How to Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet
If you already know how to pray the Rosary, you already have everything you need to learn how to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet—it's prayed on the very same ordinary rosary beads, just with different words. The Chaplet grew out of the private revelations of Jesus to St. Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun canonized in 2000, who described Christ asking that His mercy be proclaimed to the world.
Traditionally prayed daily, and especially during the 3 o'clock "Hour of Mercy" and on Divine Mercy Sunday (the Sunday after Easter), the Chaplet takes about ten to fifteen minutes and moves through a short, repeated meditation on Christ's Passion and God's mercy for the whole world. Below is the full structure, prayer by prayer, so you can pray it confidently whether you're new to the devotion or returning to it after years away.
Opening Prayers on the Crucifix and First Beads
Begin by making the Sign of the Cross. On the crucifix, pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and the Apostles' Creed, just as you would to open the Rosary. Then, on the first large bead, pray the following: 'Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.' On the next three small beads, pray 'For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world' three times, the refrain you'll repeat throughout the Chaplet.
The Prayer on Each Large Bead
On each of the five large beads that begin every decade—the same beads used for the Our Father in the Rosary—pray: 'Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.' This prayer offers Christ Himself to the Father, uniting your intentions with His once-for-all sacrifice.
The Prayer on Each Small Bead
On each of the ten small beads within a decade, pray: 'For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.' Repeat this pattern—one large-bead prayer followed by ten small-bead prayers—for all five decades of the Chaplet, just as you would move through five decades of the Rosary.
The Closing Prayer
After the five decades, pray the following three times: 'Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.' Many people close with a final Sign of the Cross and a brief moment of silence, resting in trust in God's mercy.
A Closing Reflection Prayer
Jesus, I trust in You. As I finish this Chaplet, help me carry Your mercy into the rest of my day—toward myself when I fall short, and toward the people I find hardest to forgive. Let this Hour of Mercy leave its mark long after the beads are put away. Amen.
Scripture to pray
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved.— Ephesians 2:4–5
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.— Psalm 136:1
Frequently asked questions
What is the Divine Mercy Chaplet?
The Divine Mercy Chaplet is a Catholic devotion prayed on ordinary rosary beads that meditates on Christ's Passion and asks for God's mercy on the person praying and the whole world, based on revelations given to St. Faustina Kowalska in the 1930s.
When is the best time to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet?
The Chaplet can be prayed anytime, but it holds special significance at 3:00 p.m., traditionally called the Hour of Mercy because it recalls the hour of Christ's death, and on Divine Mercy Sunday, the Sunday following Easter.
Do I need special beads to pray the Chaplet?
No—the Chaplet is prayed on an ordinary five-decade rosary; some people use rosaries with red or dedicated Divine Mercy beads, but any standard rosary works.
Is the Divine Mercy Chaplet related to the Padre Pio Chaplet?
They are separate devotions—the Padre Pio Chaplet honors St. Pio of Pietrelcina and includes different prayers—but both are popular rosary-based chaplets that focus on trust in God's mercy and are sometimes prayed together.