Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus began in the 1670s after Jesus appeared multiple times to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque in France. Jesus revealed His heart wounded and surrounded by the crown of thorns, with flames showing his suffering love for humanity. He told her that He wanted His heart to be honored by asking the faithful to make amends for any wrongdoings, to frequent Communion, and to make Holy Hours. In 1856 Pope Pius IX added the devotion to the Church calendar.
