On July 12, the Church commemorates Veronica. She saw the pain of Our Lord Jesus Christ and wiped his Divine face.

Newsdesk (July 12, 2021, 13:15 PM, Gaudium Press) Veronica was born in Caesarea Philippi. She was rich and noble. For twelve years, she suffered from bleeding. It was her who, confidently, touched the hem of Christ’s garment and was immediately healed. She was also the one who, with a towel folded in three parts, wiped and cleansed the Face of the Lord.

As the Gospel narrates, Veronica had the courage to see the pain of Our Lord Jesus Christ. She hurried to meet him, and facing the risk that this represented, she had the famous gesture of wiping the face of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Face of Christ was stamped on each of the three folds of the towel.

Her name was Bernice. However, she became known as Veronica, a Latin name that means: Vera – icon, true image.

The Veil of Veronica was in St. Peter’s Basilica.

How did it come from Jerusalem to Rome?

Tiberius, the Roman emperor, was seriously ill. He knew that an image of Christ was in Jerusalem and, he wanted to see it to get cured. He sent a relative named Volusiano with the order to bring the veil to Rome. But, Veronica took it herself. Upon touching the Holy Veil, Tiberius regained his health. So Veronica and her husband stayed in Rome.

However, she had to go to France, where she died and left the holy veil with Pope St. Clement.

It seems that later the veil was found in the Church of the Holy Face in Manopello. Benedict XVI was there to see it in September 2016.

Compiled by Ena Alfaro