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Helena Kowalska was born in the year of Our Lord 1905 to a devout Polish peasant family. From an early age, Helena received visions of Our Lord, one of which finally prompted her to abandon her worldly possessions and enter religious life. Despite her severe lack of education, Helena worked hard to earn what money she required and finally succeeded in joining the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, where she took the name Maria Faustina of the Blessed Sacrament. Sr. Faustina continued to receive visions, which she described in her diary, and the Divine Mercy devotion began to take shape. Despite her near-illiteracy and her poor health, which included bouts of tuberculosis, Faustina persevered in recording and promoting the messages of the Divine Mercy. With the help of her confessors, including Bl. Michael Sopoćko, the devotion began to spread in Poland before Faustina’s death in the year of Our Lord 1938. After a halt due to reservations in Rome, the devotion was spread once more thanks mainly to the efforts of Pope St. John Paul II, who encouraged Faustina’s cause for sainthood and new translations of her diary.
AT Messina, in Sicily, the birthday of the holy martyrs Placidus, monk, disciple of the blessed abbot Benedict, and of his brothers Eutychius and Victorinus, and Flavia, virgin, their sister; also of Donatus, Firmatus, deacon, Faustus, and thirty other monks, who were murdered for the faith of Christ by the pirate Manuchas.
The same day, the birthday of blessed Thraseas, bishop of Eumenia, who ended his career by martyrdom at Smyrna.
At Treves, the holy martyrs Palmatius and his companions, who suffered martyrdom in the persecution of Diocletian, under the governor Rictiovarus.
The same day, under the emperor Diocletian and the ex-consul Domitius, St. Charitina, a virgin, who was exposed to the fire and thrown into the sea; but escaping uninjured, she had her hands and feet cut off, her teeth plucked out, and finally she yielded her spirit in prayer.
At Auxerre, the departure from this life of the saintly deacon Firmatus and the virgin Flaviana, his sister.
At Ravenna, St. Marcellinus, bishop and confessor.
At Valence, in France, St. Apollinaris, a bishop, who was renowned in life for virtues, and in death for miracles and prodigies.
The same day, St. Attilanus, bishop of Zamora, who was ranked among the saints by Urban II.
At Leon, in Spain, St. Froilanus, bishop of that city, renowned for his zeal in spreading the monastic life, for his liberality to the poor and other virtues, and for miracles.
At Rome, St. Galla, widow, daughter of the consul Symmachus, who, after the death of her husband, remained many years near the church of St. Peter, applying to prayer, almsgiving, fasting, and other pious works. Her most happy death has been described by pope St. Gregory.
℣. And elsewhere many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins.
℟. Thanks be to God.