Three o’clock in the afternoon is the hour when Jesus died on the Cross. In the Divine Mercy devotion it is called the Hour of Mercy: St. Faustina Kowalska wrote that Jesus asked her to honor his death at that hour by immersing herself in his Passion and imploring mercy for the whole world, “especially for poor sinners.” Catholics around the world stop at 3 PM to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet, make the Stations of the Cross, visit the Blessed Sacrament, or simply pause for a moment of prayer. Below are the prayers associated with the Hour of Mercy, a short 3 o’clock prayer you can say anywhere, what to do if you have one minute or one hour, and Scripture.
A short 3 o’clock prayer, written for this page:
Lord Jesus, at this hour you died on the Cross for me.
Have mercy on me and on the whole world.
Let the Blood and Water that flowed from your Heart wash away our sins. Jesus, I trust in you. Amen.
The traditional 3 o’clock prayers
St. Faustina’s Diary records two prayers that are said at three o’clock:
- “O Blood and Water…”: a short prayer of trust that begins “O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus…” and ends with an act of trust. It may be said three times.
- “You expired, Jesus…”: a longer prayer that begins “You expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls,” and asks the “Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy” to envelop the whole world.
Both prayers are taken from the English translation of the Diary published by the Marian Fathers, who hold its copyright; you will find them in Divine Mercy prayer books and on prayer cards. The Divine Mercy Chaplet, which can be prayed at any time, is the heart of the Hour of Mercy. See the Divine Mercy Chaplet.
Why three o’clock?
St. Luke tells that darkness covered the land “until the ninth hour,” the Jewish way of naming three in the afternoon, when Jesus cried out with a loud voice and gave up his spirit (Luke 23:44–46, Douay-Rheims):
And it was almost the sixth hour; and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.
And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.
And Jesus crying out with a loud voice, said: Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. And saying this, he gave up the ghost.
St. John adds that a soldier opened his side, and blood and water flowed out (John 19:34, Douay-Rheims):
But one of the soldiers with a spear opened his side, and immediately there came out blood and water.
What to do at three o’clock
If you have one minute: stop, make the Sign of the Cross, and say the short prayer above or “Jesus, I trust in you.”
If you have ten minutes: pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet, on rosary beads.
If you have more time: make the Stations of the Cross, or visit Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
At work or on the road: set a daily 3 PM reminder on your phone and offer a moment of silence for sinners and the dying.
A prayer for the dying at three o’clock
Written for this page.
Merciful Jesus, at the hour of your death you opened paradise to the good thief.
Have mercy on all who are dying at this hour, especially those who are alone or far from you.
Let them turn to you in trust and be saved. Amen.
Frequently asked questions
What is the 3 o’clock prayer?
The prayers said at the Hour of Mercy, 3 PM, in honor of Christ’s death: the Divine Mercy Chaplet and the short prayers from St. Faustina’s Diary, especially “O Blood and Water.”
Do I have to pray the whole chaplet at 3 PM?
No. Even a brief prayer at that hour honors Christ’s death and asks mercy for the world.
What if I miss three o’clock?
Pray when you can. The Hour of Mercy is a loving invitation, not an obligation.
More Divine Mercy prayers
- Divine Mercy Chaplet
- Divine Mercy image
- Divine Mercy novena
- Divine Mercy Sunday
- St. Faustina prayer
- Prayers for the dying
Texts and sources
- Luke 23:44–46 and John 19:34 (Douay-Rheims).
- St. Faustina Kowalska, Diary (Marian Fathers translation): described and briefly quoted, not reproduced.