Month: August 2025

The Mystery of the Human Face of Jesus

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(“St. Veronica” – named for the Veil of the True Image of Jesus, which she holds.) c. 1435 (Photo: Paul Badde)

To try to condense the history and theology of the devotion to the Holy Face or attempt to describe the place in our prayer life for the “Veronica” or “True Image” of the Face of Jesus, and its relationship to our transformation in Christ, is far beyond the scope of a few paragraphs. Yet, a Christian can’t keep silent either when it comes to bearing witness to God’s glory, power and might. One is compelled to say something about it. Pope St. John Paul II gave the Church page after page on the subject, and then, nearing the end of his life, dedicated the entire millennium to the Face of Christ. We should all have a few questions about that grand gesture, and try to search out some answers–not only for the benefit of our own soul, but for the benefit of other’s souls as well…

“Your Face, O Lord, do I seek; do not hide Your Face from me.” (Ps. 27)

The many challenges of this millennium, wars, violence, and other threats to human dignity, such as the rapid advancement of AI, have made the significance of dedication to the Face of Christ very clear–that we need to keep our eyes on Jesus Christ! When one begins to look into the devotion to the Face of Christ; the deeper and more beautiful the mystery of the Human Face of Jesus grows. Just recently, the Vatican had approved a Eucharistic miracle in which the Face of Jesus appeared on a Consecrated Host. Volumes of books cannot contain the meaning of that treasure! I do know, however, that the devotion to the Holy Face, in each of its aspects, all converge on this single truth:

The mystery of the human face began “in the fullness of time” (Gal 4:4), when the Word of God, the second person of the Blessed Trinity–Jesus Christ, True God and True Man–became Incarnate in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

To reject, or God forbid, destroy an icon or image of the Face of Jesus would be to reject the great humility of God and the Incarnation. Centuries ago, when iconoclasm raged, the Emperor Leo III had wanted to destroy icons of the Face of Jesus. The Patriarch of Constantinople, Germanus, then begged him, “May this calamity, my lord, not come to pass under your reign. For he who would bring this about is a precursor to the Antichrist, and an enemy of the salvific Incarnation of God.” Those are strong and frightening words.

“Vera Icon,” The Veil of the Holy Face held in the Vatican served as a model, painted by Meister von Sankt Lorenz around 1415, nearly 100 years before the “Veronica” or True Image was said to have been stolen during the Sack of Rome. in 1527. (Photo: Paul Badde)

” A picture is worth a thousand words.”

Holy Face – of the Shroud of Turin – visible in the photographic negative.

It is clear that icons and images of the Face of Christ have a very important place in the Church, especially in those gifts of God that are known as “achieropoieta.” These refer to relics of such as the Face of Jesus or the Blessed Mother (ie. on The Tilma of Our Lady of Guadalupe), on which the image is inexplicably present; they exist without the aid of paint or brush. They are said to be “made by the Hand of God:” Relics such as the Shroud of Turin and the Holy Veil of Manoppello, are both are miraculous images; which far surpass all man-made icons, however beautiful they may be.

The very fact of the existence of both the Shroud of Turin and the Veil of Manoppello are the reason why man-made images are permitted by God, and why the Old Testament admonition against creating images ended when Jesus gave us the New Covenant. The Incarnation meant that the Word of God could now be seen, heard and depicted. God has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ–and “by God’s own Hand” had created the images bearing the Face of Jesus–thus breaking the Old Covenant law–thus, freeing us from idolatry. When venerating the icon or image we are venerating His Person.

Under the New Covenant, in His Divine Providence, He gave to mankind these supernatural images [achieropoieta] to communicate truths about His Only Begotten Son. These miraculous images are evidence of His Incarnation, Passion, Death and Resurrection. They show us “the Word of God” made flesh; that God exists and He became Man in Jesus Christ; that He suffered for our sakes, died and rose from the dead! And that we, His unworthy creatures, are made in His image and likeness, and so we are meant to reflect His image and likeness to others.

Our Faith may be weak when it comes to accepting certain truths or miracles; but Jesus, who understands our weakness, does not stop at giving us His Holy Face and His Holy Name; He has also given to us precious relics that may be seen and touched: “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin…” so that we may “confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.” (Heb 4:15)

This stunning photo of the Veil of the Holy Face of Manoppello (and my favorite!) was taken by Paul Badde, author of “The Face of God: The Rediscovery of the True Face of Jesus” and many other books about the Holy Veil. The Veil presents quite a challenge for the photographer, because it is very sheer and the image changes according to the light and angle from which it is viewed.The Face may even disappear, or appear as I first saw it–as a living image, seen as though it were reflected in a mirror.

Jesus has given us His own Face in such relics because He wills to meet us in our weakness–to show us His Human Face and restore us–to help us to encounter, contemplate, honor and reverence Him. This is a tremendous gift that represents “the Gift” Himself–Jesus Christ–given to mankind at the Incarnation; it is a reminder the the Eternal Word became man!

We may not be able to make a pilgrimage to see the holy relic of the Shroud or see the Veil of the Holy Face of Manoppello; but we may keep copies of those images in our Churches and homes, or wear a Holy Face medal as a daily reminder of His love and mercy for us; they are a blessed source of “grace for timely help.” (Heb 4:15)

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Many parishes around the world have “enthroned” an image of the Holy Face, which is a particularly beautiful way for the faithful to correspond in some way to God’s Gift of His Son; by bringing His Image before the faithful for veneration and prayer. Very recently, another enthronement of “the Most Holy Face of Jesus” was made with a copy of the Holy Veil of Manoppello in San Jose de Mindanao Seminary Complex that occurred on August 19, 2025 in the Philippines. Poster of Enthronement:

“For God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to bring to light the knowledge of the glory of God on the Face of [Jesus] Christ.” (2 Cor 4:6)

“In olden days, God who was without body or physical form, was not depicted at all. But now, since God has appeared in the flesh and has interacted with man, I am able to depict the visible aspect of God. I do not worship matter, I only worship the Creator of matter, Him who for my sake became matter Himself, and took it upon Himself to dwell in matter, and who by means of matter brought about my salvation.” ~St. John Damascene

“Restore us, LORD God Almighty; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved.” (Psalm 80:19)

Secrets of Manoppello Revealed

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“Abruzzo is a great producer of silence, wrote Georgio Manganelli.” Manoppello, Italy–hidden deep in the Abruzzo Mountains–had kept a secret: a holy relic veil of the Face of Jesus, treasuring and protecting it through five tumultuous centuries; effectively preventing it from being destroyed many times over. But now, in God’s Providence, the secret has come to light with the dawn of the millennium, which was dedicated to the Face of Christ by Pope St. John Paul II.

An eminent scholar, Fr. Heinrich Pfeiffer, uncovered the secret of Abruzzo and, at a great personal cost, presented his theses to the world. The news was embraced by some; and of course, rejected by others–there is nothing new in that. Opinions are like noses–everyone has one. We all make our own choices, for good or bad; but to make a choice, to believe or disbelieve, we first need an informed conscience, and the desire to know the truth in the first place.

For this reason Antonio Bini has published a free e-book (which is embedded below) which presents the background of the re-discovery of the relic of the Holy Veil of Manoppello bearing an image of the Face of Christ: “Heinrich Pfeiffer, The Scholar Who Recognized the Veronica in the Holy Face”. This essay commemorates Father Heinrich Pfeiffer (1939-2021), professor of Christian art history at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome and one of the leading contemporary scholars of the Church’s cultural heritage, who passed away in Berlin on November 26, 2021. With his studies on the Holy Face of Manoppello, which he identified as “the Veronica” (True Image).

Pope Benedict XVI contemplates the Face on the Veil of Manoppello. September 1, 2006. (Photo: Paul Badde/EWTN)

Pfeiffer was met with distrust and hostility from scholars and Church hierarchies for questioning centuries-old silences and beliefs regarding Christ’s burial cloths. The book reconstructs the author’s encounter with Fr. Pfeiffer, the background to the international press conference held in Rome on May 31, 1999, in which the scholar supported his theses. These attracted the interest of the media and many pilgrims to the sanctuary of Manoppello, which until then had been relatively unknown. Among these Pope Benedict XVI, This visit effectively confirmed the validity of Fr. Pfeiffer’s theses. The German Pope was impressed by his encounter with the Holy Face, immediately elevating the church to a basilica and dedicating an intense prayer a year after his visit.

References to the Sack of Rome are also included, when the Veronica disappeared from Rome, as the Vatican press office later admitted in 2011. The photographic and documentary material, much of it previously unpublished, is noteworthy. By the author’s wish, the book, a testimony to the events, is being distributed free of charge in English to promote broader knowledge of the Holy Face among the many interested in the recent history of the mysterious image.

Enjoy!

Ebook Pfeiffer_ENGDownload

The Scholar Who Recognized “the Veronica”

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Antonio Bini presenting a book on the Holy Face to Archbishop Cordileone of San Francisco on the occasion of his pilgrimage to the Basilica Shrine of Il Volto Santo in 2019.

Antonio Bini, who communicates all the good news coming from the Shrine in Manoppello, Italy, has shared a new video put together by a filmmaker–it is a compilation of reports by news media from 1999–that was made to commemorate the historic work and discoveries of the late Father Heinrich Pfeiffer (1939-2021), a historian of Christian art at the Gregorian University in Rome, and who had studied the Holy Face for years. Antonio met Fr. Pfeiffer in 1998, and convinced him to make the results of his studies public at an international press conference that Antonio Bini had organized in Rome on May 31, 1999. “The conference reverberated throughout the world,” said Antonio.

The video, “Heinrich Pfeiffer — Scholar Who Recognized the Veronica (True Image) in the Holy Face of Manoppello,” has been made available thanks to Raymond Frost of of the Holy Face of Manoppello Blogspot, which may now be viewed here on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDzE-ODG9mo&t=1s. Raymond has also posted on his blog a link to a free ebook which is the english translation of Antonio Bini’s book  on the teachings of Fr. Pfeiffer on the Holy Face “The Scholar Who Recognized the Veronica in the Holy Face of Manoppello.”

(The video is in Italian, however, a closed-captioned translation is possible by clicking “cc” first; then “settings,” and next choose the option “auto translate” and the language of your choice.)

The Relic was recently removed from the glass enclosure for viewing and procession, on the Feast of the Transfiguration (Photo: Alexandra Prandell)

I can confirm the truth of Antonio’s statement about the news of the Veronica being heard throughout the world. As a life-long devotee of the True Face of Jesus known as the”Veronica,” I was most interested when I first read a U.S. news article about Fr. Pfeiffer’s startling claim of finding “the historic Veronica.” A very strong yearning grew in my heart each day and did not go away; the desire to see the Holy Veil of Manoppello, Italy with my own eyes. However, many more years passed before an opportunity would present itself to travel to Rome, and from there, to somehow find the way through the Abruzzo Mountains to Manoppello–which might as well have been the other side of the moon to me at that time.

Fr. Heinrich Pfeiffer and Paul Badde look on as Pope Benedict XVI greets Sr. Blandina Paschalis Schloemer, whose forensic study comparisons of the Face of the Shroud of Turin and the Face on the Manoppello Veil were key to its rediscovery. Historic visit to the Shrine of Il Volto Santo in 2006.

Thanks to Paul Badde’s wonderful book, The Face of God: The Rediscovery of the True Face of Jesus, I learned that the Shrine of Il Volto Santo was much more accessible that I had first thought; providentially due to a new highway being completed close to the Shrine. The pilgrimage turned out to be a life-changing spiritual experience to say the least, as it has been for so many other pilgrims from all over the world.

Fr. Heinrich Pfeiffer’s important role in bringing the Holy Face of Manoppello, from obscurity to the world, was not an easy one, as his friend, Antonio Bini, reminded me. Therefore, this video was made for the growing community of faithful devotees of the Holy Face, and in gratitude and appreciation of the man who helped pave the way for pilgrims to the Basilica Shrine of Il Volto Santo in this millennium dedicated by Pope St. John Paul II to the Holy Face of Jesus Christ!

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More beautiful photos below, sent by Alexandra Prandell, from the Feast of the Transfiguration celebration in Manoppello, Italy–not “on the other side of the moon,” but only two and a half hours from Rome, in the Abruzzo Mountains:

Holy Veil of Manoppello, Photo: Alexandra Prandell
Relic of the Holy Face carried in procession through the streets. (Photo: Alexandra Prandell)
(Transfiguration procession of the relic) Photo: Alexandra Prandell)
Fireworks explode in the sky as the relic of the Holy Face Veil returns to the Basilica Shrine. (Photo: Alexandra Prandell)
The serene gaze of the Holy Face of Jesus, of Manoppello. (Photo: Alexandra Prandell)

“Lord, it is good for us to be here.”

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Each year, the Feast of the Transfiguration, is marked by prayer, vigils and processions in honor of the Holy Face of Jesus. On this feast day St. Therese would toss roses and sprinkle perfume on the drawing of the Holy Face of Jesus that was so dear to her heart. At the Basilica Shrine of the Holy Face in Manoppello, Italy, local residents and pilgrims from all over the world take part in the joyous festivities in honor of the Holy Face. This year includes World Youth Day pilgrims! (Thank you to Alexandra Prandell for the video and photos!) (Enjoy as well, a few pictures from past celebrations below!) Wherever you may be on this holy feast day; come before His Holy Face–by entering into His Holy Presence in prayer–so together with the whole body of Christ, in Heaven and on earth, we may say, “Lord, it is good to be here.”

World Youth Day Pilgrims gather at the Basilica Shrine of “Il Volto Santo” The relic Veil of the Holy Face in Manoppello, Italy. (Photo: Alexandra Prandell)
Basilica Shrine of the Holy Face in the Abruzzo Mountains, Manoppello, Italy (Photo: Alexandra Prandell)
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“It is good, Lord, to be here” before your Holy Face! (Photo: Alexandra Prandell)

“Jesus took with him Peter, James and John, and led them up a high mountain where they were alone. There, before their eyes, he was transfigured. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light. Then the disciples saw Moses and Elijah appear, and they were talking to Jesus.”

~Matthew 17:2
Rays of light burst through the clouds above the Abruzzo Mountains. (2022 Photo: Paul Badde)

The following is a very beautiful sermon, by Bishop Anastasias of Sinai, on the Transfiguration of the Lord:

“Upon Mount Tabor, Jesus revealed to his disciples a heavenly mystery. While living among them he had spoken of the kingdom and of his second coming in glory, but to banish from their hearts any possible doubt concerning the kingdom and to confirm their faith in what lay in the future by its prefiguration in the present, he gave them on Mount Tabor a wonderful vision of his glory, a foreshadowing of the kingdom of heaven. It was as if he said to them: ‘As time goes by you may be in danger of losing your faith. To save you from this I tell you now that some standing here listening to me will not taste death until they have seen the Son of Man coming in the glory of his Father…'”

Along the Transfiguration Vigil Procession (Photo: Paul Badde)
Colorful lights line the streets of Manoppello, Italy in preparation for the Vigil and Procession for the Feast of the Transfiguration. (Photo: 2023 Paul Badde)
The Manoppello Veil “as white as light,” yet the face on the sheer veil can still be faintly seen. (Photo: Paul Badde)

(The Holy Veil of Manoppello is an Achieropoeta–a supernatural image made by the Hand of God–that is present on a sheer veil, without the aid of paint, and may be viewed from both sides. The Face of Jesus becomes visible to the viewer according to the light. The relic Veil of the Holy Face has recently been proven to radiate light energy.)

Holy Face–eyes always looking toward the viewer–on the Veil of Manoppello. (Photo: Paul Badde)
Holy Face seen in candlelight (2023 Photo: Paul Badde)
Transfiguration by Carl Bloch

Continuing from the sermon on the Transfiguration of the Lord by Anastasius of Sinai, Bishop:

“These are the divine wonders we celebrate today; this is the saving revelation given us upon the mountain; this is the festival of Christ that has drawn us here. Let us listen, then, to the sacred voice of God so compellingly calling us from on high, from the summit of the mountain, so that with the Lord’s chosen disciples we may penetrate the deep meaning of these holy mysteries, so far beyond our capacity to express. Jesus goes before us to show us the way, both up the mountain and into heaven, and–I speak boldly–it is for us now to follow him with all speed, yearning for the heavenly vision that will give us a share in his radiance, renew our spiritual nature and transform us into his own likeness making us for ever sharers in his Godhead and raising us to heights as yet undreamed of.

Let us run with confidence and joy to enter into the cloud like Moses and Elijah, or like James and John. Let us be caught up like Peter to behold the divine vision and to be transfigured by that glorious transfiguration. Let us retire from the world, stand aloof from the earth, rise above the body, detach ourselves from creatures and run to the creator, to who Peter in ecstasy exclaimed: Lord, it is good for us to be here–here where all things shine with divine radiance, where there is joy and gladness and exultation; where there is nothing in our hearts but peace, serenity, stillness; where God is seen.”

Rector Padre Antonio Gentili (Photo: Alexandra Prandell)

“For here, in our hearts, Christ takes up his abode together with the Father, saying as he enters: Today salvation has come to this house. With Christ, our hearts receive all the wealth of his eternal blessings, and there where they are stored up for us in him, we see reflected as in a mirror both the first fruits and the whole of the world to come.”

“Il Volto Santo” of Manoppello, Italy (2023 Photo: Paul Badde)

All the mysteries of Jesus Christ, true God and true Man, are hidden and yet revealed in the transfigured Face of Jesus on the mountaintop. Jesus Christ unveils for us in this mystery the Paschal journey that He would suffer, and the glory that is already within Him. He invites us to follow Him, in taking up our own crosses in faith, hope and love. In order to see God the Father in His Glory–we must first pass through the door of the Holy Face of Jesus Christ, in imitation of Him–It is the only way to be transformed by the Holy Spirit of Love into His Image–to purify our eyes to see the glory of the Father in Heaven.

As we read in Scripture: “… He [Jesus] took along Peter John, and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while He was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothes became white and gleaming. And behold, two men were talking with Him; and they were Moses and Elijah, who, appearing in glory, were speaking of His departure, which He was about to accomplish [through His Passion and Death] at Jerusalem.” (Luke 9:28-31) The light that shone from His Holy Face at the Transfiguration gives us hope in the glory of the Resurrection.

“For God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone into our hearts to bring the knowledge of the glory of God on the face of Christ.” (2 Cor. 4:6) As we follow Christ in carrying our crosses we will be transformed by the Holy Spirit into His Image, from glory unto even greater glory. “All of us, gazing with unveiled face on the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as from the Lord who is the Spirit.” (2 Cor. 3:18)

Holy Face Relic of Manoppello, believed to the Face Cloth of the Resurrection.
“At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully as I am known. So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Cor. 13: 12-13)

“O Beloved Face of Jesus!  As we await the everlasting day when we contemplate Your infinite Glory our one desire is to charm Your Divine Eyes by hiding our faces too, so that here on earth no one can recognize us. O Jesus!  Your veiled gaze is our heaven!”–St. Therese

Holy Veil of Manoppello (May 2025 Photo: Alexandra Prandell)
Procession of August 6th begins…(Photo: Alexandra Prandell)
(Photo: Alexandra Prandell)
Rector of and Basilica Shrine Padre Antonio Gentili carries the precious reliquary. (Photo: Alexandra Prandell)
Remarkable photo by Alexandra Prandell–the Face on the Holy Veil may be seen, but at the same time what it behind it may be seen as well.


In this photo by Alexandra Prandell, the image on the Veil has disappeared according to the angle of the viewer and the light.
(Photo: Alexandra Prandell)
(Photo: Alexandra Prandell)
The Veil of the Holy Face, “Il Volto Santo” of Manoppello, Italy. (Photo: Alexandra Prandell)