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Yet, for nearly 20 years—from 1959 to 1978—the Vatican’s Holy Office (now the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith) prohibited the spreading of this devotion “in the forms proposed by Sister Faustina.”
Many Catholics wonder why a devotion now so enthusiastically promoted by the Church (including by St. John Paul II, who canonized Faustina) was once suppressed. The answer lies not in a definitive theological condemnation but in historical circumstances, communication barriers, and cautious discernment.
The Origins of the Devotion
Sister Maria Faustina Kowalska, a simple nun in the Congregation of Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Kraków, claimed that Jesus appeared to her multiple times between 1931 and 1938. He asked her to:
- Paint an image of Himself with the inscription “Jesus, I trust in You.”
- Promote a special devotion emphasizing God’s infinite mercy.
- Establish a feast on the Sunday after Easter.
- Pray and promote the Chaplet of Divine Mercy for the conversion of sinners and the dying.
Faustina recorded these experiences in her Diary, a spiritual journal written in Polish. After her death in 1938, her confessor, Fr. Michał Sopoćko, worked to promote the image and devotion, which began spreading, especially in Poland.
The Prohibition: What Happened?
The Holy Office issued a formal Notification on March 6, 1959 (published in the Acta Apostolicae Sedis), which stated:
1. The supernatural nature of the revelations made to Sister Faustina is not evident.
2. No feast of Divine Mercy is to be instituted.
3. The diffusion of images and writings promoting the devotion to Divine Mercy in the form proposed by Sister Faustina is forbidden.
This built on earlier concerns dating back to the pontificate of Pope Pius XII. Some sources indicate her writings were even placed on the Index of Prohibited Books for a time. Under Pope John XXIII, the Holy Office acted more decisively.
The prohibition was disciplinary rather than a dogmatic judgment against the core idea of God’s mercy (which is, of course, central to Christianity). It specifically targeted the “forms proposed by Sister Faustina”—the particular image, the new feast, and associated writings and practices.
Why Was It Prohibited? The Main Reasons
The primary cause was faulty and incomplete translations of Faustina’s Diary. The Vatican received Italian or other translations that were inaccurate or confusing. These versions sometimes made it appear that Faustina was speaking presumptuously or blurring the distinction between her own words and those attributed to Jesus. This raised suspicions of doctrinal issues, such as potential semi-Pelagianism (over-emphasizing human effort in obtaining grace) or an overly casual presentation of private revelations.
Compounding this was the Iron Curtain. Poland was under communist rule in the 1950s, making it extremely difficult to smuggle original Polish documents or accurate materials to Rome. The Vatican had limited, second-hand, or erroneous information to evaluate. The Holy Office was acting prudently based on what it had—standard procedure for evaluating private revelations and new devotions.
Additional factors sometimes cited by historians include:
- A general caution in that era against “new” devotions that might distract from established ones like the Sacred Heart.
- Theological scrutiny of the specific image (e.g., rays coming from the breast rather than explicitly the Heart) and the proposed feast.
- The Holy Office’s role in safeguarding the faithful from unverified claims, especially amid postwar confusion and the rise of various spiritual movements.
The 1959 decree was not an infallible declaration that the revelations were false or demonic. It was a provisional measure: “pending further investigation,” as some analyses describe it. The Church has always been cautious with private revelations, approving them only after rigorous examination (and even then, they are not binding on the faithful).
How and Why the Ban Was Lifted
In the 1960s, Cardinal Karol Wojtyła, Archbishop of Kraków (and future Pope John Paul II), played a pivotal role. He knew the Polish context, the original Diary, and the positive fruits of the devotion among the faithful. In 1965, he opened the informative process for Faustina’s cause for beatification and commissioned a thorough theological analysis by Fr. Ignacy Różycki, a respected Thomist. This study, along with accurate translations and original documents, reached Rome.
On April 15, 1978, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a Notification declaring that the 1959 prohibitions “are no longer binding.” It noted that many original documents unknown in 1959 had been examined, and circumstances had changed. The letter explicitly stated there was no longer any impediment to spreading the devotion in its authentic forms.
Just six months later, in October 1978, Cardinal Wojtyła was elected pope. As John Paul II, he became a powerful advocate:
- He beatified Faustina in 1993.
- Canonized her in 2000 (the first saint of the new millennium).
- Instituted Divine Mercy Sunday for the universal Church.
- Consecrated the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków and frequently preached on God’s mercy (see his encyclical Dives in Misericordia).
The devotion’s rapid global spread since then—chaplets prayed at the hour of mercy (3 p.m.), the image venerated in countless parishes, and millions participating in Divine Mercy Sunday—demonstrates its pastoral value.
Lessons from the History
The temporary prohibition of the Divine Mercy Devotion illustrates several important truths about the Church:
- Prudence in discernment — The Church moves slowly and carefully with private revelations to protect the faithful. Mistakes or incomplete information can occur, but the process includes mechanisms for correction.
- The role of providence — What seemed like a setback became an opportunity for deeper study. Accurate scholarship and the persistence of Polish Catholics (including the future pope) led to vindication.
- Mercy remains central — Even during the ban, the Church never denied God’s mercy. The devotion simply needed proper framing and verification.
- Obedience and patience — Supporters of the devotion generally respected the 1959 Notification while working through proper channels. This humility helped lead to its eventual approval.
Today, the Divine Mercy message—“Jesus, I trust in You”—resonates powerfully in a world hungry for hope. It reminds us that God’s mercy is greater than our sins, available especially to the greatest sinners, and that we are called to be merciful to others.
The history of its prohibition and restoration is not a scandal but a testament to the Church’s careful guardianship of the faith and her ability to recognize authentic spiritual gifts when properly understood.
“Mankind will not have peace until it turns with trust to My mercy.” — Words attributed to Jesus in St. Faustina’s Diary (No. 300).
Whether you pray the Chaplet daily or are just discovering the devotion, its core call is timeless: trust in the infinite mercy of God, who desires not the death of the sinner but that he turn and live (Ezekiel 33:11).
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