The Philippines madehistory on April 27, Divine Mercy Sunday, by becoming the first nation in the world to consecrate itself entirely to Jesus through divine mercy.
While African bishops consecrated their continent to divine mercy in 2016, the Philippines is the first individual country to take this step. Fr James Cervantes of the Marians of the Immaculate Conception (MIC) called the consecration “unprecedented” and believes the Holy Spirit has inspired the country’s bishops toward holiness.
The initiative began with a letter from Cervantes to bishops across the Philippines, urging a national consecration. The idea quickly gained support, and the Permanent Council of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) officially approved the consecration, which will take place during Masses on April 27 as part of the 2025 Jubilee Year celebrations.
Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, CBCP president, emphasised that the act of consecration is a collective expression of trust in divine mercy. “As Our Lord Jesus said to St Faustina, ‘I desire that my mercy be worshipped… recourse to my mercy is the last hope of salvation,’” he said. The consecration will serve as a response to the challenges facing the country, including global tensions, corruption, and opposition to Church teachings.
The consecration will occur during Masses across the nation on Divine Mercy Sunday, with the Prayer of Consecration replacing the general intercessions. Cervantes explained that the act is not merely about reciting a prayer but involves a deep commitment to surrendering completely to God’s will. “It means denying our selfish desires to offer ourselves entirely to God,” he said. “We are doing this as a nation — a radical, transformative act.”
The heart of the consecration is trust According to Cervantes, the act demonstrates the nation’s complete surrender to God. “Imagine an entire nation that trusts in God. It will receive treasures of His graces,” he said.
In preparation, Cervantes launched a 14-part video series on Facebook to help the nation understand the significance of the consecration and ensure it’s a sincere commitment. He emphasised the importance of spiritual renewal, urging Catholics to return to the sacraments and immerse themselves in God’s mercy.
The devotion to divine mercy has been called the largest grassroots movement in the Church, especially in the Philippines, which hosts the world’s largest Divine Mercy celebration. As the Philippines prepares for its historic consecration, it does so with faith that divine mercy is the answer to the world’s problems, as St John Paul II often said.