Saint Faustina Kowalska is one of the patrons of WYD in Krakow. She is a Polish religious sister and mystic who is also called 'the apostle of Divine Mercy.' Beginning in the year 1931, Christ delivered a series of revelations to her and then told her to record them in a diary.
FR. JOSHEP BART
Polish expert on St. Faustina Kowalska
'Faustina received the mission of our Lord Jesus, 'I am sending you with My mercy to the people of the whole world. You have to reach all people, without excluding any, to remind them of the Gospel truth that God is a Father rich in mercy.''
Saint Faustina did not have an easy life, characterized by physical sufferings, direct attacks by the devil and moments of abandonment by God. She died of tuberculosis at 33 years old and is buried at the Divine Mercy Sanctuary in Krakow.
Through her writings, the devotion to Jesus' Divine Mercy spread throughout the world.
This popular image of Jesus was miraculously shown to her, and she then had it painted, so it would be forever captured for the world to see. In the Papal Bull with which Pope Francis announced this Jubilee of Mercy, he entrusted the Holy Year to Saint Faustina. During WYD it is also possible to ask Faustina Kowalska for her special intercession as patron of this great youth meeting.
FR. JOSHEP BART
Polish expert on St. Faustina Kowalska
'The Pope's call to all young people on the occasion of World Youth Day in Krakow, the capital of Divine Mercy, is a great sign for all humanity. St. Faustina wrote in her diary: 'In Poland the spark will be born.' In Krakow this spark has emerged. Krakow is also the city of Saint John Paul II, who left this message of the merciful heart of Jesus to spread through the world. '
It was Pope John Paul II, a great devotee of Divine Mercy, who beatified Faustina in 1993 and also canonized her in 2000. He also established the feast of the Divine Mercy, celebrated the Sunday following Easter.
