When Catholics think of the Sacred Heart, they picture the familiar image of Jesus holding or pointing to His flaming heart.
But many Catholics aren’t aware of the fascinating history behind the Sacred Heart devotion. It’s full of interesting twists, famous saints, religious orders and even political intrigue.
Here are seven fascinating facts about devotion to the Sacred Heart.
The devotion was banned at first.
St. Margaret Mary Alacoque’s revelations from Jesus about the Sacred Heart were made public in the late 1600s. At the time, Church leaders influenced by the Jansenist heresy opposed the spread of the devotion.
The Jesuits saved the devotion from fizzling out.
The Sacred Heart devotion might never have spread beyond France had it not been for Jesuit priests (such as St. Margaret Mary’s spiritual director) who preached the devotion throughout Europe.
The devotion has 12 divine promises.
Jesus made 12 specific promises to St. Margaret Mary about those who practiced devotion to the Sacred Heart. They include the grace of perseverance at the moment of death, blessings on all their undertakings and the conversion of lukewarm souls.
The Sacred Heart inspired freedom fighters.
During the French Revolution, Sacred Heart badges became secret symbols of Catholic resistance against the anti-Christian government. Rebels in the Vendée region carried Sacred Heart flags into battle.
St. Thérèse of Lisieux wrote a poem about the Sacred Heart.
Thérèse’s poems aren’t as famous as her autobiography, “Story of a Soul,” but they reveal the depths of her spiritual life—especially her devotion to the Sacred Heart. (You can read these poems online.)
There’s a religious order dedicated to the Sacred Heart.
In 1878, Venerable Leo John Dehon founded the Priests of the Sacred Heart. To this day, the community runs a monastery and seminary in Hales Corners, Wisconsin.
Entire nations are consecrated to the Sacred Heart.
France, Poland and Ecuador have been consecrated to the Sacred Heart. Ecuador renewed the consecration on its 150th anniversary in 2024.
How well do you know the Sacred Heart devotion? Check out some ways to deepen your devotion with Everything Catholic.
