The Original Image of Divine Mercy: The Untold Story of an Unkown Masterpiece

Saint Rita Church, 61 Wellbrook Ave, Staten Island, NY 10314 View Map
Thursday, March 31 – 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Celebrate the Year of Mercy! A Divine Mercy Worship

and private screening of a new documentary film…

St. Rita’s Church

281 Bradley Avenue, Staten Island, NY 10314 Thursday March 31, 2016 – Doors open at 6:30 PM

Program begins at 7:00PM

Music directed by Deborah Williams accompanied by Marty Rotella

Veneration of a first class relic of St. Faustina
Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament with Sung Divine Mercy Chaplet

Private Screening of “The Original Image of Divine Mercy: The Untold Story of an Unknown Masterpiece”

General Admission Donation $10.00 / Pay Online Only

Proceeds from ticket donations to help support the missions of

The Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate

www.parishvisitorsisters.org

For more information call Paul Lemma at 718-938-4478 or email: holynomad1111@aol.com

Film site and to view the trailer:

www.divinemercyfilm.com

To get tickets go to:

www.showclix.com/event/divinemercyfilm

or call

1-888-71-TICKETS

About the film:

THE ORIGINAL IMAGE OF DIVINE MERCYA DOCUMENTARY

A team of documentarists travel through Europe and the United States uncovering the details of the untold story about the little-known Original Image of Divine Mercy. In 1934, at the request of Jesus himself, Saint Faustina and her confessor, Blessed Fr. Michal Sopocko, secretly began working with a relatively unknown artist to duplicate on a canvas her mystical vision of the Merciful Jesus. With Fr. Michal modeling as Christ for many hours, the three unlikely friends came up with the only Image of Divine Mercy that Saint Faustina ever saw. But after all the corrections and touch-ups at the insistence of Saint Faustina, the violently anti-Catholic Soviet Occupation of Vilnius, Lithuania, forced the painting into hiding. Finally, two humble nuns accepted the “mission impossible” and transported the miraculous painting across the dangerous border between Lithuania and Belarus. In 2005, after 75 years of wandering, the painting was placed in a permanent home in a beautiful shrine in Vilnius according to the wishes of Saint Faustina and Blessed Fr. Michal Sopocko.

Despite the popularity of the devotion to the Divine Mercy around the world, very few realize that there is only one Original Image of Divine Mercy. How did so many other renderings of Saint Faustina’s vision become so well-known around the world while the Original Image remains in obscurity? Is this Original Image unique for reasons above and beyond the fact that it is the only image of Divine Mercy that Saint Faustina ever saw? What qualities about the painting are integral to the devotion and are unique to the Original Image? Did John Paul II know about the Original Image when he canonized Saint Faustina? Does this Image have a special role in the upcoming Year of Mercy?

A timely documentary, The Original Image of Divine Mercy features key witnesses to the mysterious case of a painting that survived the Soviet Occupation of Vilnius, with exclusive commentary by Bishop Robert Barron, George Weigel, Christoph Cardinal Schönborn of Vienna, Stanisław Cardinal Dziwisz of Kraków, Fr. Dwight Longenecker, Harry Connick Jr., Jim Gaffigan, Immaculee Ilibagiza, Archbishop Fisichella, and many others including a special footage with Pope Francis. The Original Image of Divine Mercy is set to be THE FILM EVENT of the Holy Year of Mercy.

REVIEWS:

“One of the best documentaries I have ever seen. If every Catholic parish showed this film, lives would be changed and works of mercy would abound!”

FR. DONALD CALLOWAY – AUTHOR OF “NO TURNING BACK: A WITNESS TO MERCY

“This beautiful film tells the very important story of one of the most extraordinary works of art. A perfect film for our time and itself a lasting work of art!”

CARDINAL CHRISTOPH SCHÖNBORN, ARCHBISHOP OF VIENNA

“This documentary is so very important to all of us, especially during this Jubilee Year of Mercy. You will be blessed beyond measure from this inspirational and powerful film.”

BISHOP RICHARD SPENCER, ARCHDIOCESE MILITARY SERVICES, USA

“It is encouraging to hear of the new documentary. As promoted by St. JPII, devotion to St. Faustina as she points to Jesus, the Source of All Mercy.”

JOSEPH E. KURTZ, ARCHBISHOP OF LOUISVILLE

“Making time to view this film is just one of the ways that Catholics can observe this Holy Year.”

ARCHBISHOP JOSEPH F. NAUMANN, KANSAS CITY

“Viewing The Original Image of Divine Mercy will enrich and enlighten your spiritual experience of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy.”

BISHOP NEAL J. BUCKON, AUXILIARY BISHOP FOR THE WESTERN REGION OF THE USA

“This fascinating and beautifully produced documentary allows us to gaze upon the very face of God’s mercy, his Son Jesus Christ.”

BISHOP MICHAEL SHERIDAN – COLORADO SPRINGS