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Santa Faustina Kowalska
nun and saint from Poland (1905–1938)
Feast: 5 October (current Roman calendar, optional memoriala) · not in the 1962 Missal
Who they were
Helena Kowalska was born on 25 August 1905 in Głogowiec, in central Poland. At about twenty she entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, taking the name Maria Faustina.
On 22 February 1931 she saw Jesus with red and pale rays streaming from his heart, and was asked to have the image painted with the words 'Jesus, I trust in You'. Her Diary, Divine Mercy in My Soul, became the source of the worldwide Divine Mercy devotion. She died in Kraków on 5 October 1938, most likely of tuberculosis, aged 33. On the day of her canonisation John Paul II set the Sunday after Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday for the whole Church.
The miracles
Maureen Digan — Massachusetts, USA (healed in Kraków) — March 1981
An American woman had suffered for decades from lymphedema, a progressive and incurable swelling disease that had already cost her a leg. She travelled to Poland and prayed at Sister Faustina's tomb in March 1981, and was healed. The Vatican accepted the cure in 1992.
Fr Ronald Pytel — Baltimore, USA — 5 October 1995
A Baltimore priest had severe heart damage from a narrowed aortic valve, and after surgery in June 1995 his cardiologists expected a poor outcome. On 5 October 1995, the anniversary of Faustina's death, he prayed and venerated her relic. His condition reversed, and on 9 November his cardiologist told him his heart was normal. The Vatican's medical experts found no medical explanation, and on 20 December 1999 John Paul II ordered the healing published as a miracle.
Why that counted as sanctity
The case of Maureen Digan was examined by the Church's doctors and theologians and approved as a miracle, opening the way to beatification. Beatification followed on 18 April 1993 by John Paul II. The case of Fr Ronald Pytel was examined by the Church's doctors and theologians and approved as a miracle on 20 December 1999, opening the way to canonisation. Canonisation followed on 30 April 2000 by John Paul II.
Connected on this site
- John Paul II Saint“Father Sopoćko celebrated Mass in the presence of this painting on Low Sunday, also known as the Second Sunday of Easter or (as established by Pope John Paul II), Divine Mercy Sunday.” — Wikipedia
- Michał Sopoćko Blessed“She was later transferred to Płock and then to Vilnius, where she met Father Michał Sopoćko, who was to be her confessor and spiritual director, and who supported her devotion to the Divine Mercy.” — Wikipedia
- Holy See - homily of John Paul II at the canonisation, 30 Apr 2000
- Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy - the canonisation
- Wikipedia - Faustina Kowalska (life, beatification and the Digan cure)
- Wikidata Q18978 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Faustina Kowalska (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.