Vilakannur Miracle. The Priest carefully holds in his hands the Holy Eucharist on which the Face of Christ miraculously appeared during Mass.
“On November 15, 2013, a face resembling that of Jesus appeared on the host during Mass at the Christ the King Church, Vilakkannur, a parish under the Syro-Malabar Archdiocese of Tellicherry in the southern Indian state of Kerala.
The “Miracle” Host was sent to Rome for scientific study on January 10, 2020, through Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Giambattista Diquattro who had come to the Syro-Malabar headquarters in Kochi, some 330 km south of Vilakkannur.
Devotion to the Holy Face of Jesus can be a helpful means to lead us to an encounter with Jesus in our life-long journey–enabling us to recognize Him–and He, to recognize us. This devotion is comprised of three elements–as characterized by Pope Benedict XVI: Discipleship, Images of the wounded Face of Christ , and the Eucharist.
Pope Benedict XVI writes, “The first element [of devotion to the Holy Face] is discipleship and the orientation of one’s life toward an encounter with Jesus in the face of those in need. In order to do this, believers first need to become better acquainted with Jesus through the Eucharist.
The second element is relating to the Passion of Jesus, and the suffering expressed by the images of the wounded Face of Jesus, relating this to the Eucharistic experience.
The third element, the Eucharist is woven between the other two. The eschatological element then builds on awakening to Christ by contemplating his face in the Eucharist.“
The Eucharistic Face of Jesus is central to the devotion of the Face of Christ! Clearly, the grace and strength flowing from worthy reception of the Sacrament of the Eucharist is vital to encountering Jesus in the faces of our brothers and sisters in need, as well as for the prayerful contemplation of Christ’s Face in images of His Passion. In Novo Millenio Ineunte, Pope St. John Paul II wrote, “And it is the Church’s task to reflect the light of Christ in every historical period, to make His face shine also before the generations of the new millennium. Our witness, however would be hopelessly inadequate if we ourselves have not first contemplated his face.”
Contemplation of the Face of Jesus is the veil of devotion, with which we may ‘wipe His bruised and wounded Face, ‘woven’ together with “discipleship, and the Eucharist,” which can lead Christians to “the love of God and love of neighbor” that will enable us to see Christ’s Face when He comes again in glory on the final day.
“The invisible Face of Christ,the son of God, is manifest in His Body an Blood in the simplest and, at the same time, the most exalted way possible in this world.
The ecclesial community responds to people in every age who ask perplexed: “We wish to see Jesus” (Jn 12,21), by repeating what the Lord did for the disciples of Emmaus: He broke the bread. In the breaking of the bread, the eyes of those who seek Him with a sincere heart are opened. In the Eucharist, the intuition of the heart recognizes Jesus and His unmistakable love lived “to the end” (Jn 13,1). And in Him, in that gesture, it recognizes the Face of God!“— Pope St. John Paul II
Rector of the Sanctuary Basilica of “Il Volto Santo,” Padre Antonio Gentili (R), greets Prof. Lukas Murzyn (L), and participants of the unique conference on the “Metaphysics of the Image.” Promoted by the UKEN University of Krakow, held at the Sanctuary of the Holy Face in Manoppello, Italy, on May 2-3, 2025.
The Holy Veil of Manoppello –so sheer, and yet, without paint, an image my be seen of the Face of Jesus. (Photo: Paul Badde/EWTN)
For those who may be unfamiliar with “Il Volto Santo,” it is a precious relic veil considered to be an “Acheiropoieta” — meaning that its existence is supernatural — made by the Hand of God. The sheer veil, in a miraculous way, bears an image that is seemingly “written in light” of the Holy Face of Jesus Christ. This extraordinary relic has been the subject of intense study and renewed devotion at the dawn of this new millennium dedicated by Pope St. John Paul II to the Holy Face of Jesus Christ.
Padre Antonio Gentili, Rector of the Sanctuary Basilica, “face to face” with the Holy Veil of Manoppello. (Photo:Alexandra Prandell)
Antonio Bini, who was also invited to make a presentation on the important research on the Holy Veil by Fr. Heinrich Pfeiffer (1939-2021), has graciously provided a summary of a conference:
The Face of Christ on the Holy Veil becomes visible, according to the light, and at times appears to be a reflection of a living face. (Photo: Paul Badde/EWTN)
Antonio Bini writes: The relic veil of the Holy Face of Manoppello was the main focus of the conference, as it [The Holy Face of Manoppello] is considered “the source and root of the representations contained in tradition and an element of intellectual and supernatural conquests of Christian art,” as Prof. Lukas Murzyn, dean of the Faculty of Art and head of the Art and Metaphysics Study Group, explained in his introduction.
The Group, which operates at the Institute of Painting and Artistic Education of the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of the National Commission for Education in Krakow (UKEN), promoted the conference held on May 2nd and 3rd, 2025, in Manoppello, Italy, having conducted research for several years on the changes in contemporary iconography, operating in the field of visual anthropology, the history of the philosophy of art, both in the field of experimental artistic activities and in that of the language of visual arts.
The professors of UKEN University during a break (Photo: Antonio Bini)
The speakers were welcomed in the conference room of the Casa del Pellegrino by the Rector of the Sanctuary, Padre Antonio Gentili and by the Mayor of Manoppello, Giorgio De Luca.
The conference was intended to respond to the question of what remains today of those roots [of representations of the Holy Face], how they are understood and what the metaphysics of the image can open up today.
The Holy Face of Manoppello (Photo: Alexandra Prandell)
From the “Relatione Historic, 1640, a description of the Face by Padre Donato da Bomba: “He has a rather long, well-proportioned face, with a venerable and majestic look. His hair, or locks are long with thin twisted curls–in particular at the top of the forehead about fifty hairs wind into a little corkscrew, distinct from each other and well arranged. His left cheek is swollen and bigger than the other because of a strong blow across the cheek. The lips are very swollen. His teeth show. It seems the Holy Face is made of living flesh, but flesh that is afflicted, emaciated, sad, sorrowful, pale and covered in bruises around the eyes and on the forehead. The eyes of Christ are similar to those of a dove…He is serene and tranquil.”
Historical-religious themes were also developed, with the intervention of Padre Ceslao Gedacz OfmCap, who recalled some important figures in the history of the Holy Face belonging to the Capuchin order, such as Padre Donato da Bomba, who was responsible for drafting the Relatione Historic (1640), following the donation of the veil to the Capuchins. Padre Fillipo da Tussio, author of the first essay on the Holy Face published in 1875, and then Padre Domenico da Cese, the first to convincingly spread the divine nature of the sacred image. There were also references to some scientific tests and the findings of two commissions of doctors; the first composed of Germans and Austrians, the second of Italian doctors, who worked at the Sanctuary in 2011 and 2012, which Padre Ceslao himself followed, being part of the community of religious men of Manoppello at that time.
Servant of God Padre Domenico da Cese (1915-1978, former Rector of the Shrine) prays before the Veil of Manoppello.
Metaphysics of the Image conference hall. (Photo: Antonio Bini)
These researches were recently published in the essay by Sr. Blandina Paschalis Schloemer, with the title “Sali al tramonto”(2025), her first book published in Italian after various essays published in Austria, Germany, Poland, and France. The German iconographer was present at the proceedings.
Sr. Monika Gutowska of the Ancelle dei Santissimo Sangue in Manoppello, summarized her experience of welcoming and contact with many pilgrims, presenting several cases, including non-believers, of people who have seen their lives transformed, but also the desire of many devotees to return to the Sanctuary several times a year, from Italy and abroad, for a deep need to periodically encounter again that Holy Face, whose reproductions are present in many Polish homes. [And many others, as well, around the world!]
Among those present was also Padre Carmine Cucinelli, former rector of the Sanctuary, involved in recent years in enthronements of the Holy Face in Poland, and also in the Sanctuary of Krakow dedicated to Pope St. John Paul II.
In addition to the aforementioned Prof. Lukas Murzyn, the following speakers then gave presentations: Sebastian Stankiewicz, Rafal Slewski, Kazimierz Piotrowski, Bernadeta Stano, Anna Grabczewska, Agnieszka Daca, Jacek Pasieczny and Stanisław Wójcicki from the Study Group of the Uken University of Krakow.
2006 – Pope Benedict XVI meets Sr. Blandina Paschalis Schlomer on his visit to the Sanctuary of the Holy Face in Manoppello, as Fr. Heinrich Pfeiffer, and Paul Badde look on.
We summarize the papers presented, whose simultaneous translation was edited by Agnieszka Kiedzik, from the University of Warsaw. The same papers may be the subject of further study in the publication of the proceedings, which will be edited by Sebastian Stankiewicz, with the title “Beautiful God: The Veil of Manoppello and the Iconography of the Incarnation,” with reference to a theological reflection on the “Beautiful God” present in the Middle Ages, expressed by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger during a conference held at the Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome, later taken up by Pope Benedict XVI.
“Being struck and overcome by the beauty of Christ is more real, more profound knowledge than mere rational deduction…We must rediscover this form of knowledge; it is a pressing need of our time.” ~ Excerpt from “The Feeling of Things, the Contemplation of Beauty” by Card. Joseph Ratzinger
The Group’s commitment also led to the creation of a portal — https://diafanitas.uken.cracow.pl — which collects experiences and initiatives on the study of the transparency of bodies crossed by light in a Christian dimension.
Dirk Bouts, 1400? – 1475
Christ Crowned with Thorns,about 1470
Various interpretative readings of the Holy Face have been developed, with the assumption that “whoever has come into contact with the Veil of Manoppello attests to its uniqueness and mystery.”
For representatives of the art sciences, many questions remain open: the origin of the image and history, the relationship between the relic and image, the role of the Veil of Manoppello in the creation of iconographic models in Christian art and in the evolution of ways of representation in Western Culture, the role of the veil among other representations considered acheiropoieta or formal similarities with the images of Christ depicted in the art of old masters; for example Dirk Bouts, Leonardo Da Vinci and Albrecht Durer, among others, and in the Eastern tradition. For contemporary art scholars, philosophers, theologians and anthropologists, the encounter with the Holy Face raises questions such as the relationship between sensual beauty and transcendent beauty, the idea of transparency and lights, the Christian sources of the idea and concept of a person, the meaning of the gaze and the encounter, the presence and contemporary reception of religious themes in art and sacred art and the importance of metaphysical references in contemporary art.
Veronica’s Veil Flemish 15th Century This is a fine example of the “Veronica” as portrayed by artists who saw the original for themselves, before it disappeared from view from the Vatican in 1527.
In my [Antonio Bini’s] presentation, I recalled the studies of Fr. Heinrich Pfeiffer (1939-2021), former professor of Christian history at the Gregorian University in Rome, who identified the Holy Face [of Manoppello] with the Veronica (vera icon), on the the occasion of the International Conference of the Institute for Research on the Face of Christ, chaired by Cardinal Fiorenzo Angelini, and then during a press conference held in Rome on May 31, 1999, on the eve of the Great Jubilee of 2000, which spread knowledge of the Abruzzo Sanctuary [of the Holy Face in Manoppello] throughout the world. Some sequences of that press conference with the interview of the German scholar, on Italian and foreign television, were repurposed in a video that the organizers wanted to show at the opening of the proceedings.
Fr. Pfeiffer’s position was then an isolated one, long contested, more or less openly. But his theses were later shared by Pope Benedict XVI, who visited the Shrine on September 1, 2006, composing a prayer that he dedicated to the “human face of God who entered history to reveal the horizons of eternity.”
Pope Benedict XVI contemplates the Face on the Veil of Manoppello. September 1, 2006. (Photo: Paul Badde/EWTN)
Also under the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI, a statement from the Holy See on July 11, 2011 reported that the “Veronica disappeared from St. Peter’s following the Sack of Rome in 1527.” This circumstance was confirmed by the (then) director of the Vatican Museums, Prof. Antonio Paolucci (Former Minister of Culture of the Italian Government), in an interview with the Bologna newspaper Il Resto del Carlino on August 11, 2011.
The admission [of the Director of the Vatican Museums] put an end to almost five centuries of silence that had fueled doubts and uncertainties for a long time, also through works of disinformation carried out also through modifications of the same original image, through reproductions that presented a “Veronica” with eyes closed. In this regard, the Veronica Route Project was started in recent years by a group of Milanese scholars, which led to a collective search, still ongoing, of 6200 ancient depictions of the true icon of Christ (Veronicas) with the eyes open, collected in a multimedia catalogue.
And yet, on April 6, an article published on the Vatican News website reported the presence of the “Veronica” in St. Peter’s (or, a copy of it, a black background. No image is seen.), while the Holy Face [of Manoppello] is indicated as a “shroud,” [A burial face-cloth] reiterating its acheiropoieta nature [As supernatural–made by the Hand of God]. Evidently, the writer was unaware of the painful path that led to the admissions [of the Director of the Vatican Museums] of 2011. Fr. Pfeiffer would still be busy arguing his reasons.
This is an example of a reproduction, made by Pietro Strozzi after 1527, when the original could no longer be viewed. The dark image of a dead man’s face bore no resemblance to previous descriptions and paintings of the Veil.
The dark cloth in a face-shaped frame that is currently presented, from a great distance, at the Vatican. (Photo: Daniel Ibanez)
Finally, during the conference, the exhibition of artist-teachers and students entitled “Face to Face” was presented, delicately entering the space of the Sanctuary, to offer a unique forum for interdisciplinary dialogue.
“At the basis of the concept of the exhibition,” declared the curator, Prof. Stanisla Wojcicki, “is the face-to-face encounter with the image of the Veil [Of the Holy Face of Manoppello], treated by scholars as a prototype of other representations of Christ. We would like our works to be considered a votive offering, something that we leave here to express gratitude, for the fact that we were able to meet in this place–particularly important to us.”
“Not matter but image,” a work by Jacek Pasieczny
“Not matter but image,” a work by Jacek Pasieczny, was exhibited in the Basilica as part of the “Face to Face” exhibition. The author described the work as “reflections of light, with the author” through the “use of glass of a particular color recalling golden byssus.” [of which the Holy Veil is believed to be woven.] The artist specified that it is not a copy of the original, but an attempt to paint a picture with light.
At the end of the conference we asked for an overall assessment from Don Arturo Alcántara Arcos, professor of spiritual theology and collaborator of the Soumaya Museum in Mexico City, also in Manoppello for the occasion, who stated: “It is particularly interesting to consider multidisciplinary points of view from a secular university. Here one can appreciate the different areas in which theology can be present, both directly and indirectly. The Uken of Krakow, inspired by the National Commission for Education established in the eighteenth century by the Polish King Poniatowski, open doors to a new dialogue between theology and the different artistic and aesthetic disciplines of our days in the contemplation of the Face of the Lord.” From what emerged during the conference and on the basis of the same conclusions of Prof. Lukas Murzyn, the belief that the Holy Face can also represent today the reference to the contemporaneity of Christ for art appears to be shared. An analytical perspective that the professors of the University of Krakow — the first to organize a similar event in Manoppello — intended to offer the art world.
Grazie Mille! Antonio Bini for this beautiful summary of the Conference on the Metaphysics of the Image!
One last thought from the beloved Cardinal Ratzinger — and later — Pope Benedict XVI:
Holy Face of Manoppello, (Photo: Paul Badde/EWTN)
“The encounter with the beautiful can become the wound of the arrow that strikes the heart and in this way opens our eyes…” “Inner perception must free itself from the impression of the merely sensible, and in prayer and ascetical effort acquire a new and deeper capacity to see, to perform the passage from what is merely external to the profundity of reality, in such a way the artist can see what the senses as such do not see, and what actually appears in what can be perceived: the splendor of the glory of God, the “glory of God shining on the face of Christ.” (11 For 4,6). –“The Feeling of Things, the Contemplation of Beauty” by Card. Joseph Ratzinger
Shroud of Turin, Veil of Manoppello and Vilnius image of Divine Mercy are examined in new film THE FACE OF JESUS, a stunning documentary set for release in U.S. theatres nationwide on June 3 by Fathom Entertainment
MAY 1, 2025 –DENVER. Can we see the face of the invisible God? Do we know what our Savior looked like? Fathom Entertainment, Sonovision and Candelaria Productions Inc. announce the upcoming nationwide release of the new documentary feature The Face of Jesus in U.S. theatres for one-day only on June 3. Produced and directed by Polish filmmaker Jaroslaw Redziak, the movie brings audiences a powerful experience of the most mysterious, rare and revered images of Jesus and brings audiences a cinematic face-to-face encounter with God that is compelling, provocative and awe inspiring!
“There is endless fascination with who God is, what he looked like and if it’s possible that he has left us an image of himself,” said Jaroslaw Redziak, producer and director of The Face of Jesus. “We set out to examine three of the most popular images that reveal the face of God – two divine images not made by human hands – the famous Shroud of Turin and the Veil of Manoppello. We also weave in the third image of Jesus made by human hands, the divinely inspired image known as the Vilnius image of the Divine Mercy. Audiences will be fascinated by what they see and what they hear about these astounding images of the face of Jesus.”
Known throughout the world, the Shroud of Turin is an ancient linen cloth with the image of a man believed by many to be Jesus Christ and is kept in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Turin, Italy. The Shroud has been the subject of extensive scrutiny, scientific study and thousands of news stories that have probed its authenticity. The Veil of Manoppello is another ancient cloth that is lesser known, discovered in the early 1900s, but gained wider awareness and popularity when the late Pope Benedict XVI made a visit during his Papacy in 2005 to the remote village to see for himself. This veil has been the subject of research and writing by documentary subject and renowned German journalist and historian Paul Badde whose work has exposed the veil to a global audience. The veil reveals another image of Jesus and according to experts corresponds to the face of Christ in the Shroud of Turin. The last image to be explored is the Vilnius image of the Divine Mercy, a divinely inspired image made by human hands based on visions and messages of Jesus given to Saint Faustina Kowalska. The image was painted by Eugeniusz Kazimirowski and created under the guidance of Saint Faustina and her confessor Blessed Michael Sopocko.
Throughout the film, several prominent experts from around the world bring forward the authenticity of the Shroud of Turin and the Veil of Manoppello as well as the story behind the painting of the stunning Vilnius image of the Divine Mercy that has become a central image within the popular contemporary Catholic devotion to the Divine Mercy.
“The compelling hypotheses, observations and even miracles connected to these images, will lead audiences to ponder the reality of the seen and unseen God,” said Konrad Sosnowski, President of Sonovision. “I am grateful that Fathom Entertainment is partnering with us to bring a film of deep mystery, inspiration and worthy consideration to U.S. movie-goers.”
Featured experts in the documentary include:
Fr. Zbigniew Drzal, author of “Show Me Your Face”
Marcin Kwaśny (narrator), acclaimed Polish actor (Triumph of the Heart), screenwriter and director
Krzysztof Sadlo, curator of the exhibition dedicated to the Turin Shroud at the John Paul II Center in Krakow
Professor Wojciech Kucewicz, expert in silicon detectors of ionizing radiation
Professor Tomasz Graff, Pontifical University of John Paul II in Krakow
Anna Krogulska, PhD, Polish lay missionary with a focus on the Shroud of Turin
Paul Badde, renowned German journalist and writer, author of best-sellers “Divine Face” and “Face to Face: Witness to the Resurrection”
Fr. Carmine Cucinelli, OFM Cap, Italian Capuchin friar and former custodian of the Shrine of the Holy Face in Manoppello; hosted Pope Benedict XVI at the Basilica
Sr. Petra-Maria Steiner, Vita Communis – Maria of the Holy Family and expert on the history of Manoppello
Following the main feature documentary, a short bonus presentation will include commentary from prominent U.S. clergy, Fr. Robert Altier, priest of the Diocese of St. Paul and author of God’s Plan for Your Marriage, and Fr. Lawrence Daniel Carney III, priest of the Diocese of Wichita, who eloquently add further context to The Face of Jesus, its themes and the growing devotion to the Holy Face in contemporary Catholicism.
“The U.S. clergy that we tapped for the bonus feature add beautiful spiritual context to what audiences will experience in the main film and will help people to go deeper,” said Oscar Delgado, producer and founder of Candelaria Productions Inc. “Did you know there is a secret to the Holy Face? Father Carney will teach and instruct about Jesus’ countenance and the yearning we all have to see the face of God. Father Altier will provide historical and theological context for greater understanding.”
Photos of the Papal funeral ceremonies by Vatican Media. Bottom right photo — the Holy Veil of Manoppello. Thank you to Alexandra Prandell for putting these beautiful images together!
Although Pope Francis made many changes to the funeral traditions of the Popes, One deeply meaningful tradition was preserved — that of placing a sudarium veil over the face of the Holy Father — and it is connected to the Sudarium Cloth that would have been put on the Face of Christ in the Tomb. An unmistakable message! As we die with Him, we will rise with Him! Alleluia!
Padre Antonio Gentile before the Sudarium Veil of the Holy Face on Easter, at the Basilica Sanctuary of the Holy Face in Manoppello, Italy. Photo: Alexandra Prandell
Poster for the upcoming May 2-3 conference to be held at the Sanctuary in Manoppello.
Pope St. John Paul II’s words “Be not afraid!” immediately came to mind after I read the daunting title of the unique scientific conference that will be hosted by the Sanctuary of the Holy Face in Manoppello, Italy, on May 2-3, 2025:
“The Metaphysics of the Image. The Abundance of Interpenetration, or on the Synesthetic Value of the Work.”
But, as intimidating as the title may be, the words are an open invitation to all (admission is free) for those who “seek the Face of God” to come to the Sanctuary Basilica of Manoppello to listen, prayerfully contemplate, and discuss the beautiful and profoundly deep meaning of the existence of the mysterious “Acheiropoieta”–made by the Hand of God–that is known as “Il Volto Santo” – a miraculous image of the Face of Jesus that is inexplicably present on sheer veil.
Veil of Manoppello,photo: Paul Badde/EWTN
“Duc in Altum”
One certainly must admire those who have organized this wonderful event, uniting science, faith, and art, for not fearing “to put out into the deep” (Luke 5:4): The Art and Metaphysics Research Team of the University of the Commission of National Education in Krakow, Poland, and the congregation of the Friars Minor Capuchin in Manoppello, Italy. The conference will take place in person and will be accompanied by an exhibition of artists, lecturers and students of the Uken University of Krakow entitled “Face to Face.”
The organizers have provided further details for those who may like to attend this important event:
The first day of the conference, May 2, the “speakers’ presentations and discussion will focus on the historical and contemporary contexts of the Holy Face, with particular emphasis on the influence of the centuries-old cultural and religious heritage of this image on the iconography of Christianity and the role it has to play in the contemporary world.” Prof. Antonio Bini will give a presentation on Fr. Heinrich Pfeiffer, S.J. and his great contribution to the research on the Holy Veil of Manoppello in the 1990’s.
The second day of the conference, May 3, a panel will be held on “contemporary religious art and its contexts. The topics of the presentations will include attempts to apply scientific interpretative tools from the fields of philosophy, theology, and art history to the Image of Manoppello and other relics ‘not made by human hands.’ Artists, participants of the ‘Face to Face’ exhibition, will also share their reflections on the influence of the Bible and hagiography on their creative process. It will therefore, not only be a space for the exchange of knowledge, but also for reflection on the role of the artist and the Church in the face of the challenges of modernity.”
The conference “is intended to be not only an opportunity for scientific reflection, but also to learn about the diverse attitudes and ways of expression represented in the environment of artists working our Art and Metaphysics Research Team. During the conference an exhibition of artists-pedagogues and students entitled ‘Face-to-Face’ will be presented. It is intended to enter the space of the Sanctuary in the most delicate way possible, but also to be a unique forum for interdisciplinary dialog.
The artists generously desired to leave the fruits of their work as a permanent exhibition in Manoppello for the edification of Pilgrims to the Sanctuary Basilica: “We would like our works to be a votive offering, something that we will leave to express our gratitude for being able to be in this place that is particularly important to us. Together with the works we bring, we would like to bring our own intentions and reflections related to the most intimate possible relationship, with God” –Declaration of the artists of the “Face-to-Face” exhibition
“This exhibition is a kind of prayer of thanksgiving and an introduction through artistic means to the contemplation of the Divine Face of Manoppello…and at the same time a preface (Latin: praefatio) for [the artists] further activities.
This photo was taken on Easter by Alexandra Prandell, of the Rector of the Shrine, Padre Antonio Gentili, whose face reflects the joy of the Risen Christ.
“The international scientific session at La Casa Pellegrino in Manoppello will be honored by the presence of His Excellency Mons. Archbishop Bruno Forte, Archbishop of the Diocese of Chieti, and will be attended by: clergy, journalists, researchers, art historians, philosophers and artists: Czeslaw Gadacz OFMCap, Prof. Antonio Bini, S.M. Monika Gutowska SAS, Prof. Lukas Murzyn, Dr. Sebastian Stankiewicz, Prof. Rafael Solewski, Dr. Bernadeta Stano, Anna Grąbczewska, Dr. Agnieszka Daca, Dr. Jacek Pasieczny, Mgr. Stanislaw Wojcicki.
During the session, the film directed by Jaroslaw Redziak entitled “The Face of Jesus” will also be presented.
This important event, I believe, will greatly enrich our understanding and knowledge of “Il Volto Santo.” The precious veil of the Holy Face is not a mere curiosity. Such a great gift from God must be taken very seriously and approached prayerfully, with reverence, love, and a deep desire for a better understanding of God’s ultimate Gift of His Son to us.
Padre Antonio Gentili elevates and contemplates the “Eucharistic Face of Christ” in the Host, where Jesus is truly present, “Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity.” Photo: Alexandra Prandell
One last thought… Do not be afraid to dive into “The Metaphysics of the Image of the Face of Christ.” The artists and Our Creator both know that “A picture paints a thousand words,” and prove the existence of the artist, as well as the Divine Artist!
There were several burial cloths of Christ that were found in the tomb; and among them: the Shroud of Turin, the Cloth of Oviedo, and the precious byssus veil that was believed to cover the Face of Christ in the tomb – known as “Il Volto Santo” – The Holy Face of Manoppello. Possibly the very reason that St. John “Saw and believed.”
The Disciples Peter and John Running to the Sepulchre on the Morning of the Resurrection, Eugene Burnand, 1898
So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead. (John 20: 1-9)
At the time of Jesus, the Jewish law required several “cloths” to be used for burial, and as many as six for someone who had died a violent death. Christian tradition has preserved six cloths as relics that are associated with the burial of Jesus – 1.) The Shroud of Turin, Italy 2.) the Sudarium of Oviedo in Spain, 3.) The Sudarium Veil of Manoppello, Italy 4.) The Sudarium of Kornelimunster in Germany, 5.) The Sindon Munda of Aachen, Germany, 6.) The Cap of Cahors in France.
Three of the cloths in particular stand out as extraordinary “witnesses” to the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus, and together they bear a powerful testimony to the truth of the Gospels. Each one bearing an imprint or image of the Face of Jesus. They are: The Sudarium of Oviedo, The Shroud of Turin, and the Sudarium Veil of Manoppello. The remarkable relationship between these three “cloths” leave little doubt that each came in contact with the face of the same man at the time of burial.
The Sudarium of Oviedo directly touched Jesus’s head following His Crucifixion. Blood was considered sacred to the Jews, so this cloth was used to soak up the Precious Blood of Jesus, by wrapping it around Jesus’s Head, as He was taken down from the Cross. The largest bloodstains are from the nose, other stains are from the eyes and other parts of the face. There is also an imprint on the sudarium of the hand of the person who held this cloth to Jesus’s Face to staunch the flow of blood. It takes one’s breath away to see that the bloodstains on the Sudarium of Oviedo, when overlaid with the Face on the Shroud of Turin and the Sudarium Veil of Manoppello, correspond perfectly. The blood type is AB, the same as on the Shroud of Turin.
Photo of the Face on the Shroud of Turin
“He went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there.“
The Shroud of Turin; the sindone, or linen burial shroud, was believed to have been used to wrap the entire body of Christ. It is the most famous and studied of the three cloths. The faint but visible imprint on the Shroud of Turin gives witness to the violent torture of a man as described in the Passion and Death of Jesus in the Scripture. The world was amazed when Secondo Pia first photographed the Face on the Shroud in 1898; the negative of the photo incredibly became visible as a positive image. The Shroud of Turin caused an entire branch of science to be dedicated to its research called Sindonology.
Photo: Holy Face Veil of Manoppello, Italy (Paul Badde/EWTN)
‘…and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.‘
Reliquary containing the transparent veil on which the image of the Holy Face becomes visible, according to the light and position of the viewer. Photo: Paul Badde
The Sudarium Veil of the Holy Face of Manoppello, Italy is perhaps the least known of the three burial “cloths.” The Veil bears the image of the living Face of Jesus. This “miracle of light,” “not made by human hands,” was protected and hidden in an isolated church in the Abbruzzi Mountains for centuries. It is believed to be the “cloth” that covered the Face of Jesus in death, showing traces of the Passion: Bruises, swelling, wounds from the Crown of Thorns, and plucked beard. But, it is also believed to have recorded in light the Face of Jesus at the moment of His Resurrection. No, this is not a contradiction. Yes, the image changes. It shows suffering, but it also shows life! It is believed to be “The cloth that covered His head.”
“Il Volto Santo” The Holy Face Veil of Manoppello. Photo: Patricia Enk
An explanation about the tradition of a face cloth for burial may be helpful in understanding its profound significance: In the funeral rites for priests in some Eastern churches, the veil which was used to cover the chalice and paten were placed on the face of the deceased priest. (The cloth used to cover the chalice and paten had a particular liturgical symbolism linked to the Face of Christ as well.) It was done as a symbol of both the strength and protection of God, and also of the tomb of Christ–an expression of belief in the Resurrection. In Jewish burial custom, a deceased priest’s face would be anointed with oil and then covered with a white cloth, and would have been done for Jesus.
Funeral of Pope St. John Paul II, Archbishop Dziwisz covers the pope’s face with a veil.
When Pope St. John Paul II was being laid in his coffin, Archbishops Marini and Stanley Dziwisz had the honor of placing a white silk veil over the face of the pope. Poignantly, the choir sang the words from Psalm 42, “My soul thirsts for God, the living God; when will I come and see the Face of the Lord?” Many wondered about the action of covering the pope’s face with a veil because this was the first time it had been done, but was at the request of Pope John Paul II, who had dedicated the millennium to the Face of Christ.
Byssus “Pinna Nobilis” fit for a King! Photo: Paul Badde/EWTN
The cloth that would cover the Face of Christ would have to be made of a material fit for a King, a High Priest, and a God. Byssus, mentioned in the Bible forty times, also known as “sea-silk,” is more rare and precious than gold and it has an exceedingly fine texture which can be woven. Made from the long tough silky filaments of Pinna Nobilis mollusks that anchor them to the seabed, it is strong enough to resist the extreme hydrodynamic forces of the sea. Byssus has a shimmering, iridescent quality which reflects light. It is extremely delicate, yet strong at the same time. It resists water, weak acids, bases, ethers, and alcohols. Byssus cannot be painted, as it does not retain pigments, it can only be dyed; and then, only purple. It can also last for more than 2000 years.
Kurt Cardinal Koch contemplates the Veil “not made by human hands” of Manoppello. Sheer and delicate, yet the Face is visible. Photo: Paul Badde/EWTN
The Sudarium Veil of Manoppello is also made of rare, precious, byssus silk. The skill needed to weave a byssus veil as fine as the Veil of the Holy Face of Manoppello is exceedingly great. Chiara Vigo, known as “the last woman who weaves byssus,” has said that neither she nor anyone alive today could duplicate the gossamer-thin veil, which is sheer enough to read a newspaper through. The weave is so delicate, she says, that only the nimble fingers of a very skillful child could weave something so fine.
Photo: Paul Badde
It is only through light that this shimmering image of the Face of Jesus may be seen, and at times appears as a “living image” as though it were reflected in a mirror, at other times the image completely disappears. Although no camera can adequately capture the image, thanks to the many amazing photos of journalist Paul Badde, the changes that occur when viewing the veil may be better appreciated. (Click here for more photos, and information about Paul Badde’s books and videos about the Holy Face.)
While the Face on the Shroud of Turin clearly shows the Face of Jesus in death with eyes closed, the Sudariam of Manoppello has eyes open–bearing witness to the Resurrection. That was the ardent belief of the former Rector of the Basilica Shrine of the Holy Face, Servant of God Padre Domenico da Cese.
Sevant of of God Padre Doemnico da Cese, former Rector of the Shrine of “Il Volto Santo.”
L to R: Pope Benedict XVI came as a pilgrim to Manoppello on September 1, 2006, Fr. Heinrich Pfeiffer, S.J., Paul Badde, and Sr. Blandina Schlomer
There are many physiological reasons too for believing that the Face Cloth captures the first breath of the Resurrection. Sr. Blandina Paschalis Schlomer, who shares that belief, has provided meticulous research about the Veil in her book JESUS CHRIST, The Lamb and the Beautiful Shepherd, The Encounter with the Veil of Manoppello. Sr. Blandina together with Paul Badde, and Fr. Fr. Heinrich Pfeiffer, S.J., Professor at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, have each demonstrated that the Holy Face on the Veil of Manoppello is the proto-image of the earliest icons, and other works of art depicting the Face of Jesus.
“…and he saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the Scripture that He had to rise from the dead.”
What did St. John see in the tomb that would cause him to believe? A cloth of blood, such as the Oviedo? The Shroud of Turin? The Shroud bears a miraculous image, but it shows the Face of a dead man. A third witness was needed in order for the disciple to believe. It could only have been evidence of something as astounding as the Resurrection; proof that Jesus was alive!
Holy Veil of Manoppello. Photo: Paul Badde/EWTN
It is human nature to want to see things for ourselves. Many pilgrims, humble and great, have felt called to make the journey to visit the miraculous relic. If it is God’s handiwork, and I believe that is true, then one can only wonder at its existence, and gaze in silent contemplation, giving thanks for this tremendous gift of God… so we too may “see and believe.”
As the first rays of light entered the tomb, John and Peter, upon entering, “saw and believed.” Sudarium Veil of Manoppello, Photo: Paul Badde/EWTN
Pope Benedict XVI contemplates the ‘Veronica’s Veil’ during a visit to the Shrine of the Holy Face in Manoppello, central Italy, September 1, 2006.
“While we too seek other signs, other wonders, we do not realize that He is the real sign, God made flesh; He is the greatest miracle of the universe: all the love of God hidden in a human heart, in a human face.”
~ Pope Benedict XVI
Holy Face of Jesus of Manoppello (photo: Paul Badde/EWTN)
“We cannot stop at the image of the Crucified One; He is the Risen One!”
Was there actually a St. Veronica? It is an important question, and a very personal one to me and many others. According to tradition, “Veronica,” is the compassionate woman who wiped the Face of Jesus, who is commonly depicted in every Catholic church, at the Sixth Station of the Cross, yet her name does not appear in the Gospels, and the legends did not appear until the Middle Ages.
Pope St. John Paul II pondered this very question many years before dedicating the Millennium to the Holy Face of Jesus. The fruit of his prayerful contemplation unveils a profound truth for every Christian as he answers another question; What does it mean to be “a Veronica?”
The Sixth Station on the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem
Veronica’s Veil, Flemish 15th Century
“St. Veronica”
The Catholic Church tells us that a veil bearing a miraculous image of the Face of Jesus has existed since the earliest centuries, recorded in history and in art, such as the Camulia, or the Mandylion. Explanations for the existence of such a veil were all different (see “Four Stories, One Face“). About the time this miraculous veil first appeared in Rome, the name “Veronica” referred to the veil itself, and not a person–“Veronica” meaning “vera” or true, and “icon” meaning image, or even more precisely, “to be present.” Those who gazed upon the veil bearing the true Face of Jesus stood in God’s presence. They were turned toward His Face. The Veil became the greatest relic that Pilgrims traveled to see in the Vatican.
King of Edessa receiving the miraculous veil from St. Jude, and was healed of leprosy.
“Veronica” holding a sheer veil bearing the living Face of Christ on a sheer veil with distinctive folds.
Legends sprang up much later, in the Middle Ages, about a woman named “Veronica,” who was sometimes associated with the woman “Berenice” or “Bernice,” the bleeding woman who touches the hem of Jesus’s garment in the Gospel. There is a version, written in 1191 by Robert de Boron, that tells of a woman named “Veronica” wiping sweat from the Face of Jesus. The stories are many and varied, but the legend that most people are familiar with today is traced to a version by Roger d’Argenteuil in the 1300s, which tells of a woman “Veronica,” associated with the sixth station of the Cross–the compassionate woman, wiping the Face of Jesus on the way to Calvary with a cloth, upon which He leaves an image of His Face.
“These pious traditions cannot be documented, but there is no reason why the belief that such an act of compassion did occur should not find expression in the veneration paid to one called Veronica.” —The Catholic Encyclopedia
What did the Veil look like? A “living, changing, face” on a sheer veil, with distinctive folds, that could be viewed from either side; the eyes are open and glance to one side or the other; a lock of hair graces the center of the forehead; a sparse beard, wavy hair, as well as signs of bruising and trauma to the face are seen…. which despite the obvious suffering, remains peaceful and serene.
The Holy Veil of Manoppello- photo: Paul Badde/EWTN
Pope St. John Paul II expressed the answer to this profound question addressing the origin of the name of Veronica most beautifully in his poem, “The Name:”
The Name
In the crowd walking towards the place
[of the Agony]–
did you open up a gap at some point or were you
[opening it] from the beginning?
Veronica’s Veil by Hans Memling
And since when? You tell me, Veronica.
Your name was born in the very instant
in which your heart
became an effigy: the effigy of truth.
Your name was born from what you gazed upon.
–Karol Wojtyla
Miraculous Holy Face Veil Photo: Paul Badde (see “Manoppello Image” tab)
Since the detailed historical facts about the veil itself cannot be verified with absolute certainty in this life, the more important and answerable question is, “What does it mean to be a Veronica–a “true image?”
“Your name was born from what you gazed upon.”
When a soul performs an “act of compassion,” Jesus leaves His image on the “veil” of the soul. In other words, while contemplating the Face of Jesus in an image, in the Word of God in the Scriptures, in a person made in the image and likeness of God, or above all, in the Eucharist, the soul places itself in the Presence of God. When we are turned completely toward the Face of God, through a daily face-to-face encounter in prayer–by the power of the Holy Spirit–God gradually transforms the soul into the “True Image” of His Son, Jesus Christ. As Pope St. John Paul II says, our hearts must become an “effigy of truth,” a “true icon.” Then our name too will be born from what we gaze upon. It will be “Veronica.”
The Deepest Truth About St. Veronica
St. Veronica statue by Francesco Mochi, 1629
Within the center of St. Peter’s Basilica are four massive niches. In each niche there are four titanic statues of saints, standing 10 meters high: St. Andrew, the first disciple called by Christ, St. Longinus, the soldier who pierced Jesus’s side with his lance, St. Helena, who discovered the True Cross. The fourth statue depicts “St. Veronica,” an unknown woman, not mentioned in the Bible, yet immortalized in every Catholic church at the Sixth Station of the Cross, for her act of compassion to Jesus who left the image of His Face on her veil. (The relic that is now in the Veronica Pilar is quite different in description than what was previously recorded–a mystery yet to be solved. More may be read on the subject here: The Church, Testing of Relics, and the Holy Face)
Pope St. John Paul II wrote this beautiful meditation on St. Veronica in 2000, the same year in which he dedicated the millennium to the Face of Christ:
Sixth Station, St. Theresa Church, Ashburn, Virginia
“Veronica does not appear in the Gospels. Her name is not mentioned, even though the names of other women who accompanied Jesus do appear. It is possible, therefore, that the name refers more to what the woman did. In fact, according to tradition, on the road to Calvary a woman pushed her way through the soldiers escorting Jesus and with a veil wiped the sweat and blood from the Lord’s face. That face remained imprinted on the veil, a faithful reflection, a “true icon”. This would be the reason for the name Veronica. If this is so, the name which evokes the memory of what this woman did carries with it the deepest truth about her.
One day, Jesus drew the criticism of onlookers when he defended a sinful woman who had poured perfumed oil on his feet and dried them with her hair. To those who objected, he replied: “Why do you trouble this woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me . . . In pouring this ointment on my body she has done it to prepare me for burial” (Mt 26:10, 12). These words could likewise be applied to Veronica. Thus we see the profound eloquence of this event.
The Redeemer of the world presents Veronica with an authentic image of his face. The veil upon which the face of Christ remains imprinted becomes a message for us.
In a certain sense it says: This is how every act of goodness, every gesture of true love toward’s one’s neighbor, strengthens the likeness of the Redeemer of the world in the one who acts that way. Acts of love do not pass away. Every act of goodness, of understanding, of service leaves on people’s hearts an indelible imprint and makes us ever more like the One who “emptied himself, taking the form of a servant” (Phil 2:7). This is what shapes our identity and gives us our true name.” –Pope St. John Paul II
This is the deep meaning and call to every Christian revealed in the presence of the unknown woman we call “St. Veronica”– each act of charity, every act of compassion will leave the imprint of the Face of Jesus in our souls, transforming us into His own Image.
Pope Benedict XVI looks at the ‘Veronica’s Veil’ during a visit to the Holy Veil monastery in Manoppello, central Italy, September 1, 2006.
Pope Benedict wrote, “To rejoice in the splendor of His Face means penetrating the mystery of His Name made known to us in Jesus, understanding something of His interior life and of His will, so that we can live according to His plan for humanity. Jesus lets us know the hidden Face of The Father through His human Face; by the gift of The Holy Spirit poured into our hearts.” This, the Pope says, is the foundation of our Peace, which nothing can take from us.
Benedict XVI has characterized devotion to The Holy Face as having three separate components: 1. Discipleship – an encounter with Jesus, to see Jesus in the Face of those in need. 2. The Passion of Jesus, and suffering expressed by images of the wounded Face of Jesus. 3. The Eucharist, “the great school in which we learn to see The Face of God”, which is woven between the other two. The eschatological element then builds on awakening to Christ by contemplating His Face hidden in The Eucharist.
“Our whole life should be directed toward encountering Him,” writes Benedict, “toward loving Him; and in it, a central place must be given to love of one’s neighbor, that love that in the light of The Crucified One, enables us to recognize the Face of Jesus in the poor, the weak, the suffering.” The pope goes on to explain the fruits of this contemplation: “From contemplation of the Face of God are born, joy, security, PEACE.”
Since I first came face-to-face with the Holy Veil of Manoppello, Italy, I desired to share this wonderful gift of God, but have always struggled to find the words to describe that life-changing encounter. The changing “living” image of light” that presents itself is beyond a single description. The history of the Holy Veil is ancient, deep, intriguing, profound — and controversial — as was Jesus Himself. Skeptics abound of course, and why not? Even Jesus’s closest friends did not recognize Him immediately after the Resurrection. However, there are now many “skeptics” who had initially dismissed the Manoppello Veil, but have paused to take a second look into His eyes, and in gazing, found themselves captivated by the returned peaceful, merciful gaze of Jesus Christ, Savior and Lord. Such was the experience of Mons. Walter Amaducci.
Mons. Walter Amaducci, episcopal vicar for pastoral care of the Cesena-Sarsina diocese, and director of the diocesan school of theology, has written an excellent, comprehensive, and concise book about the mysterious “Acheiropoeta” known as the Holy Face of Manoppello, Italy, which I can highly recommend to anyone, most especially to pilgrims, seeking to expand their love and knowledge of the Holy Face.
This wonderful Italian book, originally titled, “Il Volto Santo,” happily, has recently been translated into German, and also beautifully into English by Bernadette Orioli. The book is so fascinating and the translation flows so well that it may easily be read in a day. It seems to me to be a “Godsend” that it is now available on Amazon Kindle, making it readily available for everyone, and perfect Lenten reading.
“Come and see” (John 1:39) “Il Volto Santo” The Holy Face of Manoppello, Italy (Photo: Paul Badde)
“To live from love is to dry your Face, it is to obtain pardon for sinners.”
— St. Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face
True love must be the care for the other, seeking only the good of the beloved. Love is renunciation, a willingness to sacrifice even unto death. What is this Divine madness–Christ’s love for humanity–that may be contemplated in His Face?
In his book, “God is Love,” Pope Benedict XVI wrote:
“God’s passionate love for his people — for humanity — is that it turns God against himself, his love against his justice. Here Christians can see a dim prefigurement of the mystery of the Cross: so great is God’s love for man that by becoming man he follows him even unto death and so reconciles justice and love.”
— Pope Benedict XVI
Christ as the Man of Sorrows; Quentin Metsys (Netherlandish, 1465 or 1466 – 1530); Belgium; 1520–1530; Oil on panel; 49.5 × 37 cm (19 1/2 × 14 9/16 in.); 2018.54
Pause a moment to contemplate the innocent, humiliated, and suffering Face of Jesus in order to grow in His love…
“Let us reflect a little. I am convinced that if we apply ourselves diligently to meditate on the soul of Jesus suffering, if we often cast our eyes upon His Countenance, we shall fall in love with His virtue, and that He will Himself gradually infuse it into us.”
— St. Claude La Colombiere
Silence in suffering can make the space for God’s grace to fill and transform our souls in love…
Hans Holbein der Altere. Munich, Germany
“When you experience something unpleasant, look at Jesus crucified and be silent.”
The Holy Face of Manoppello, (Photo: Paul Badde/EWTN) Unique among other images of the Holy Face, in that it is an “achieropoeta” (as is the Shroud of Turin), not made by human hands. This “living image” which bears traces of the Passion, is believed to have been created at the Resurrection. It could be said that it is an “Icon of Easter,” which we look forward to in Hope at the beginning of Lent.
I wish that all the world could celebrate the Face of my Beloved. If I could at least honor Him for all those who honor Him not.” –Bl. Mother Maria Pierina De Micheli
Consecration to the Holy Face
O Lord Jesus, we believe most firmly in You. You are the Son Incarnate of the Blessed Virgin Mary. You are the Lord and Absolute Ruler of all creation. We acknowledge you, therefore, as the Universal Sovereign of all creatures. You are the Lord and Supreme Ruler of all mankind, and we, in acknowledging this Your dominion, consecrate ourselves to You now and forever. Loving Jesus, we place our family under the protection of Your Holy Face, and of Your Virgin Mother Mary most sorrowful. We promise to be faithful to You for the rest of our lives and to observe with fidelity Your Holy Commandments. We will never deny before men, You and Your Divine rights over us and all mankind. Grant us the grace to never sin again; nevertheless, should we fail, O Divine Saviour, have mercy on us and restore us to Your grace. Radiate Your Divine Countenance upon us and bless us now and forever. Embrace us at the hour of our death in Your Kingdom for all eternity, through the intercession of Your Blessed Mother, of all Your Saints who behold You in Heaven, and the just who glorify You on earth. O Jesus, be mindful of us forever and never forsake us; protect our family. O Mother of Sorrows, by the eternal glory which you enjoy in Heaven, through the merits of your bitter anguish in the Sacred Passion of your Beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, obtain for us the grace that the Precious Blood shed by Jesus for the redemption of our souls, be not shed in vain. We love you, O Mary. Embrace us and bless us, O Mother. Protect us in life and in death. Amen.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
1510, Piero de Cosimo, The Veronica Veil
“Christ’s response, ‘Whoever has seen me, has seen the Father, lead us into the heart of Christological faith.'” — Pope Benedict XVI
Illumina Domine Blog - Devotion to The Holy Face 