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.)

Twenty-eight parishes and other communities in the Archdiocese of St. Louis will celebrate the feast on April 28. They include:

Special celebrations including Mass

CARMELITE MONASTERY, 9150 Clayton Road in Ladue; 2 p.m. eucharistic adoration, confessions, Rosary; 3 p.m. Divine Mercy devotion; 3:30 p.m. Mass celebrated by Father John Hansen, SMP.

CATHEDRAL BASILICA OF SAINT LOUIS; 4431 Lindell Blvd. at Newstead Avenue; Mass at noon celebrated by Archbishop Robert J. Carlson, followed by eucharistic adoration, confessions from 1-3 p.m., Divine Mercy image in the Sanctuary and 3 p.m. Divine Mercy chaplet, ending with Benediction.

GOOD SHEPHERD, 703 N. Third St. in Hillsboro; 2 p.m. exposition, veneration of Divine Mercy image and confessions; 3 p.m. Divine Mercy chaplet, followed by Mass celebrated by Father Christopher Holtmann.

HOLY INFANT, 627 Dennison Drive in Ballwin; 1:30-3 p.m. confessions, 2:15 p.m. exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Rosary, novena & litany of the Sacred Heart, 3 p.m. Divine Mercy chaplet and Benediction; 3:30 p.m. Mass celebrated by Father Andrew Burkemper.

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, 7701 Highway N in Dardenne Prairie; confessions begin at 3 p.m. with adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Rosary and Divine Mercy chaplet; Mass at 5 p.m.

INCARNATE WORD, 13416 Olive Blvd. in Chesterfield; 12:15 p.m. Mass, 1:30-3 p.m. exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, confessions, veneration of Divine Mercy image, Divine Mercy litany and chaplet, ending with Benediction.

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 7:30, 9:30 and 11:30 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; 11 a.m. Mass celebrated by Redemptorist Father Warren Drinkwater; following Mass there will be an hour of Divine Mercy with the Apostolate for Family Consecration Divine Mercy video, Rosary and Divine Mercy chaplet; confessions will be available.

ST. ANDREW, 309 Hoffmeister Ave. in Lemay; Divine Mercy image will be present during weekend Masses (4 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. Sunday); Divine Mercy chaplet and prayers for the plenary indulgence will be prayed after both Masses.

ST. FERDINAND, 1765 Charbonier Road in Florissant; confessions at 1:30 p.m. with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Divine Mercy chaplet and Benediction; 3 p.m. Mass celebrated by Father Philip Krill.

ST. FRANCIS DE SALES ORATORY, 2653 Ohio Ave. in south St. Louis; 10 a.m. High Mass, followed by Divine Mercy chaplet. Confessions will be heard all morning.

ST. JAMES, 1107 Summit Drive in Catawissa; 10 a.m. Mass, followed by confessions from 11 a.m.-noon and eucharistic adoration and Benediction.

ST. JOHN PAUL II, 4980 Heege Road in Affton; confessions beginning at 1:30 p.m.; 2-3 p.m. exposition of Blessed Sacrament, Rosary, and Divine Mercy chaplet, ending with Benediction; 3 p.m. Mass celebrated by Father Paul Rothschild.

ST. JOSEPH, 6020 Old Antonia Road in Imperial; confessions from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.; 2:45 p.m. exposition of the Blessed Sacrament; 3 p.m. Divine Mercy chaplet, followed by the Rosary.; Benediction at 4:15 p.m. and Mass at 4:30 p.m.

ST. MARY MAGDALEN, 2618 Brentwood Blvd. in Brentwood; confessions at 12:30 p.m., followed by 1 p.m. Mass celebrated by Father Jack Siefert; 2 p.m. eucharistic adoration, confessions and Rosary; 3 p.m. Divine Mercy chaplet and Benediction.

Divine Mercy Sunday celebrations without Mass

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

HOLY REDEEMER, 17 Joy Ave. in Webster Groves; 3 p.m. Divine Mercy chaplet and a personal reflection on the power of Divine Mercy.

MARY MOTHER OF THE CHURCH, 5901 Kerth Road in south St. Louis County; Divine Mercy chaplet will be prayed after all weekend Masses (4:30 p.m. Saturday and 9 and 11 a.m. Sunday).

QUEEN OF ALL SAINTS, 6603 Christopher Drive in Oakville; 2:30 p.m. confessions, eucharistic adoration prayer service including Divine Mercy chaplet sung, veneration of Divine Mercy image and recitation of the Rosary, ending with Benediction.

ST. DAVID, 2334 Tenbrook Road in Arnold; 1:30 p.m. confessions, 2 p.m. Holy Hour with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Divine Mercy devotions, and chanting of the Divine Mercy chaplet.

ST. FRANCIS BORGIA, 115 Cedar St. in Washington; 2 p.m. exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, confessions, Rosary, Divine Mercy chaplet sung, veneration of first-class Relic of St. Faustina, closing with Benediction.

ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI, 4556 Telegraph Road in Oakville; 3 p.m. eucharistic adoration Holy Hour, confessions, prayer and reflection, Divine Mercy chaplet, ending with Benediction.

STE. GENEVIEVE, 49 DuBourg Place in Ste. Genevieve; 3-4 p.m. exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Divine Mercy chaplet and Benediction; confessions will be available.

ST. GERARD MAJELLA, 1969 Dougherty Ferry Road in Kirkwood; 2:30-4 p.m. eucharistic adoration, with chanting of Divine Mercy chaplet, Divine Mercy litany and ending with Benediction; confessions begin at 2:30 p.m. until all are heard.

ST. MARGARET MARY ALACOQUE, 4900 Ringer Road in Oakville; 2:30-3:30 p.m. Holy Hour led by Father Scott Scheiderer, including exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Divine Mercy devotions, confessions, and veneration of first-class relic of St. Faustina, ending with Benediction.

ST. MARTIN OF TOURS, 610 W. Ripa Ave. in Lemay; 2 p.m. confessions, followed by 3 p.m. Holy Hour led by Father Noah Waldman; includes exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, chanting of Divine Mercy chaplet, and praying the act of consecration of the United States to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, ending with Benediction.

ST. PAUL, 15 Forest Knoll in Fenton; 2:30-3:30 p.m. Divine Mercy Holy Hour, with Divine Mercy image and chaplet of Divine Mercy.

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