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Mercy (Middle English, from Anglo-French merci, from Medieval Latin merced-, merces "price paid, wages", from Latin merc-, merxi "merchandise") is , forgiveness, and kindness in a variety of ethical, religious, social, and Law contexts.
In the social and legal context, mercy may refer both to compassionate behavior on the part of those in power (e.g. mercy shown by a judge toward a convict), or on the part of a humanitarian third party (e.g., a mission of mercy aiming to treat war victims).
says, "So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help." Grace and mercy are similar in that both are free gifts of God and both are dispensed absent any merit on the part of the recipient. Grace is the favor of God, a divine assistance. Grace is what one receives that one does not deserve while mercy is what one receives when one does ''not'' get what one deserves.
An emphasis on mercy appears in the New Testament, for example in the Magnificat and Benedictus (Song of Zechariah), in Luke's Gospel, and in the Beatitudes in : "Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy." In Apostle Paul refers to the mercy of God in terms of salvation: "God, who is rich in mercy... even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ."
Psalm 117 calls upon all nations to praise the Lord on account of his "merciful kindness". This is quoted by the Apostle Paul in to show that God has now fulfilled this prophecy and promise through Jesus Christ, who has been merciful in giving his life as a sacrifice for his people, both Jew and gentile. reads:
This devotional element of mercy as part of the Christian tradition was echoed by Saint Augustine who called mercy "ever ancient, ever new". The Works of Mercy (seven corporal and seven spiritual works) are part of the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church emphasizes the importance of the Works of Mercy. In Roman Catholic teachings the mercy of God flows through the work of the Holy Spirit. Roman Catholic liturgy includes frequent references to mercy, e.g., as in : Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy.
Mercy has also been an important subject of Christian iconography. Since the Middle Ages, many representations in art encouraged people to practice the works of mercy and, as the art historian Ralf van Bühren explains using the example of Caravaggio, helped "the audience to explore mercy in their own lives".
In the 20th century, there was new focus on mercy in the Roman Catholic Church, partly due to the Divine Mercy devotion.Ann Ball (2025). 087973910X, Our Sunday Visitor. 087973910X (2025). 9780860123835, Bloomsbury Academic. ISBN 9780860123835 The primary focus of the Divine Mercy devotion is the merciful love of God and the desire to let that love and mercy flow through one's own heart towards those in need of it.
Pope John Paul II was a follower of the Divine Mercy devotion, due to Saint Mary Faustina Kowalska (1905–1938), who is known as the Apostle of Mercy.
A number of Roman Catholic shrines are specifically dedicated to Divine Mercy, e.g. the Basilica of Divine Mercy in Krakow Poland, and the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy (Stockbridge, Massachusetts). During the dedication of the Basilica of Divine Mercy, John Paul II quoted and called mercy the "greatest attribute of God Almighty".
The first World Apostolic Congress on Mercy was held in Rome in April 2008 and was inaugurated by Pope Benedict XVI.
In 2015, at St. Peter's Basilica, in a Papal Bull of proclamation entitled Misericordiae Vultus ("The Face of Mercy"), Pope Francis proclaimed a Special and Extraordinary Holy Year Jubilee Year of Mercy, from December 8, 2015: Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, until November 21, 2016: the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King. The theme of the Extraordinary Jubilee was taken from , "Merciful, Like the Father".
The other, , is also translated as 'compassion' (or because its noun form is grammatically plural, as 'mercies'). is the fourth of the thirteen attributes. says: "The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness." (1997). 9780865545243, Mercer University Press. ISBN 9780865545243 This is also emphasized in the context of the Babylonian exile in Isaiah: "For the Lord has comforted his people, and will have compassion on his suffering ones. But Zion said, 'The Lord has forsaken me, my Lord has forgotten me.' Can a woman forget her nursing child, or show no compassion for the child of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you." () Also: "It is good to pray and fast, to be merciful and just." () When David, because of his sin, was told to choose between a three-year famine, pursuit by his enemies for three months, or a three-day pestilence, he chose the pestilence, saying, "Let us fall by the hand of God, for he is most merciful; but let me not fall by the hand of man." () praises God for his mercy.
(often translated as "compassion") is part of the beliefs of [[Hinduism]], [[Buddhism]], and [[Jainism]]. is present in all schools of Buddhism and in Jainism it is viewed as one of the reflections of universal friendship.
The spiritual teacher Meher Baba described God as being "all-merciful and eternally benevolent" in his O Parvardigar prayer, and he held that we can approach God through the "invocation of His mercy."
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