PREPARATORY YEAR FOR THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ENTRUSTMENT OF THE WORLD TO DIVINE MERCY
AUGUST 2026 – PRAYER AT THE HOUR OF MERCY
O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fountain of mercy for us, I trust in you.
Merciful Jesus, we stand before You at the hour of Your death on Golgotha. May You be adored in this hour of grace, in which You Yourself, suffering and dying for our salvation, give us courage. Sister Faustina recorded these words of Yours in her Diary:
“Be not afraid of your Savior; O sinful soul. I make the first move to come to you, for I know that by yourself you are unable to lift yourself to me. Child, do not run away from your Father; be willing to talk openly with your God of mercy who wants to speak words of pardon and lavish his graces on you. How dear your soul is to Me! I have inscribed your name upon My hand; you are engraved as a deep wound in My Heart.” (Diary 1485)
Today, as we experience the 13th National Pilgrimage of the Devotees of Divine Mercy to the Basilica of Divine Mercy and unite with the Devotees of Divine Mercy in our homeland and around the world, we commemorate the day of the consecration of this church and wish to give thanks together for this "special place which God has chosen to pour out graces and grant His mercy."
Today we begin a year of preparation for the 25th anniversary of the entrustment of the world to Divine Mercy, which St. John Paul II made here. As we celebrated the 20th anniversary of this event, Pope Francis greeted those gathered in Łagiewniki and said:
"Today, more than ever, we see the importance of this gesture, which we desire to renew in prayer and through the witness of our lives. Mercy is the path to salvation for each of us and for the entire world."
Now we embark on a common journey that will lead us to the 25th anniversary – through merciful words, prayer, and works of mercy. In his invitation, the Metropolitan of Krakow, Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś, highlights Pope John Paul II's great intention to entrust the world to Divine Mercy.
"I think we all realize that this was one of the great prophetic gestures on the part of St. John Paul II, the holy pope. It was not an ordinary act of piety, it was not one of many liturgical acts. Behind this event lay the Pope's profound reflection and profound discernment that there is no other answer to the great tragedies of the twentieth century – and, as it turns out, of the twenty-first century as well – than Divine Mercy."
Divine Mercy is a source of hope for us, it is hope for the world. Your faithful disciples: Sister Faustina and John Paul II, guide us along the path of mercy. It was he who entrusted the entire world to Divine Mercy, encouraging each of us to the apostolate: "We must pass on the fire of mercy to the world. In God's mercy, the world will find peace, and humanity will find happiness!"
Misericordias Domini (chant)
Lord Jesus, You yourself gave Sister Faustina a unique prayer, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. You also assured us of its effectiveness:
“Say unceasingly the chaplet that I have taught you. Whoever will recite it will receive great mercy at the hour of death. Priests will recommend it to sinners as their last hope of salvation. Even if there were a sinner most hardened, if he were to recite this chaplet only once, he would receive grace from My infinite mercy. I desire that the whole world know My infinite mercy. I desire to grant unimaginable graces to those souls who trust in My mercy.” (Diary 687)
Therefore, through the words of this prayer, we entrust to God, rich in mercy, Pope Leo XIII, our bishop, Cardinal Grzegorz, and all the pastors of the Church. We surround with prayer all those who made the construction of this shrine possible. Merciful Jesus, bless all devotees of Divine Mercy in Poland and throughout the world. Sustain the shrines and parishes of Divine Mercy, the communities and groups of devotees, all those who recite the Rosary, children and young people, families, religious communities, pilgrims, the sick, the suffering, the lonely, and those who participate in this prayer through radio, television, and social media. With them, we pray that the preparation for the 25th anniversary of the Entrustment of the World to Divine Mercy, which we solemnly begin today, may bear blessed fruit.
CHAPLET OF DIVINE MERCY
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, 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.
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; the third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence He shall 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.
On the five large beads
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 the ten small beads:
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, * have mercy on us and on the whole world.
Prayer of the Chaplet in different languages
Conclude with (3 times): Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, * have mercy on us and on the whole world.
On August 17, 2002, John Paul II said in this place:
"Today, therefore, in this Shine, I wish solemnly to entrust the world to Divine Mercy. I do so with the burning desire that the message of God’s merciful love, proclaimed here through Saint Faustina, may be made known to all the peoples of the earth and fill their hearts with hope. May this message radiate from this place to our beloved homeland and throughout the world."
Let us now recite together the papal Act of Entrustment:
ACT OF ENTRUSTMENT OF THE WORLD TO THE DIVINE MERCY
God, merciful Father,
in your Son, Jesus Christ, you have revealed your love
and poured it out upon us by 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!
Lord Jesus, we thank You for the immensity of Your mercy. May You be praised for the message of the Good News and the gifts of Your mercy that flow from Your pierced heart! Help us, that our hearts may become increasingly merciful, and that our feet may have the courage and strength to follow the path of the Gospel daily and to bear witness to Your mercy with our lives through concrete actions, kind words, and persistent prayer. Strengthen us with Your blessing in the effort of bearing witness to Your love for our neighbors.
Blessing
The Lord be with you.
And with your spirit.
On all paths of mercy, may Almighty God protect, strengthen, and guide you: the Father and the Son ✠ and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Jezu ufam Tobie…/ sing in several languages