Christ the King Parish in Hollywood will be declared as the new Archdiocesan Divine Mercy Shrine in a Mass Saturday to be celebrated by Archbishop José H. Gomez, auxiliary bishops and priests.
Christ the King has been the home since September 2003 of the only image of the Divine Mercy blessed by St. Pope John Paul II in the United States. It was brought to the parish from Poland.
Because it was blessed by a saint, it is considered a relic, an object or article of religious significance from the past.
“We are thrilled to witness this historic event for the faithful of Los Angeles,” said the Rev. Juan Ochoa, pastor of Christ the King and rector of the shrine. “We believe that this shrine will be a beacon of hope and a source of inspiration for generations to come.
“The Divine Mercy Shrine is a testament to our commitment to spreading the message of God’s boundless mercy and love to all.”
The shrine has been designed to offer a serene and contemplative space for worship, prayer and spiritual growth, according to Yannina Diaz, the senior media relations manager of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
The Polish nun Maria Faustyna Kowalska wrote in her diary on Feb. 22, 1931, of seeing an image of Jesus in her room in a convent in Plock, Poland. Jesus appeared wearing a white garment with red and pale rays emanating from his heart and told her to paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the signature: `Jesus, I trust in You.”
The image later became known as the Divine Mercy image.
She was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2000.
The 5:30 p.m. Mass will be streamed on the church’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/ctklosangeles, and YouTube page, www.youtube.com/channel/UCj64Bocfwrl_gWCEw5q4m2A.