The Veil of Veronica, known as the Manoppello Image

At three o'clock in the afternoon, when Jesus died, the earth shook, the veil of the Temple was torn and the face of the disfigured Christ, according to Maria Valtorta, became imprinted on a veil. But not just any veil: the one with which Christ - helped by Veronica - wiped his face on the way to the Cross. We are able to retrace the historical journey of this veil, from the first century to the present day where it is now preserved and venerated: the shrine of Manoppello, in Italy.

The Holy Face, on the veil at Manoppello, Italy / © CC0 via wikimedia.

Les raisons d'y croire :

Ultraviolet examination and microscopic observations carried out in 1997 by the team of Professor don Vittori, from the University of Bari, show that this relic is neither painted nor woven with coloured fibres. We are unable to scientifically explain the composition of this image, which suggests that it was not made by human hands.

The image has a very unusual characteristic that is inexplicable given the age of the fabric: it is two-sided. Rather like a photographic negative, it can be viewed from both sides, with the image appearing with the same intensity of colour on both sides.

An iconographic study comparing Manoppello's image with the many ancient representations of Christ's face reveals striking similarities, as if the veil had served as a model.

Veronica's veil is also perfectly superimposed on the Shroud of Turin: we can see the same facial swellings, the same size of nose, which is broken in both cases, the same split beard, etc.

The itinerary of the Veil of Veronica can be retraced: brought back from Egypt, where it had been kept for thirty years, the Veil stayed in Constantinople in the 6th century before being protected in a fortified chapel in the ancient basilica of St Peter's in Rome from 704 onwards. For eight hundred years, pilgrims from all over Europe came here to venerate the disfigured face of Christ. In the 16th century, it was stolen and kept for a century by a family in Manoppello. The veil was finally given to the Capuchin monks, who have been working since 1638 to bring the Holy Face of the Disfigured Christ back to the attention of the faithful.

The veil of the disfigured Christ is the perfect fulfilment of Isaiah's prophecy: "See, my servant shall prosper, he shall be raised high and greatly exalted! Even as many were amazed at him - so marred were his features - beyond that of mortals his appearance, beyond that of human beings." (Is 52:13-14).

When Pope Benedict XVI elevated the church of Manoppello to the rank of Pontifical Basilica of the Holy Face, he recognised that the presence of the veil of the Holy Face of the disfigured Christ expressed the mystery of the Passion.

Synthèse :

On 1 September 2006, two hundred kilometres from Rome, at the shrine of Manoppello - a village with a population of 7,000 - Pope Benedict XVI came to venerate the Holy Face of the disfigured Christ. The Holy Father stood for around ten minutes in front of the Manoppello veil, in an intimate dialogue with the Lord, who wishes the same thing for each of us and left us this image for this very purpose. The pope was accompanied by the diocesan bishop, Bruno Forte, and 5,000 pilgrims. Eighty-eight newspapers from around the world covered the event.

Here is an extract from the Holy Father's speech: "As the psalms say, 'We all seek the face of the Lord'. And this is also the meaning of my visit. Let us try together to know the face of the Lord better and better, and from the face of the Lord let us draw that strength of love and peace that also shows us the path of our life. To enter into communion with Christ and contemplate his face, to recognise the face of the Lord in that of our brothers and sisters in the events of each day, we need "innocent hands and pure hearts". Innocent hands, that is to say, lives illuminated by the truth of the love that overcomes indifference, doubt, lies and selfishness; pure hearts are necessary, hearts enraptured by the divine beauty, as the little Thérèse of Lisieux said in her prayer to the Holy Face, hearts that bear the face of Christ imprinted in them."

Three weeks later, Pope Benedict XVI elevated the church of Manoppello to the rank of Pontifical Basilica of the Holy Face. Every church that acquires the status of basilica bears witness to one of the mysteries of Christ's life. The Pope has thus recognised that the presence of the veil of the Holy Face of the disfigured Christ expresses the mystery of the Passion.

It should also be noted that on the eve of his death, at six o'clock in the morning on Sunday 22 September 1968, Padre Pio was seen by Father Domenico, a Capuchin friar from Manoppello, praying before the veil of the disfigured face of Christ. The saintly Padre Pio was in the front row, kneeling with his head in his hands: "But what are you doing here?" asked an astonished Domenico. "I don't trust myself any more. Pray for me. And see you in heaven!" replied the saintly Padre Pio. "Praised be Jesus Christ!" concluded Father Domenico. Some twenty hours later, Saint Padre Pio died some two hundred kilometres away, in his cell, which he had not left for a very long time.

The veneration of the Holy Face of Christ by Pope Benedict XVI, Saint Padre Pio and pilgrims from all over the world invites us to consider its importance for each and every one of us.

Let us go back to 2,000 years ago. The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ has just finished. In Maria Valtorta's The Gospel as Revealed to Me, the reader stands at the side of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Virgin Mary's major role on Good Friday and Holy Saturday is to show the veil of the disfigured Christ to all the apostles who return to her. In this way, they can experience the Passion they missed by fleeing, enabling them to wait for and be ready for the Saviour's resurrection.

Here is the key passage from Maria Valtorta's The Gospel as Revealed to Me, in which the Virgin Mary receives the veil from Niké (which means Victory and will become Veronica). It is Good Friday in the house of Lazarus (visions612.20 and 614.9).

"John knocks at the door lightly.

«Who is it? »

«It is I, Mother. Nike is here... She came during the night... She brought a souvenir to You... a gift... She hopes to comfort You with it. »

«Oh! one gift only can comfort Me!The smile of His Face... » «Mother! » John embraces Her lest She should fall, and as if he were confiding the true Name of God, he says: «It is that. The smile of His Face, impressed on a linen cloth with which Nike wiped Him on Calvary. »

«Oh! Father! Most High God! Holy Son! Eternal Love! May You be blessed! The sign! The sign I asked of You. Let her, let her come in! »

[...]

Then Johanna of Chuza comes with Jonathan. Her features are disfigured by tears. And as soon as she sees Mary, she says: «He saved me! He saved me and He is dead.

Mary: -Look how handsome He is! How He smiles and begs for this holy work of ours! Johanna, I love you, you know that. Do not weep any more. »

«But He is dead! Yes. There He still looks as if He were alive. But He is no longer alive. What is the world without Him? »

«He will come back. Go. Pray. Wait. The more you believe, the sooner He will rise from the dead. That belief is My strength...

Johanna also goes away, weak and bent like a lily too saturated with water.

But once she has gone out, Mary relapses into Her torture. «I have to give strength to everybody. To everybody! And who gives it to Me? » And She weeps, caressing the Face of the image, be cause She is now sitting near the chest on which the Veil is spread."

Guillaume Nocq is the author of a book on Veronica's veil and founder of the Association Le Saint Visage du Christ.