RELIC OF THE HOLY FACE, VEIL OF VERONICA
RELIC OF THE HOLY FACE, VEIL OF VERONICA
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PERIOD : 19th century
SIZE : 42cm X 28cm
SIZE : 16.5"
According to ancient Christian legend, distinct from the Gospels, Veronica, a woman from Jerusalem, wiped the bloody forehead of Jesus during his ascent to Calvary. This action would have left the image of the Savior, known as the Holy Face or Veronica's Veil, on a piece of cloth. The term "veronica" comes from the Latin "verus" meaning true and the Greek "eikon" meaning image, translatable as "true image". The Holy Face is different from the Holy Shroud of Turin, linked to the burial of the body of Christ.
On January 6, 1849, the canons of the Vatican Basilica and the faithful were in prayer before the Major Relics on display, including the Holy Face, pieces of the Holy Cross and the Spearhead that pierced the side of Jesus. Suddenly, a clear improvement in the image on the "speedwell" was observed, reforming the living face of Jesus Christ, consistent with the description of Isaiah in the Old Testament.
Reproductions of the face, created during this exceptional event, are printed on linen canvases. These reproductions, having been touched with the original during the miracle, thus acquire a particular aura. They are elevated to the status of second-class relics, carrying within them a sacred connection with the miracle and becoming objects revered by believers.
The canons of the Vatican Basilica offered these relics bearing the red wax seal of the Chapter and a blue ink stamp marked 'Gratis' to prevent the sale of these "true icons", in order to respect the ban on simony. These reproductions were intended for secular or regular religious to propagate Christian devotion, not for profit.
