August 25, 1905
Birth of the third child in the family of Marianna and Stanisław Kowalski in the village of Głogowiec.
August 27, 1905
Baptism in St. Casimir Church, Świnice Warckie by the pastor Rev. Józef Chodyński. The child was christened Helen and her godparents were Konstanty Bednarek and Marianna Szewczyk (Szczepaniak).
1912
First experience of God’s love and calling of little Helenka to a more perfect way of life during a Vespers Service in the parish church in Świnice Warckie.
1914
Helenka Kowalska’s First Holy Communion given by the pastor, Father Józef Chodyński in Świnice Warckie.
1917
Helenka Kowalska starts her primary education in Świnice Warckie.
1921
Helen begins household service for Kazimierz and Leokadia Bryszewscy in Aleksandrów Łódzki.
1922
Helen Kowalska returns from Aleksandrów Łódzki to Głogowiec and announces to the parents her desire of entering a convent. They oppose the idea firmly.
Autumn 1922
Helen Kowalska goes to Łódź in order to look for work; stays with uncle Michał Rapacki at 9 Krośnieńska Street. Household service at Franciscan Terciaries.
February 2, 1923
Helen begins household service for Marcjanna Sadowska, the owner of a store at 29 Abramowski St., Łódź.
July 1924
- Helen Kowalska’s trip to Warsaw in order to enter a convent.
- Work for Aldona Lipszyc, at Ostrówek, Klembów County.
- First visit in the convent of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy and initial acceptance by Mother Michaela Moraczewska.
August 1, 1925
Helen Kowalska enters the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy on Żytnia Street in Warsaw.
August 1925
Postulant Helen Kowalska goes to Skolimów, a vacation house of the Congregation, to regain her health.
1925
Postulancy of Helen Kowalska at the Congregation house in Warsaw under direction of Mistress Janina Bartkiewicz.
January 23, 1926
Arrival of postulant Helen Kowalska in Kraków in order to complete her postulancy and two years of the novitiate under direction of Mistresses: Małgorzata Gimbutt and Maria Józefa Brzoza.
April 30, 1926
Ceremony of the taking of the veil where she received her habit and her religious name: sr. M. Faustina. On that day Bishop Paweł Kubicki from Sandomierz presided at the ceremony of taking the vail and at the ceremonies of the first and final religious profession of vows.
April 20, 1928
Sister Faustina begins the retreat before taking temporary vows.
April 30, 1928
First religious vows (chastity, poverty and obedience) of Sister Faustina made for one year and to be renewed each year until the moment of her perpetual profession.
October 31, 1928
Sister Faustina goes to Warsaw to work in the kitchen.
February 21, 1929
Sister Faustina goes to Vilnius to substitute for sr. Petronela Basiura, who was going for her third probation.
June 11, 1929
Sister Faustina’s return from Vilnius to Warsaw (convent on Żytnia Street).
June 1929
Sister Faustina goes to a newly-formed house of the Congregation at Grochów in Warsaw on Hetmańska Street.
July 7, 1929
Sister Faustina goes to Kiekrz to replace the sick sr. Modesta Rzeczkowska in the kitchen.
October 1929
Sister Faustina’s stay at the General House on Żytnia Street in Warsaw.
May-June 1930
- Sister Faustina’s arrival in Płock and work in the bakery store.
- Sister Faustina’s stay in the branch house in Biała (10 km from Płock).
February 22, 1931
Beginning of the prophetic mission in the life of Sister Faustina. First vision of the Merciful Jesus and His order to paint the image.
February, 1931
Jesus’s order regarding the establishment of the Feast of Divine Mercy on the first Sunday after Easter.
November 1932
Sister Faustina goes for the third probation to Warsaw.
November 1932
Retreat in Walendów. Sister Faustina’s confession to Fr. Edmund Elter S.J. and first confirmation of the supernatural origin of her visions.
December 1, 1932
Sister Faustina begins her third probation under the direction of Mistress Małgorzata Gimbutt.
March 1933
Sister Faustina’s younger sister, Wanda visits her in the convent on Żytnia Street in Warsaw.
April 18, 1933
Sister Faustina’s arrival in Kraków.
April 21, 1933
Beginning of an eight-day retreat in the convent in Kraków under the direction of Fr. Antoni Bronisław Wojnar S.J. First confession to Fr. Józef Andrasz S.J.
May 1, 1933
Sister Faustina makes her perpetual profession in Kraków. Bishop Stanisław Rospond conducts the ceremonies.
May 23, 1933
Sister Faustina’s trip from Kraków to Vilnius. On the way she makes a stop at Częstochowa; starts work in the garden in Vilnius.
May 25, 1933
Sister Faustina’s arrival in Vilnius where she starts work in the garden.
June 1933
Sister Faustina’s first meeting with the confessor Fr. Michał Sopoćko, spiritual director in Vilnius, who by the will of God was a help for her in accom- plishing the prophetic mission.
January 2, 1934
First visit at the atelier of painter Eugeniusz Kazimirowski where she used to go with her superior Mother Irena Krzyżanowska.
March 29, 1934
Sister Faustina writes the act of offering her life for sinners, especially for those who had lost trust in the Divine Mercy.
June 1934
The end of works related with painting of the first image of the Merciful Jesus in Eugeniusz Kazimirowski’s atelier. Sister Faustina cried that Jesus in this image was not as beautiful as she had seen Him herself.
July 26, 1934
Sister Faustyna catches a cold.
August 12, 1934
Sister Faustina experiences a strong fainting. Called Fr. Michał Sopoćko administers the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick to her.
August 13, 1934
Sister Faustina’s health improves.
February 15, 1935
Sister Faustina’s trip to home village of Głogowiec to visit her seriously ill mother.
March 4, 1935
Sister Faustina together with Sister Petronela goes to the market held on St. Casimir Feast Day (“Kazik”) to buy tools and household items.
April 26-28, 1935
First public exposition of the image of the Merciful Jesus in Ostra Brama church in Vilnius.
May 1935
First revelation concerning the idea of the new congregation.
September 13-14, 1935
Revelation of the Chaplet to the Divine Mercy to Sister Faustina.
September 29, 1935
Sister Faustina with some of the sisters takes part in the Forty-Hour Devotions at the Church of St. Michael.
October 19, 1935
Sister Faustina’s trip for an eight-day retreat in Kraków.
November 4, 1935
Sister Faustina’s return to Vilnius after the retreat in Kraków. On the way she makes a stop in Częstochowa.
January 8, 1936
Sister Faustina’s visit at Archbishop Romuald Jałbrzykowski’s, during which she announced Jesus’s demand regarding the foundation of a new congregation.
March 21, 1936
Sister Faustina’s trip from Vilnius to Warsaw.
March 25, 1936
Sister Faustina’s arrival in Walendów and later trip to Derdy.
May 11, 1936
Sister Faustina goes to Derdy for a permament stay in Kraków, accompanied by Sister Edmunda Sekul.
May 12, 1936
Sister Faustina’s arrival in Kraków.
June 19, 1936
Sister Faustina takes part in a procession in honour of the Sacred Heart of Jesus at the Jesuit church on Kopernika Street in Kraków.
September 14, 1936
Sister Faustina’s conversation with abp. R. Jałbrzykowski at the convent in Łagiewniki, Kraków.
September 19, 1936
Sister Faustina’s physical examination at the hospital in Prądnik, Kraków.
October 20, 1936
Sister Faustina begins an eight-day retreat in Kraków.
December 9, 1936
Sister Faustina goes to the hospital in Prądnik.
December 24, 1936
Sister Faustina’s return to the convent for the Christmas holidays.
December 27, 1936
Sister Faustina goes to the hospital in Prądnik for further treatment.
March 27, 1937
Sister Faustina returns from the hospital to the convent in Łagiewniki.
April 13, 1937
Sister Faustina’s health deteriorates.
April 14, 1937
Sister Faustina’s miraculous healing. Jesus said, Go and tell the superior that you are healthy.
April 23, 1937
Sister Faustina makes a three-day retreat.
May 20, 1937
Sister Faustina regains her health from before her miraculous healing because she wants to serve Jesus in the state which He favoures more.
May 4, 1937
Sister Faustina receives permission from Mother General Michaela Moraczewska to leave the Congregation but because of great spiritual darkness does not exercise the permission recognizing there is no God’s will in it.
July 29, 1937
Sister Faustina goes for treatment to Rabka.
August 10, 1937
Sister Faustina returns from Rabka to Kraków.
August 12, 1937
Sister Faustina’s appointment with Fr. Michał Sopoćko at the convent in Łagiewniki.
August 25, 1937
Fr. Michał Sopoćko spends a few days in Kraków and meets Sister Faustina in the convent in Łagiewniki.
September 6, 1937
Sister Faustina is assigned duties at the gate instead of the garden because of her health condition.
September 19, 1937
Brother Stanisław visits Sister Faustina.
September 27, 1937
Sister Faustina together with Mother Irena Krzyżanowska goes to the J. Cebulski’s printing house (22 Szewska Street) to settle the matter of printing holy cards of the Merciful Jesus. Then she prayed at Mariacki church in Kraków.
October 1937
Revelation of the Hour of Mercy in Łagiewniki, Kraków.
April 21, 1938
Sister Faustina goes to the hospital in Prądnik for the second time.
July 1938
Mother General Michaela Moraczewska pays a visit to Sister Faustina at the hospital in Prądnik.
August 24, 1938
Mother Superior Irena Krzyżanowska keeps all-night vigil at Sister Faustina’s bed in the hospital in Prądnik.
August 25, 1938
Fr. Teodor Czaputa, chaplain of House of the Congregation in Łagiewniki, Kraków, administers the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick to Sister Faustina in the hospital in Prądnik.
August 28, 1938
Fr. Michał Sopoćko comes to Kraków and visits Sister Faustina a few times in the hospital in Prądnik.
September 17, 1938
Sister Faustina’s return from the hospital to the convent in Łagiewniki.
September 22, 1938
Sister Faustina, according to the tradition of the Congregation, asks pardon of the sisters for her unintentional failings.
September 26, 1938
Sister Faustina’s last meeting with Fr. Michał Sopoćko during which she says, My one occupation is to live in the presence of my Heavenly Father.
October 5, 1938
- Sister Faustina’s last confession to Fr. Józef Andrasz (at 4:00 p.m.).
- Prayers of the chaplain Fr. Teodor Czaputa and the sisters at the bedside of the dying Sister Faustina.
- Sister Faustina departs to the Lord (at 10:45 p.m.) in the presence of Sister Amelia Socha and Sister Eufemia Traczyńska.
October 7, 1938
Sister Faustina’s funeral took place on the first Friday of the month and the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. Fr. Władysław Wojtoń S.J. celebrated the Holy Mass at the main altar and Fr. Tadeusz Chabrowski S.J. at the altar of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. No members of Sister Faustina’s family were present at the funeral because Sister Faustina did not want to inconvenience them with travel expenses. Sister Faustina was buried in the convent ceme- tery in the garden of the Congregation.
March 6, 1959
The Holy See issues a notification which prohibits the spreading of the cult to the Divine Mercy in the forms handed over by Sister Faustina (published in Acta Apostolicae Sedis, p.271).
October 21, 1965
Following Cardinal Karol Wojtyła’s decision, the Informative Process in the Archdiocese of Kraków begins, which was related to the life and virtues of Sister Faustina. Bishop Julian Groblicki conducted a solemn session inaugurating the process.
November 25, 1966
Sister Faustina’s remains are transferred from the tomb in the cemetery to the convent chapel in Łagiewniki and assembled under the floor.
September 20, 1967
The Informative Process in the diocese is proclaimed finished by Cardinal Karol Wojtyła. The acts are sent to Rome.
April 15, 1978
Revocation of the Notification prohibiting the spreading of the cult to the Divine Mercy in the forms handed over by Sister Faustina (published on 30 July 1978 in: Acta Apostolicae Sedis, p.350).
1981
First edition of the Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska.
April 18, 1993
- Beatification of Sister Faustina by the Holy Father John Paul II in St. Peter’s Square, Rome.
- Sister Faustina’s relics are revealed at the altar beneath the miraculous Image of the Merciful Jesus in the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Łagiewniki, Kraków.
August 25, 1995
The Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, continuing her charismatic mission, acknowledged Sister Faustina as its spiritual co-founder.
June 7, 1997
Pilgrimage of the Holy Father John Paul II to the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Łagiewniki, Kraków; prayer before the miraculous Image of the Merciful Jesus and the relics of Blessed Faustina.
April 30, 2000
Canonisation of Sister Faustina by the Holy Father John Paul II in St. Peter’s Square, Rome; through telecommunications it was possible to connect with the Shrine of Divine Mercy. The establishment of the Feast of Mercy for the entire church.
August 17, 2002
Second pilgrimage of the Holy Father John Paul II to the Shrine in Łagiewniki, Kraków, where He entrusted the whole world to the Divine Mercy during the consecration of basilica.
2005
First edition of Letters of Saint Sister Faustina.
May 27, 2006
Holy Father Benedict XVI prays before the miraculous Image of the Merciful Jesus and the relics of Saint Faustina in the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Łagiewniki, Kraków.
15 August 2011
The first presentation of the manuscripts of the Diary of St. Faustina during the Cracovia Sacra festival, highly popular among Cracovians and pilgrims from Poland and abroad.
2 June 2012
Meeting of young people on Lednica Fields under the sign of the message of Mercy and St. Faustina, with the participation of dozens of sisters from the Congregation of the Sisters Our Lady of Mercy, who present the spiritual heritage of the Apostle of Divine Mercy, display relics of the Saint for veneration, and had prepared a special edition of the selection from her Diary on this occasion.
2013
The first edition of the Memoirs of Sister Faustina Kowalska from the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy book edited by Sr. Elżbieta M. Siepak, O.L.M.. Published by Wydawnictwo Misericordia, Krakow 2013.
29 June 2013
Completion of the pilgrimage launched on October 16, 2011 of a copy of the Divine Mercy image famous for many graces kept in the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki, blessed by Pope Benedict XVI, along with relics of St. Faustina and St. Pope John Paul II, across the Diocese of Krakow. The visitation was preceded by retreats and missions dedicated to the mystery of God’s Mercy and the spiritual heritage of the great apostles of Divine Mercy: St. Faustina and St. John Paul II.
27 April 2014
Start of pilgrimage of the Divine Mercy image, relics of St. Faustina and of St. John Paul II at the Polish ‘Concordia’ community in Westphalia, Polish Catholic Mission in Germany. A copy of the image of Merciful Jesus from the Łagiewniki Shrine, renowned for many graces, painted by the Krakow artist Janusz Antosz, was on April 3 by Stanisław Cardinal Dziwisz. Merciful Jesus in the sign of this image, with St. Faustina and John Paul II in the signs of their relics, visited 65 Polish parishes in Germany.
9 May 2014
The Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki visited by Maria Teresa, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg. She prays at the grace-famous image of Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St. Faustina, and also at the site where the Apostle of Divine Mercy departed to the Lord. The Grand Duchess admits that the Divine Mercy devotion and St. Faustina were very close to her heart since her childhood, therefore, she wished to come here to implore for God’s Mercy in many issues.
22 November 2014
Youth meetings called the “Łagiewniki 22” launched at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki for spiritual preparation for the World Youth Day. Every 22th day of the month (the day of the revelation of Merciful Jesus) meetings for the young are held by the sisters. Their aim is to explore the mystery of Divine Mercy and St. Faustina’s spiritual heritage.
10 June 2015
Completion of the pilgrimage launched on September 14, 2013 (a copy of the Divine Mercy image famous for many graces kept in the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki, blessed by Pope Benedict XVI), along with relics of St. Faustina and St. Pope John Paul II in 43 deaconates of the Tarnow Diocese.
3 April 2016
During the 650th anniversary of the location of the village of Mszalnica and the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the local Fire Department, the residents, after consultation with Bp. Andrzej Jeż, unanimously adopt a resolution on selecting St. Faustina as the village’s Patroness.
7 April 2016
At the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki, the Jubilee Congress of Mercy is held under the motto “Mercy in pastoral practice” and results in a publication under the same title. The organizers are: the International Academy of Divine Mercy, the Rectorate of the Shrine of Divine Mercy, the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy and the Pontifical University of John Paul II.
19 June 2016
Completion of the pilgrimage of a copy of the Divine Mercy image famous for many graces kept in the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki and blessed by Pope Benedict XVI, along with relics of St. Faustina and St. John Paul II in the Diocese of Bielsko and Żywiec. The pilgrimage in this diocese was launched on 20 September 2015 and included in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy; therefore, its motto was “Merciful like the Father”. Parishes and some monasteries participated, and the visitation of every community was preceded by spiritual preparations, usually a retreat or mission.
26-31 July 2016
World Youth Day in Krakow. The patrons of WYD are St. Faustina and St. John Paul II. Before the meeting in Krakow, young people from 187 countries visited various dioceses, and during the WYD they come to the Łagiewniki Shrine of Divine Mercy to pray at the grace-famous image of Merciful Jesus and the tomb of the Apostle of Divine Mercy.
30 July 2016
Pope Francis visits the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki during the WYD. He prays at the grace-famous image of Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St. Faustina and listens to confessions in the Basilica.
31 July 2016
Visit of the President of Panama, Juan Carlos Varela with the First Lady and representatives of the Government of Panama in the convent of the Congregation in Krakow-Łagiewniki after the end of World Youth Day, pray at the miracle-famous image of Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St. Faustina, and visit the site of the Saint’s departure to the Lord (oratory Mass). The organizer of the next WYD in 2019 will be Panama.
September-October 2016
From 25 September to 2 October and from 16 to 23 October, the image of Merciful Jesus—a copy of the grace-famous image from the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki—and relics of St. Sister Faustina visit jubilee year churches in the Diocese of Odessa and Simferopol in Ukraine.
September/October 2016
A copy of the grace-famous image of Merciful Jesus from the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki blessed by Pope Benedict XVI, along with the relics of St. Faustina and St. John Paul II, visits Catholic parishes in Norway.
20 November 2016
Mission of Mercy starts at the Lodz cathedral, combined with pilgrimage of the image of Merciful Jesus and relics of St. Faustina to all parishes as part of spiritual preparation for the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the diocese forthcoming in 2020. Jesuit fathers will lead the missions until the end of 2019.
7 April 2017
The finals of the National St. Faustina Knowledge Competition organized by the Congregation in collaboration with the Faculty of Theology at the Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw. Over 230 schools from 36 dioceses across Poland participated. Rector of the Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw is the honorary patron of the event, and media patrons included 20 press, radio and television titles. The winners and finalists receive scholarships at universities in Warsaw, Krakow, Wroclaw and Torun and invitations to a pilgrimage in the footsteps of Sister Faustina.
23 April 2017
Bishop Rafał Markowski consecrates the Church of Divine Mercy and St. Faustina in Warsaw at Żytnia Street and reads out the decree from Kazimierz Cardinal Nycz on the establishment of this church as a Shrine of Sister Faustina. Until the Warsaw Uprising (1944), the church was the house chapel of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy.
16 September 2017
Bishop Marek Marczak consecrates a new convent of the Congregation in Lodz, at Krośnieńska Street. In this house, owned by her uncle Rapacki, Helena Kowalska—St. Faustina—stayed at the turn of 1922/1923. A chapel is established on the ground floor, in the apartment.
28 September 2017
On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the printing the first pictures of Merciful Jesus and the stay of St. Faustina Kowalska at the J. Cebulski Publishing House in Krakow’s “Kamienica Kolegiacka” townhouse at Szewska Street 22, Archbishop Marek Jędraszewski unveils a memorial plaque in the presence of municipal authorities, the Superiors of the Congregation (the founder of the plaque) and many venerators of Divine Mercy. The plaque was made by sculptor Piotr Idzi.
8-12 July 2017
1st International Congress of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage takes place, featuring ca. 200 tour operators and organizers of religious tourism, bishops, priests, diocesan coordinators and heads of charities, among them, Sisters from the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy as partners of the event. The Sisters present the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki and are visited there by participants of the Congress.
12 April 2018
Final of the Great Poles Knowledge competition for pupils of 6th and 7th grades of primary schools and 2nd and 3rd grades of middle schools in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship. This school year, the person whose life was chosen to be the topic of the competition was Faustina Kowalska, her life, mission of Divine Mercy and devotion against the Polish history. The Congregation supported this project with expertise as the honorary patron over it.
4 February 2017 – 15 April 2018
Pilgrimage of a copy of the Divine Mercy image of the Łagiewniki Shrine and relics of St. Faustina to Catholic parishes in all four dioceses in Latvia. Father Stanislaw Kowalski, O.F.M.Cap, is responsible for the organization of the pilgrimage and accompanying materials about St. Faustina and the message of Mercy are prepared in cooperation with the Congregation in Krakow-Łagiewniki.
3 June 2018
On the 11th Thanksgiving Day, an ecclesiastical and state holiday entered in the calendar of the 100th anniversary of Poland’s independence, a solemn introduction of St. Faustina’s relics to the Church of Divine Providence in Warsaw takes place. It is preceded by a traditional novena and a pilgrimage of Apostle of Divine Mercy’s relics from Plac Marszałka J. Piłsudskiego to the Church of Divine Providence.
2018
Pilgrimage of Divine Mercy image and relics of St. Faustina in the Szombathely Diocese, Hungary. The pilgrim Image was blessed on June 27 by Archbishop Marek Jędraszewski during the Hungarian National Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki.
