Helena Kowalska (1905–1938)

Known as Saint Sister Faustina – was a nun of the Roman Catholic Order of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, mystic and advocate of veneration of Divine Mercy. She recorded in detail her mystical experiences and visions, which later came to be known as The Little Diary. They included entries connected to the painting of the Jezu ufam Tobie – Jesus I trust in you icon (whose appearance Jesus was supposed to have guided in detail, and which was painted by Eugeniusz Kazimierowski in 1934 according to the instructions of St Faustina), and the institution of Divine Mercy Sunday on the first Sunday following Easter. According to The Little Diary, Faustina had gifts of bilocation, hidden stigmata, reading human souls, prophesising, and mystic betrothal and nuptials. Sister Faustina wanted to establish an order that was to devote itself to prayer mostly for sinners and asking for Divine Mercy for the world behind walls and closed gates. Finally, the Order of the Sisters of Merciful Jesus was founded by father Michał Sopoćko. Sister Faustina was canonised by Pope John Paul II in 2000. At the same time, Divine Mercy Sunday was established. The relics of the Saint are deposited in the chapel of the Order.



Sister Faustina (Helena Kowalska)