Moments from History of the Shrine
The current Shrine of Divine Mercy began its existence as a small Gothic church of the Holy Trinity (built at the end of the 15th – beginning of the 16th century).

Shrine of Divine Mercy in Vilnius
Looking at its history, we can see how Divine Providence prepared this place and marked it with the sign of mercy from the very beginning, because it was closely linked not only to prayer but also to works of mercy.
The current Sanctuary of Divine Mercy began its existence as a small Gothic church of the Holy Trinity (built at the end of the 15th – beginning of the 16th century). Looking at its history, we can see how Divine Providence prepared this place and marked it with the sign of mercy from the very beginning, because it was closely linked not only to prayer but also to works of mercy. The Church of the Holy Trinity has existed continuously for more than half a century. The Holy Trinity Hospital has been located just next to this church for over a hundred years. This well-equipped shelter for the elderly and lonely was distinguished by its large number of inmates and was for a long time the largest institution for the poor in the city. Its foundation was linked to the construction of the bridge over Neris river (on the site of the current Green Bridge). In 1536, the Grand Duke of Lithuania and the King of Poland, Sigismund the Old, granted a privilege to John Hosius to build a bridge across the Neris in continuation of the will of his father Ulrich. He was to build and maintain a hospital – a shelter called a “spitoli” (hospital in an ancient form of language) – using the money from the bridge crossing fees and trade in its vicinity. The privilege issued by the ruler refers to the sustenance and care of “poor and weak people”. It was originally named under the Holy Spirit and was entrusted to the Dominicans of the Church of the Holy Spirit. A few years later, the hospital was transferred to the city magistrate, and was then under the care of prelate, who lived in the rectory of the Holy Trinity Church. Symbolically, the Church of the Holy Spirit has also given temporary shelter to the image of the Merciful Jesus on several occasions. The inhabitants of the hospital community prayed in the little church of the Holy Trinity. Not only were the poor cared for, but they also had a mission to pray for the benefactors. Bishop J.N. Kosakowski in the 18th century believed that the “true” poor and the rich were linked by a reciprocal relationship: the poor had to exist in order for the rich to do good deeds, for which they would be rewarded in prayers. “People, who are merciful and do good! What would your luxury and generosity mean if there were no poor and suffering ones?” – the bishop asked. He also addressed the poor: “And you, poor, lame and sick, who can no longer work for society and who in this house wait for support of the wealthy, giving them the opportunity to show you mercy, do not cease to be of service to them.” According to the 1684 agreement signed between the Magistrate and the Holy Trinity hospital, the desired inmate was to be “a virtuous, non-alcoholic person with a good reference who, because of weakness of health or his age, is unable to earn his living.”
The inhabitants of hospital were divided into the true poor and the shy poor. The former came from the poor and the latter from the impoverished nobility. The opposite of the poor were the “false” poor, who had become poor through fault of their own (gambling, drunkenness, etc.), who were idle and regardless being healthy, did not work, but lived on alms instead.
The Holy Trinity Church belonged to the university in the 18th century. It was cared for by the university professors or rector priests. From 1781 to 1805, it was inhabited by the rector of university, astronomer Martynas Počobutas, who lived on the second floor of the men’s hospital at that time. The hospital remained open until the end of the 18th century.
From 1821 the church was converted into an Orthodox church and the former premises of both hospitals (“spitoli”) were turned into a more modern hospital. The church was returned to the Catholics only a century later and placed under the care of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. After the First World War, Lithuanian organisations were active in the former premises of the hospital. Symbolically, Fr. Michael Sopocko was the priest of the church in 1946-1947, before it was closed during the Soviet occupation. On 8th March 2004, it was brought back to life, now as a Shrine of Divine Mercy, by a decree of Cardinal Juozas Audrius Bačkis, Archbishop of Vilnius, so that the image of the Merciful Jesus could be venerated by all peoples and in all languages.