The Holy Face of Jesus - historical background

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Devotion to the Holy Face of Jesus

A Heaven-revealed Remedy to the Ills of our Times

holy face of Jesus derived from Veronica's Veil

Holy Face image derived from Veronica's Veil

"This salutary reparation to the Holy Face of Jesus is a divine work, destined to save modern society." (Pius IX)

History of the Devotion

Devotion to the Holy Face was revealed by Jesus to Sr Marie of St Peter (1816-1848) a Carmelite nun of Tours in France. The primary purpose of the devotion is to make reparation for sins against the first three commandments: Denial of God (atheism / communism), Blasphemy, and the profanation of Sundays and Holy Days.

The devotion to the Holy Face of Jesus, based on the life and writings of Sr. Marie of St. Peter, was eventually approved by Pope Leo XIII in 1885 who established the devotion as an Arch-confraternity for the whole world.

In January 1849 Pope Pius IX had the relic of Veronica's veil placed for public veneration in Rome. On the third day of the exposition the image on the veil, formerly so faint as to be barely visible, became transformed. The Divine Face appeared distinctly, as if living, and was illuminated by a soft light. Reproductions of the veil such as the one above were later printed, touched to the original and sent abroad for veneration.

Promises given to Sr. Marie of St Peter for the devotion of reparation:

All those who honor my face in a spirit of reparation will by doing so perform the office of the pious Veronica. According to the care they take in making reparation to my Face, disfigured by blasphemers, so will I take care of their souls which have been disfigured by sin. My Face is the seal of the Divinity, which has the virtue of reproducing in souls the image of God.
Those who by words, prayers or writing defend My cause in this work of reparation I will defend before My Father, and will give them My Kingdom.
By offering My Face to My eternal Father, nothing will be refused, and the conversion of many sinners will be obtained.
By My Holy Face, they will work wonders, appease the anger of God and draw down mercy on sinners.
As in a Kingdom they can procure all that is desired with a coin stamped with the Kings effigy, so in the Kingdom of Heaven they will obtain all they desire with the precious coin of my Holy Face.
Those who on earth contemplate the wounds of My Face shall in Heaven behold it radiant with glory.
They will receive in their souls a bright and constant irradiation of My Divinity, that by their likeness to My Face they shall shine with particular splendour in Heaven.
I will defend them, I will preserve them and I assure them of Final Perseverance.

The prayers of reparation dictated to and composed by Sr. Mary of St. Peter are found below. It was revealed to her that this work against blasphemy (abusing the Holy Name of God) includes reparation for all attacks against religion and against Holy Church, since these also constitute a form of blasphemy.
"By my Holy Face you will work marvels" (Pius IX)

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The Medal of the Holy face
On the first Friday of Lent 1936, Mother Maria Pierina de Michelli (who will be beatified on 30th May 2010) reported a vision of Jesus. In further visions she was urged to make a medal bearing the Holy Face of Jesus. She was given permission to reproduce the face of the Holy Shroud of Turin and authorisation by the Curia to proceed in 1940 with the medal.
One side has the image of the Holy Shroud of Turin and the words of Ps 66:2 "illumina Domine Vultum Tuum super nos" (may the light of your Face, O Lord, shine upon us).
On the other side the sacred host. The letters IHS and "Mane nobiscum Domine" (stay with us O Lord) Pope Pius XII approved the devotion and medal in 1958. She also reported Jesus' desire of a special feast day on the Tuesday preceding Ash Wednesday each year (Shrove Tuesday), to be preceded by a 9 day novena of prayer.
In 1958, Pope Pius XII declared the feast of the Holy Face of Jesus for all Roman Catholics to be the day before Ash Wednesday. As revealed to Sister Pierina Tuesday is a day of reparation to the Holy Face, particularly before the Blessed Sacrament. All are encouraged make a visit to the Blessed Sacrament.
You are encouraged to consider setting up a Holy Face confraternity of reparation in your own parish. Details available from the websites listed at the end of this pamphlet (A Copy of this Blessed Medal can be obtained free from address at end)

"Every time my Face is contemplated, I will pour out my love into the heart of those persons, and by means of my Holy Face, the salvation of many souls will be obtained" (Our Lord to Sister Pierina)

The "Golden Arrow" Prayer
(Dictated by Our Lord to Sister Mary of St. Peter)
"May the most holy, most sacred, most adorable, most incomprehensible and unutterable Name of God be always praised, blessed, loved, adored and glorified in Heaven, on earth, and under the earth, by all the creatures of God, and by the Sacred Heart of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. Amen."

This "Golden Arrow" prayer was given to Sr. Mary of St. Peter to atone for the sins of blasphemy against God's name. Just as sins of blasphemy were like a 'poisoned arrow' continually wounding God's Heart, she saw in a vision that this "Golden Arrow" had the power to wound him "delightfully".
Each time it is recited, she saw how torrents of graces stream from it for the conversion of sinners. It is the central prayer in the devotion to the Holy Face. Our Lord revealed to her the inseparable connection in honouring the unutterable name of God through the Golden Arrow prayer and in venerating the Holy Face of Jesus.
This devotion to the Holy face of Jesus so inspired St Therese of the Child Jesus that she took the full title: St Therese of the Child Jesus and of the Holy Face.

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Litany of the Holy Face of Jesus
(composed by Sister Mary St. Peter)

I salute Thee, I adore Thee and I love Thee, O adorable Face of Jesus, my Beloved, noble Seal of the Divinity! outraged anew by blasphemers. I offer Thee, through the heart of Thy blessed Mother, the worship of all the Angels and Saints, most humbly beseeching Thee to repair and renew in me and in all men Thine Image disfigured by sin.

O adorable Face which was adored, with profound respect, by Mary and Joseph when they saw Thee for the first time, have mercy on us.
O adorable Face which ravished with joy, in the stable of Bethlehem, the Angels, the shepherds and the magi, have mercy
O adorable Face which transpierced with a dart of love in the Temple, the saintly old man Simeon and the prophetess Anna, have mercy
O adorable Face which filled with admiration the Doctors of the Law when Thou appeared in the Temple at the age of twelve years, have mercy
O adorable Face which possesses beauty always ancient and always new, have mercy
O adorable Face which is the masterpiece of the Holy Ghost, in which the Eternal Father is well pleased, have mercy
O adorable Face which is the ineffable mirror of the divine perfections, have mercy
Adorable Face of Jesus which was so mercifully bowed down on the Cross, on the day of Thy Passion, for the salvation of the world! Once more today in pity bend down towards us poor sinners. Cast upon us a glance of compassion and give us Thy peace.

The Shroud of Turin

O adorable Face which became brilliant like the sun and radiant with glory, on the Mountain of Tabor, have mercy
O adorable Face which wept and was troubled at the tomb of Lazarus, have mercy
O adorable Face which was rendered sad at the sight of Jerusalem, and shed tears on that ungrateful city, have mercy
O adorable Face which was bowed down to the ground in the Garden of Olives, and covered with confusion for our sins, have mercy
O adorable Face which was covered with the sweat of blood, have mercy
O adorable Face which was struck by a vile servant, covered with a veil of shame, and profaned by the sacrilegious hands of Thine enemies, have mercy
O adorable Face which by Its divine glance, wounded the heart of St. Peter with a dart of sorrow and love, have mercy

Be merciful to us, O my God! Do not reject our prayers, when in the midst of our afflictions, we call upon Thy Holy Name and seek with love and confidence Thine adorable Face.

O adorable Face which was washed and anointed by Mary and the holy women and covered with a shroud, have mercy
O adorable Face which was all resplendent with glory and beauty on the day of the Resurrection, have mercy
O adorable Face which is hidden in the Eucharist, have mercy
O adorable Face which will appear at the end of time in the clouds with great power and great majesty, have mercy
O adorable Face which will make sinners tremble, have mercy
O adorable Face which will fill the just with joy for all eternity, have mercy
O adorable Face which merits all our reverence, our homage and our adoration, have mercy
O Lord, show us Thy Face, and we shall be saved! O Lord, show us Thy Face, and we shall be saved!
O Lord, show us Thy Face, and we shall be saved!

Saint Therese of Lisieux

Prayer to offer the Holy Face of Jesus to God the Father to appease his justice and draw down mercy upon us
Almighty and Eternal Father, since it has please Our Divine Saviour to reveal to mankind in modern times the power residing in His Holy Face, we now avail ourselves of this treasure in our great need. Since our Savior Himself promised that by offering to you His Holy face disfigured in the passion we can procure the settlement of all the affairs of our household, and that nothing whatsoever will be refused to us, we now come before Your throne.
Eternal Father, turn away Your angry gaze from our guilty people whose face has become unsightly in your eyes. Look instead upon the Face of Your Beloved Son; for this is the Face of Him in whom you are well pleased. We now offer You His Holy face covered with blood, sweat, dust, spittle and shame, in reparation for the worst crimes of our age, which are atheism, blasphemy and the desecration of Your holy days. We thus hope to appease Your anger justly provoked against us. The All-Merciful Advocate opens His mouth to plead our cause; listen to His cries, behold His tears, O God, and through the merits of His Holy Face, hearken to Him when he intercedes for us poor miserable sinners.

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Chaplet of Sister Marie of St Peter

The following Chaplet of Reparation contains prayers composed by Sister Marie of St Peter after Jesus asked her to battle in prayer against the "enemies of God", especially communists. (Even if you do not have the 'chaplet' of beads, you can still pray the prayers)
On the Crucifix say: Eternal Father I offer You the cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ and all the other instruments of His Holy Passion, that You may put division in the camp of Your enemies; for as Your Beloved Son has said, "A kingdom divided against itself shall fall."

On the next five beads say:

May God arise and let His enemies be scattered and let those who hate Him flee before His Face!
May the thrice Holy Name of God overthrow all their plans!
May the Holy Name of the Living God split them up by disagreements!
May the terrible Name of the God of Eternity stamp out all their godlessness!
Lord, I do not desire the death of the sinner, but that he be converted and live. "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do."

On the medal say: the "Golden Arrow" prayer.
On the thirty three white beads say: Arise, O Lord, and let Your enemies be scattered, and let those that hate You flee before Your Face.
On each of the six large beads say:
"My Jesus, mercy" and one "Glory Be.."
On the medal at the end say: the ejaculation: Eternal Father, I offer You the Holy Face of Jesus, covered with blood, sweat, dust and spittle, in reparation for the crimes of communists, blasphemers, and for the profaners of the Holy Name and of the Holy Day of Sunday. (This ejaculation is also recommended to be recited frequently throughout the day).
The information on this pamphlet is derived from: "The Golden Arrow" - autobiography of Sr. Mary of St. Peter and www.holyfacedevotion.com, holyface.org.uk and www.holyface.com
For further information:
Human Life International (Ireland)
6 Belvedere Place, Dublin 1
Tel: (003531) 8552504
Fax: (003531) 8552767
Click here to order booklets and medals to the Holy Face of Jesus

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