Statues of Pope John Paul II and St. Faustina at St. Mary’s

The large statues of the much loved saints will be dedicated on the Feast of the Divine Mercy, the Sunday after Easter Sunday, in the Chapel of Divine Mercy.

The statues were specially commissioned and parish priest Fr. Joe Gormley said that they have had some great feedback since they announced that the statues had arrived.

“Half the cost of the statues has already been met thanks to the generosity of local people, which is typical of the people of the Creggan parish,” he said.

“In 2018 we opened our Chapel of Divine Mercy here at St Mary’s and the purpose of the statues is that these are the saints most associated with the devotion of Divine Mercy.

“Also Pope John Paul II had a real connection with Ireland and came here in 1979 and made his plea for peace. People feel very close to him.”

The statues of the two Polish saints were commissioned for the Chapel of Divine Mercy .

They were crafted by expert artisans in northern Italy and are made from wood.

Both statues will be placed in the chapel once suitable plinths are found for them.

St. Faustina was a nun and mystic who died at the age of just 33 in Krakow in 1938.

The apparitions of Christ she experienced inspired devotion and she has come to be known as the Apostle of Divine Mercy. Sr. Faustina was canonized in 2000 and her feast day is October 5.

St. Pope John Paul II was head of the Catholic Church from 1978 until his death in 2005.

He was canonized on Divine Mercy Sunday in April, 2014. St Pope John Paul II’s feast day is October 22.