In 1931, our Lord appeared to St. Faustina in a vision. She saw Jesus in a white garment with His right hand raised in blessing. His left hand was touching His garment in the area of the Heart, from where two rays came forth, one red and the other pale. She gazed intently at the Lord in silence, her soul filled with awe, but also with great joy. Jesus said to her: Paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the signature: Jesus, I trust in You. I desire that this image be venerated, first in your chapel, and [then] throughout the world. I promise that the soul that will venerate this image will not perish. I also promise victory over [its] enemies already here on earth, especially at the hour of death. I Myself will defend it as My own glory (Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, 47, 48). As Jesus requested, the Image of Divine Mercy is now displayed and venerated in homes, churches, and other places throughout the world. But get a group of Divine Mercy devotees into a room, and it won’t be long before they are discussing which version of the Image they use most in their own land and which one they like best. And of course, new ones are being created all the time. Three versions of the Image are particularly outstanding in the history of the Divine Mercy message and devotion, and they go by rather unusual names: the original “Vilnius” Image; the very popular “Hyla” Image; and the more recently created “Skemp” Image. Let’s take them in turn. The first Image: Vilnius Although St. Faustina was frequently consulted about the progress of the original painting of the Image, it was her spiritual director and confessor, Blessed Fr. Michael Sopocko, who was directly responsible for hiring the artist Eugene Kazimirowski. The Kazimirowski painting of 1934-35 is therefore the “original” Image of the Divine Mercy, the painting of which was overseen by St. Faustina and Blessed Fr. Sopocko. It presently hangs in the Church of the Holy Trinity, the Shrine of the Divine Mercy in Vilnius, Lithuania, having been faithfully restored to its original colors and contours with the support of the Marian Fathers and Helpers. It also has one more remarkable feature about it: By Dr. Robert Stackpole 22 Marian Helper • Summer 2022 • Marian.org Vilnius, Hyla, Skemp A Tale of Three Images
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