The Sacred Heart of Jesus

The Sacred Heart of Jesus is the devotion to the physical heart of Jesus as the symbol of his infinite love for the eternal Father and for all human beings without exception. It is one of the most significant devotions in the Catholic tradition, inseparably linked to Christ's humanity and his redemptive love (CCC 478).

What the Sacred Heart Symbolizes

The heart is the seat of love. The Sacred Heart — Christ's human heart — symbolizes the fullness of his love: his love for the Father in perfect obedience, and his love for humanity that drove him to become incarnate, suffer, and die. The wound in his side (John 19:34), from which blood and water flowed (symbolizing the Eucharist and Baptism), is the visible sign of his opened heart (CCC 478).

The Apparitions to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

In 1673–1675, Jesus appeared to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque in Paray-le-Monial, France, revealing his Sacred Heart and asking for reparation for the indifference and ingratitude of humanity. He requested the practice of the First Friday devotions, the Holy Hour, and the Feast of the Sacred Heart (approved by the Church in 1765 and extended to the universal Church in 1856).

Frequently Asked Questions

Isn't devotion to the Sacred Heart too focused on a body part? No — the heart is a symbol, not the literal organ. Just as we speak of someone's "heart" to mean their inner life, love, and devotion, the Sacred Heart symbolizes the whole interior life of Christ — his love, his will, his sacrifice. The physical heart is the sign; what is honored is the Person and his love (CCC 478).