Maria Faustina Kowalska also known as Helena Kowalska was born on August 25, 1905 at Glogowiec, the third child of Marianna and Stanislaw Kowalska. At an early age expressed her desire of entering a convent to her parent, to which they refused firmly. Helena went to Warsaw and worked as a household helper. Later on she was allowed to enter the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy.
Not in the beauty of the color, nor of the brush, lies the greatness of this image, but in My grace. (Diary 299)
Maria Faustina Kowalska also known as Helena Kowalska was born on August 25, 1905 at Glogowiec, the third child of Marianna and Stanislaw Kowalska. At an early age expressed her desire of entering a convent to her parent, to which they refused firmly. Helena went to Warsaw and worked as a household helper. Later on she was allowed to enter the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. In 1930, she was transferred to Plock and assigned as a baker, her prophetic visions began in 1931. Her first vision of the Merciful Jesus and His order to paint the image happened in February 22.
She met Father Michael Sapocko in Vilnius, who later became her confessor and who supported her devotion to the Divine Mercy. Sister Faustina commissioned an artist to paint the first Divine Mercy image, based on her vision of Jesus with the help of Father Sapocko.
The visions and conversations of Sister Faustina with Jesus was written in her diary, later published as as The Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska: Divine Mercy in My Soul. She died of tuberculosis at the age of 33, on October 5, 1938 in Krakow. She was canonized by Pope John Paul II on April 30, 2000 at St. Peter’s Square, Vatican City.
