A NORTH Belfast prayer group has received a special relic of Sister Faustina.
The Divine Mercy Prayer Group, based at Sacred Heart Parish in the Oldpark, recently travelled to Krakow in Poland to collect the relic from the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy.
Maria Faustina, a Polish woman had apparitions of Jesus Christ which inspired the Roman Catholic devotion to the Divine Mercy and earned her the title of 'Secretary of Divine Mercy'.
In 2022, the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, who are the sole custodian of the relics of St Faustina, sent 116 particles of these relics to 17 countries around the world.
In Europe, the Apostle of Divine Mercy in the sign of her relics was sent to six countries, in addition, to India, Lebanon, USA, Canada Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Brazil, Peru, Australia and Papua New Guinea. Saint Faustina in the sign of her relic is now present in 128 countries of the world on all continents, in 5,698 churches, shrines and chapels, where Divine Mercy is revered in a special way.
Stephen McCloskey from the Divine Mercy Group said: "We have been praying for a while now to receive a relic, our prayer was answered.
"The group travelled to Poland to collect the relic from the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Krakow,
"Our new Parish Priest Fr Kieran Crea has been very supportive to us along with
Fr Frank Trias of the Holy Cross Ardoyne, who is Chaplin to the Prayer Group.
"A Divine Mercy alcove has been established and will now house the first class relic in the Adoration, upper room of the church, which will be on display.
"The relic will be publicly introduced into the Parish on the Feast of Divine Mercy on Sunday, April 16.
The Divine Mercy Prayer Group meets every Friday, with Adoration at 2.30pm followed by Divine Mercy Chaplet at 3pm. All are welcome to attend.
