the Act of Entrustment made by St John Paul II “is the culmination of his efforts to spread the cult of Divine Mercy throughout the world, and a confession that only God can save the world”. Fr. Gęsiak recalled that one of the Polish Pope’s encyclicals was dedicated precisely to the Divine Mercy (“Dives in misericordia”). He also established the Feast of the Divine Mercy and canonized Sister Faustina Kowalska in 2000.
Fr. Dr. Zbigniew Bielas, the Rector of the Divine Mercy Shrine in Krakow-Lagiewniki, in an interview with Catholic News Agency, noted: “The message of mercy is a message for our times. Our preparations, and what followed, numerous contacts with the whole world, showed us how this message is well-known, and how people need God’s mercy”.
Pope John Paul II consecrated the Divine Mercy Basilica on August 17th, 2002. The pope read out the act of entrustment after his homily. According to Fr. Bielas, witnesses of the event “realized the importance and significance of what was happening at that time”.
Krakow-Lagiewniki is a place associated with the apparitions of the Merciful Jesus to a religious sister St Faustyna Kowalska – one of the most famous Polish saints. She died on October 5th, 1938 in the reputation of sainthood. The famous painting of the Merciful Jesus “Jesus, I trust in you” was painted according to her revelations. Today Lagiewniki is the world center of the Divine Mercy cult.
Act of Entrustment of the World to the Divine Mercy read by John Paul II
God, merciful Father,
in your Son, Jesus Christ, you have revealed your love
and poured it out upon us in the Holy Spirit, the Comforter,
We entrust to you today the destiny of the world and of every man and woman.
Bend down to us sinners,
heal our weakness,
conquer all evil,
and grant that all the peoples of the earth
may experience your mercy.
In You, the Triune God,
may they ever find the source of hope.
Eternal Father,
by the Passion and Resurrection of your Son,
have mercy on us and upon the whole world!
Amen.
