Plenary indulgences and the special graces promised for Divine Mercy Sunday:

[Felipe Pérez Martí]

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**Sunday is the day of the Feast of Mercy. An important day for plenary indulgences:**

The **Divine Mercy Sunday** (also known as **Sunday of Mercy** or the **Feast of Divine Mercy**) is celebrated precisely on **the Sunday following Easter Sunday** (that is, the Second Sunday of Easter, which closes the Octave of Easter).

This day was officially instituted by **Saint John Paul II** in the year 2000, during the canonization of **Saint Faustina Kowalska**. It is based on the revelations that Jesus made to her in the 1930s. Jesus asked that this Sunday be dedicated in a special way to His **Mercy**.

### Why is it called “the day of the Lord of Mercy”?

- It is a day on which the Church focuses on the **infinite mercy of God**, which flows directly from the Resurrection of Christ.

- Jesus promised special graces (including the **plenary indulgence**) to those who approach Him on that day with a repentant heart: through sacramental confession, Holy Communion, and veneration of the Image of the Divine Mercy.

- Many people popularly call it “the day of the Lord of Mercy” because it perfectly summarizes the message: **Jesus is the King of Mercy**.

### This year (2026)

Divine Mercy Sunday falls on **April 12, 2026**.

If you are preparing to go to Confession, this Sunday is a particularly favorable moment to receive the complete forgiveness of sins (**plenary indulgence**) and the graces associated with the Divine Mercy.

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### Deeper explanation: Plenary Indulgences and the Special Graces of Divine Mercy Sunday

There are **two distinct but complementary realities** on this feast:

#### 1. The **Special Graces** promised directly by Jesus to St. Faustina

Jesus told St. Faustina (Diary 699):

> “The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain **complete forgiveness of sins and punishment**. On that day all the divine floodgates through which grace flow are opened.”

- **What this means**: A total remission (forgiveness) of **both guilt** (the sins themselves) **and all temporal punishment** due to those sins.

- **Conditions** (very simple): 

  - Make a good sacramental Confession (preferably shortly before the feast, but it can be up to about 20 days before or after).

  - Receive Holy Communion worthily on Divine Mercy Sunday (or the Vigil Mass on Saturday evening) while **in the state of grace** and with **trust in His mercy**.

- These extraordinary graces come directly from Jesus’ promise. They are often described as even greater than a standard plenary indulgence because they include the remission of the sins themselves (not just the punishment).

This is why many call Divine Mercy Sunday “the day when the ocean of God’s mercy is wide open.”

#### 2. The **Plenary Indulgence** granted by the Church

In 2002, the Apostolic Penitentiary (under St. John Paul II) officially attached a **plenary indulgence** to the devout observance of Divine Mercy Sunday. A plenary indulgence completely removes all temporal punishment due to sin (the “debt” that would otherwise be purified in Purgatory).

**To obtain the plenary indulgence, you need to fulfill:**

**Usual conditions** (for any plenary indulgence):

- Sacramental Confession (within about 20 days before or after).

- Eucharistic Communion (preferably on the day itself).

- Prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father (e.g., one Our Father and one Hail Mary, or any prayer).

**Specific condition for Divine Mercy Sunday**:

- In any church or chapel, in a spirit **completely detached from affection for sin** (even venial sin), participate in the prayers and devotions in honor of Divine Mercy **OR**

- In the presence of the Blessed Sacrament (exposed or in the tabernacle), recite the **Our Father** and the **Creed**, and add a devout invocation to the Merciful Jesus, for example: **“Merciful Jesus, I trust in You!”**

If you cannot go to church for a just reason (illness, etc.), you can still obtain it by reciting the prayers before an image of the Divine Mercy with the same intentions and detachment.

**Important note**: The Church’s plenary indulgence and Jesus’ special promise are not exactly the same thing. Many theologians and priests explain that receiving Holy Communion worthily on this day (after a good Confession) already grants the extraordinary graces Jesus promised — even if someone does not fully meet every technical condition for the plenary indulgence (such as total detachment from sin).

### Practical advice for April 12, 2026

- Go to Confession in the days leading up to the feast (many parishes offer extra times).

- Attend Mass and receive Holy Communion on Divine Mercy Sunday with great trust.

- Venerate the Image of the Divine Mercy (say “Jesus, I trust in You”).

- Pray the **Chaplet of the Divine Mercy** if possible — it is especially powerful on this day.

- Try to be merciful to others through words, deeds, and prayer.

This Sunday is truly a powerful “refuge and shelter for all souls, especially poor sinners,” as Jesus Himself described it.

Felipe