The Divine Mercy novena is prayed between Good Friday and the Sunday of Divine Mercy, which is the Sunday following Easter. Those praying the novena are to pray for the special intentions of each day followed by the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.
St. Faustina wrote that Jesus told her, “On each day of the novena you will bring to My heart a different group of souls and you will immerse them in this ocean of My mercy … On each day you will beg My Father, on the strength of My passion, for the graces for these souls.”
(Diary of Faustina, 1209)
Open each day with the Chaplet to the Divine Mercy then say the prayer for the day’s intention :
Eighth Day:
Today bring to Me THE SOULS WHO ARE DETAINED IN PURGATORY, and immerse them in the abyss of My mercy. Let the torrents of My Blood cool down their scorching flames. All these souls are greatly loved by Me. They are making retribution to My justice. It is in your power to bring them relief. Draw all the indulgences from the treasury of My Church and offer them on their behalf. Oh, if you only knew the torments they suffer, you would continually offer for them the alms of the spirit and pay off their debt to My justice.
Most Merciful Jesus, You Yourself have said that You desire mercy; so I bring into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls in Purgatory, souls who are very dear to You, and yet, who must make retribution to Your justice. May the streams of Blood and Water which gushed forth from Your Heart put out the flames of Purgatory, that there, too, the power of Your mercy may be celebrated.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls suffering in Purgatory, who are enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. I beg You, by the sorrowful Passion of Jesus Your Son, and by all the bitterness with which His most sacred Soul was flooded: Manifest Your mercy to the souls who are under Your just scrutiny. Look upon them in no other way but only through the Wounds of Jesus, Your dearly beloved Son; for we firmly believe that there is no limit to Your goodness and compassion. Amen.
How to Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet
You can use regular Rosary beads or your fingers for this prayer.
Step 1: Intro Prayer
Make the Sign of the Cross, then say the following prayer:
“You expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us.
(Repeat three times) O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, I trust in You!”
Step 2: First Three Prayers
On the first three beads above the crucifix pray, one Our Father, one Hail Mary and The Apostles Creed.
Step 3: Eternal Father Prayer
Then on the first Our Father Bead say the Eternal Father prayer:
“Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Thy dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.”
Step 4: Sorrowful Passion Prayer
After each Eternal Father prayer, on the ten Hail Mary Beads say the following prayer:
“For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.”
(Repeat Steps 3 and 4 for all five decades).
Step 5: Holy God Prayer
Say the Holy God prayer, repeated three times:
“Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.”
Step 6: Concluding Prayer
Conclude with the closing prayer:
“Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion — inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself.”
