SAINT JOHN PAUL II – POPE OF MERCY

SUMMARY: Aim: The primary goal of this article is to present John Paul II's teaching on mercy and to present this issue in the context of Church teaching and literature. This topic is presented in the encyclical Dives in Misericordia, which reveals the rich content of the concept of mercy and promotes its true importance in the contemporary Church, particularly in the work of evangelization. Method: The study used the text analysis method, the specialist literature synthesis method, and the monographic-descriptive method. Results: Based on the research conducted on documents from John Paul II's teaching and literature, it can be argued that mercy is a great sign for the contemporary world. John Paul II's teaching on this topic is of great and fundamental importance today, remaining relevant in all its dimensions and aspects. Conclusion: The Saint's idea of mercy has already brought tangible results for the religiosity of believers in the spheres of individual and communal life. The validity and justness of the Pope's pastoral approach have been demonstrated in recent decades by the realities of the contemporary world and the Church's slowly adapting evangelization to it, as well as the constantly discovered content concerning the "civilization of love" or the "preferential option for the poor."Originality: The essential essence of the presented text is that its content is based on original documents and commentaries by John Paul II. Keyword: God and love and mercy; papal Dives in misericordia; the ministry of mercy in the Church; mercy in evangelization; the parish as a place of mercy.