Prayer to the Holy Face of Jesus

[Stone]

DEVOTION TO THE HOLY FACE OF JESUS

This ancient and venerable Catholic practice is rooted in the representation of the face of Christ said to have been left on the towel or veil used by a holy woman thought to be named, Veronica. An Archconfraternity of the Holy Face was established in Tours, France, 1884; its members make reparation for the blasphemies hurled at Christ. Since St. Therese's devotion to the Holy Face has become known, this devotion has spread worldwide.

In addition, a devout and pious nun, Sr. Pierina, who died in 1945, was given many visions through Our Blessed Lady who appeared to her, as did Our Lord Jesus. They urged her to make reparation for the many insults Jesus suffered in His Passion, such as to be slapped, spit upon and kissed by Judas, as well as now being dishonored in many ways in the Blessed Sacrament by neglect, sacrileges, and profanations.

She was given a medal which on one side bore a replica of the Holy Shroud and the inscription: "Illumina, Domine, vultum tuum super nos." [O Lord, the light of Thy countenance shine upon us.] On the reverse side was a radiant host with the words: "Mane nobiscum, Domine." [Stay with us, O Lord.] After great difficulties, Sr. Pierina obtained permission to have the medal cast. Even the expenses for the casting were miraculously met when she found on her desk an envelope with the exact amount of the bill-----11,200 lire.

The Evil Spirit showed his chagrin and rage at the medals by flinging them down and burning the pictures of the Sacred Face, and beating the nun savagely.

In 1940, when the Second World War had the world in turmoil, Italy saw a wide distribution of the medal: soldiers, sailors and pilots were provided with the replica of the Holy Face since the medal was already famous for its miracles and countless spiritual and temporal favors.

In Our Blessed Mother's own word, the medal is a weapon for defense, a shield for courage, a token of love and mercy and which her Divine Son wished to give the world in these troubled days of lust and hatred for God and His Church. Devilish snares have been set to rob the hearts of men of their faith while evil spreads the world over. Genuine apostles are few. A Divine remedy to all these evils will be the Adorable Face of her Son, Jesus.

Whoever wears this medal and, if possible, pays a visit to the Blessed Sacrament on Tuesday in a spirit of reparation for the outrages received by the Holy Face of Our Blessed Savior during His Passion and those bestowed on Him every day in the Sacrament of His Divine Love, will be granted the gift of a strong Faith and the grace to fly to its defense, conquering if need be, all exterior and interior difficulties. Moreover, they are promised a happy death with special assistance of Christ Himself.

The very first medal of the Holy Face was offered to our glorious Pontiff, Pius XII; then the whole world became acquainted with this special object of holy favors and devotion. No soldier taken as a prisoner of war, and who wore the medal was ever executed. Our Blessed Lord requested that a special feast be instituted to honor His Holy Face on Shrove Tuesday. Pope Pius XII obeyed and had this day set aside to honor the Holy Face in 1958.

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A LITANY OF THE HOLY FACE IN REPARATION FOR BLASPHEMIES AND FOR THE CONVERSION OF BLASPHEMERS
Taken from the Manual of the Archconfraternity of the Holy Face (1887), pg 150.

The Litany of the Holy Face on our Holy Face Devotion webpage, and in our pamphlets, is the abridged version, as the full version is quite lengthy. Below is the full version of the Litany of the Holy Face. This Litany was composed by Sister Mary of St. Peter, and approved by Mgr. Morlot, Archbishop of Tours, in 1847. By a Rescript dated 27th of January 1853, His Holiness Pope Pius IX grants to all who recite, with a contrite heart, these prayers in honor of the Holy Face of Jesus Christ an indulgence of 100 days for each time; applicable to the souls in Purgatory.

Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, hear us.

Christ, graciously hear us.

Holy Virgin Mary, pray for us.



(After each of the following phrases, say "have mercy on us")



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 in the Stable of Bethlehem didst ravish with joy the angels, the shepherds and the Magi,

O adorable Face, which in the Temple didst transpierce with a dart of love the saintly old man Simeon and the prophetess Anna,

O adorable Face, which was bathed in tears in Thy holy infancy,

O adorable Face, which, when Thou didst appear in the Temple at twelve years of age, didst fill with admiration the Doctors of the law,

O adorable Face, white with purity and ruddy with charity,

O adorable Face, more beautiful than the sun, more lovely than the moon, more brilliant than the stars,

O adorable Face, fresher than the roses of spring,

O adorable Face, more precious than gold, silver, and diamonds

O adorable Face, whose charms are so ravishing, and whose grace is so attractive,

O adorable Face, whose every feature is characterized by nobility,

O adorable Face, contemplated by angels,

O adorable Face, sweet delectation of the Saints,

O adorable Face, masterpiece of the Holy Ghost, in which the Eternal Father is well pleased.

O adorable Face, delight of Mary and Joseph,

O adorable Face, ineffable mirror of the Divine perfections,

O adorable Face, whose beauty is always ancient and always new,

O adorable Face, which appeasest the wrath of God,

O adorable Face, which makest the devils tremble,

O adorable Face, treasure of graces and of blessings,

O adorable Face, exposed in the desert to the inclemencies of the weather,

O adorable Face, scorched with the heat of the sun and bathed with sweat in Thy journeys, O adorable Face, whose expression is all divine,

O adorable Face, whose modesty and sweetness attracted both the just and sinners,

O adorable Face, which gavest a holy kiss to the little children, after having blessed them,

O adorable Face, troubled and weeping at the tomb of Lazarus,

O adorable Face, brilliant as the sun, and radiant with glory on the Mountain of Tabor,

O adorable Face, sorrowful at the sight of Jerusalem, and shedding tears on that ungrateful city,

O adorable Face, bowed down to the earth, in the Garden of Olives, and covered with confusion for our sins,

O adorable Face, bathed in a bloody sweat,

O adorable Face, kissed by the traitor Judas,

O adorable Face, whose sanctity and majesty smote the soldiers with fear and cast them to the ground,

O adorable Face, struck by a vile servant, shamefully blindfolded, and profaned by the sacrilegious hands of Thine enemies,

O adorable Face, defiled with spittle, and bruised by innumerable buffets and blows,

O adorable Face, whose Divine look wounded the heart of Peter, with a dart of sorrow and love,

O adorable Face, humbled for us at the tribunals of Jerusalem,

O adorable Face, which didst preserve Thy serenity when Pilate pronounced the fatal sentence,

O adorable Face, covered with sweat and blood, and falling in the mire under the heavy weight of the Cross,

O adorable Face, worthy of all our respect, veneration and worship,

O adorable Face, wiped with a veil by a pious woman on the road to Calvary,

O adorable Face, raised on the instrument of most shameful punishment,

O adorable Face, whose brow was covered with Thorns,

O adorable Face, whose eyes were filled with tears of blood,

O adorable Face, into whose mouth was poured gall and vinegar,

O adorable Face, whose hair and beard were plucked out by the executioners,

O adorable Face, which was made like to that of a leper,

O adorable Face, whose incomparable beauty was obscured under the dreadful cloud of the sins of the world,

O adorable Face, covered with the sad shades of death,

O adorable Face, washed and anointed by Mary and the holy women and wrapped in a shroud,

O adorable Face, inclosed in the sepulchre,

O adorable Face, all resplendent with glory and beauty on the day of the Resurrection, O adorable Face, all dazzling with light at the moment of Thy Ascension,

O adorable Face, hidden in the Eucharist,

O adorable Face, which will appear at the end of time, in the clouds, with great power and great majesty,

O adorable Face, which wilt cause sinners to tremble,

O adorable Face, which wilt fill the just with joy for all eternity,

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.