There are saints who have accompanied us since we were little girls and others we discover as we get older. Saint Faustina Kowalska is one of those you can never let go of once you know her. We really love her: a simple Polish nun, with hardly any education, who changed the way millions of people pray with five words: “Jesus, I trust in You”. A great saint, with capital letters.
From a village girl to an apostle of Divine Mercy
Helena Kowalska was born on August 25, 1905, in Głogowiec, a small town in Poland, the third of ten children in a poor and deeply religious farming family. She was barely able to attend school and worked from a very young age serving in homes to help her family.
She felt called to religious life, but several convents rejected her, until she was accepted by the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. In 1926, she took her vows as Sister Mary Faustina of the Blessed Sacrament. At the convent, she performed the humblest tasks: cook, gardener, and doorkeeper.
“Jesus, I trust in You”
The extraordinary thing about her life was what happened within her. Sister Faustina recounted that Jesus appeared to her and asked her to make His mercy known to the world. Out of obedience, she recorded everything in a diary that we now know as Divine Mercy in My Soul.
From those experiences, three things were born that you are sure you know:
- The image of Divine Mercy: Jesus with two rays, one red and one pale, coming from His heart, and below the phrase “Jesus, I trust in You.” The first version was painted by Eugeniusz Kazimirowski in 1934, following her instructions.
- The Chaplet of Divine Mercy, which is prayed using a regular rosary and is very easy to learn.
- The Hour of Mercy, at three in the afternoon, in remembrance of the hour when Jesus died.
She died very young, at only 33 years old, on October 5, 1938, in Kraków. That day is now her feast day.
Why we consider her a great saint
Because she is proof that you don’t have to be important to do great things. Faustina had no education, no money, and no position of prominence: she had faith. And that faith, written in pencil in a notebook, has reached the whole world.
Saint John Paul II, Polish like her and a great devotee of hers, beatified her in 1993 and canonized her on April 30, 2000. That same day, he instituted the Sunday of Divine Mercy for the whole Church, the Sunday after Easter. She was the first saint of the new millennium.
And we like her for something even simpler: “Jesus, I trust in You” is the perfect prayer for those days when words fail you. It fits in any moment, whether you are fastening your chain in the morning or turning off the light at night.
Faustina, a name we wear
Perhaps you already knew: one of our bracelets is called Faustina. It is a design inspired by our grandmothers’ bracelets, to wear every day and match with your medal. And what better company than that of the Sacred Heart, the heart of Jesus from which the rays of Divine Mercy come.
Khartes Medals
Jesus, I trust in You
Medal of the Sacred Heart of Jesus with enamel and natural pearls€65I want it
Medal of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal with natural pearls€69I want it
Medal of Our Lady of the Pillar with natural pearls€69I want it
Handmade in Spain · Gift-wrapped · Free shipping on orders over €65
At Khartes Madrid, we are two sisters, Marian and Bárbara, who design religious medals and make them by hand in Spain, with natural pearls and stones and gold plating. Each medal comes with its chain, gift-wrapped and with an illustrated print and the history of its devotion, so you know what you are wearing around your neck. Because we believe that giving a medal is an act of love.
Facts you can check
- Saint Faustina (Helena Kowalska) was born on August 25, 1905, and died on October 5, 1938; she was the third of ten children in a poor and religious family. Source
- Saint John Paul II beatified her in 1993 and canonized her on April 30, 2000, instituting that day the Feast of Divine Mercy. Source
The most beautiful medals in the world are at Khartes.
Thank you for reading.
Marian and Bárbara
The most beautiful medals are at www.khartesmadrid.com. Follow us on Instagram: @khartesmadrid.