The feast was promoted by St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun who kept a diary in the 1930s of Christ’s private revelations, telling her of His message of mercy. She wrote that she first saw a vision of Jesus on Feb. 22, 1931. He had rays of mercy streaming from His heart. Christ told her to have an image painted to represent the vision and to write below it, “Jesus, I trust in you!”

St. Faustina died of tuberculosis in 1938 at age 33. St. John Paul II canonized her in 2000 and declared Divine Mercy Sunday a worldwide feast day. Two years later, he granted a plenary indulgence for those who participate in the devotion. St. John Paul II was canonized on the feast of Divine Mercy in 2014.

To receive the graces of the plenary indulgence on Divine Mercy Sunday, along with the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Holy Communion and prayers for the intentions of the pope), the faithful, while in a state of grace and detached from venial sin, are asked to take part in the prayers and devotions the Second Sunday of Easter held in honor of Divine Mercy in any church or chapel, or else they should recite the Our Father and Creed before the Blessed Sacrament adding a devotional prayer to our Lord.

Catholics also are encouraged to pray the novena of Divine Mercy, which begins Good Friday and ends the Saturday before Divine Mercy Sunday; to pray the Divine Mercy chaplet; and to be merciful toward others through words, actions and prayers. (To learn how to pray the Divine Mercy chaplet and novena, visit www.thedivinemercy.org.)

Divine Mercy celebrations with Mass

CARMELITE MONASTERY, 9150 Clayton Road in Ladue; 2 p.m. confessions, Mass and Divine Mercy devotions.

CATHEDRAL BASILICA OF SAINT LOUIS, 4431 Lindell Blvd. at Newstead Avenue; Mass at noon with Archbishop Mitchell T. Rozanski, followed by eucharistic adoration, confessions and ending with Divine Mercy chaplet and Benediction at 3 p.m.

GOOD SHEPHERD, 703 N. Third St. in Hillsboro; confessions will be heard from 2-3 p.m., followed by the Divine Mercy chaplet at 3 p.m. and veneration of the Divine Mercy image; Mass will be celebrated at 3:30 p.m.

HOLY INFANT, 627 Dennison Drive in Ballwin; confessions at 1:30 p.m.; 2:15 p.m. exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, followed by Rosary, Divine Mercy chaplet and Benediction; 3:15 p.m. Mass.

OUR LADY QUEEN OF PEACE, 4696 Notre Dame Lane in House Springs; blessing of Divine Mercy image during weekend Masses (5 p.m. Saturday and 8 and 10 a.m. Sunday); following all Masses, there will be a Divine Mercy chaplet and prayers for the plenary indulgence, Divine Mercy litany and veneration of the image and first-class relic of St. Faustina.

SACRED HEART, 555 Bailey Road in Crystal City; following the 11 a.m. Mass, there will be an hour of Divine Mercy with the Apostolate For Family Consecration video and a talk, meditations on the Rosary and Divine Mercy chaplet; confessions will be available.

ST. AMBROSE, 5130 Wilson Ave. on the Hill; Mass at 1 p.m., followed by confessions and adoration until 3 p.m.

ST. FERDINAND, 1765 Charbonier Road in Florissant; confessions beginning at 1 p.m., followed by Mass at 3 p.m.

ST. JOHN PAUL II, 4980 Heege Road in Affton; confessions beginning at 1:30 p.m., continuing with a Holy Hour at 2 p.m., with recitation of the Rosary and Divine Mercy chaplet; Benediction at 2:45 p.m., followed by Mass at 3 p.m.

ST. JOSEPH, 1355 Motherhead Road in Cottleville; doors open at 2:30 p.m., with confessions and exposition of the Blessed Sacrament beginning at 2:40; 3 p.m. Divine Mercy chaplet, followed by the Rosary; Mass at 4:30 p.m.

Divine Mercy celebrations without Mass

ASSUMPTION, 603 Miller St. in New Haven; 2 p.m. exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, with confessions; 3 p.m. Divine Mercy chaplet, ending with Benediction.

ST. DAVID, 2334 Tenbrook Road in Arnold; confessions beginning at 1:30 p.m., followed by exposition of the Blessed Sacrament at 2 p.m., with reflection, adoration, prayers and sung recitation of the Divine Mercy chaplet, ending with Benediction and veneration of the Divine Mercy image at 3 p.m.

ST. FRANCIS BORGIA, 115 Cedar St. in Washington; 2 p.m. exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, confessions, Rosary and Divine Mercy chaplet, closing with Benediction.

ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI, 4556 Telegraph Road in Oakville; 3-4 p.m. Holy Hour in the church.

STE. GENEVIEVE, 49 DuBourg Place in Ste. Genevieve; Holy Hour at 3 p.m., including exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Divine Mercy chaplet and Benediction. Confessions will be available.

ST. GERARD MAJELLA, 1969 Dougherty Ferry Road in Kirkwood; private adoration beginning at 1:30 p.m.; confessions begin at 2 p.m. until all are heard; 3 p.m. Divine Mercy chaplet, followed by time for private devotion.

ST. JAMES, 1107 Summit Drive in Catawissa; confessions beginning at 11 a.m. until all are heard; adoration, Rosary, Divine Mercy chaplet and Litany of the Saints.

ST. MARGARET MARY ALACOQUE, 4900 Ringer Road in Oakville; 2:30-3:30 p.m. Holy Hour, including exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Divine Mercy devotions, confessions and ending with Benediction.

ST. NORBERT, 16455 New Halls Ferry Road in Florissant; 2 p.m. Rosary and confessions; 3 p.m. eucharistic adoration, Divine Mercy chaplet and ending with Benediction.

ST. PAUL, 15 Forest Knoll in Fenton; eucharistic adoration from 2-4 p.m., Divine Mercy prayer service at 3 p.m. and ending with Benediction at 4 p.m.

ST. VINCENT DE PAUL, 1000 Rosati Court in Perryville; 3 p.m. exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, confessions, veneration of the Divine Mercy image and ending with Benediction.