7 Ways to Increase Your Devotion to the Holy Face of Christ
The Lord is seeking out new St. Veronicas.
The Devotion to the Holy Face of Jesus is a relatively knew one in the Church. Entrusted to Sr. Marie of St. Peter in the mid-1800s, the Lord announced to her: “Rejoice, my daughter, for there is about to dawn upon the earth one of the most beautiful Works under the sun!”
What God was and is seeking are new Veronicas, those who would honor the Holy Face of Jesus. “He promised,” according to Sr. Marie of St. Peter, “to imprint His divine likeness on the souls of those who honor His most holy countenance.”
The devotion was approved by Pope Pius IX after Sr. Marie’s death in 1848, with the Pope affirming and promoting it through the public veneration of the relic of Veil of St. Veronica at St. Peter’s.
The idea behind it is to dispel the darkness and confusion that first plagued the Church through communism but now through its contemporary expression in woke ideology.
Venerable Leo Dupont, who assisted Sr. Marie of St. Peter, reported that Communists would one day enslave the world—that is, “close up their churches, and make them slaves of the state . . . unless reparation is done, unless men come before the Face of their Saviour to ask His forgiveness and His help!”
The idea of the Holy Face is certainly ancient with even the Psalms crying out: “Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved." (cf. Psalm 80:2). It seems a fundamental thirst of the human heart - seeing God face to face, with many imagining what it will be like to behold the face of the living God.
Here are seven ways to go deeper into the devotion of the Holy Face, and draw closer to Our Lord with the same ardent tenderness of St. Veronica.
1. Read More about the Devotion
TAN Books has published a primer of sorts on the topic, called Devotion to the Holy Face Book, that details the origins of the devotion going back to 1844.
2. Read the 2022 Book The Secret of the Holy Face: The Devotion Destined to Save Society
This is a special book by Father Lawrence Daniel Carney III that goes much deeper into the significance of the devotion in the culture today. The book description says: “Father Carney reveals the essence and history of the Holy Face Devotion, her apostles, and how to save society and the Church from her foes. … Heaven longs for this devotion. Here is a timely book that provides a counter-revolution of reparation, reverence, and reversion.”
3. Lapis Holy Face Rosary
Theology of Home made these elegant, heirloom quality Holy Face Rosaries. The sterling silver centerpiece is Christ's face, focusing prayer upon the Holy Face.
The semi-precious beads are stunning blue lapis, which has been called Our Lady's stone since the early Church. They come in 6mm for the Hail Mary beads, and 8mm for the Our Fathers.
4. The Chaplet of the Holy Face of Jesus
There is a Chaplet to the Holy Face of Jesus (available at this Carmelite site), the propose of which is to honor the five wounds of Jesus and his five senses: touch, hearing, sight, smell, and taste generally situated in His Holy Face. The chaplet itself is comprised of a total of 39 beads, with 33 repeating the same prayer to honor each year of Our Lord’s life. The prayer is roughly (varying with translations):
Let God arise,
Let his enemies be scattered,
Let those who hate him flee, before His Holy Face.
As the Carmelites explain on their website: “St. Athanasius said the devils hate ‘Arise, O Lord and let they enemies be scattered…’ more than any other Scripture verse. He added that this always compelled them to take flight!”
5. Hallow App Chaplet of the Holy Face
Hallow has recently released the audio version of the Chaplet of the Holy Face led by MLB pitcher Trevor Williams. Like everything with the Hallow App, this is well done and easy to use on the move.
6. Holy Face Bandana
Theology of Home created the Holy Face Bandana, which has sewn into it a subtle message that is both a plea and a prayer, "Lord, let me see your Holy Face." It is a great and active, although subtle reminder of prayer and petition. Can easily be worn as a scarf, headband, or tied on bag or purse handle.
7. Litany to the Holy Face of Jesus
In addition to the chaplet, there is the Litany of the Holy Face of Jesus. It beautifully steps through the mysteries of the life of Jesus.
Here is the start of it (see link in title for the whole litany):
O Jesus, whose adorable Face was adored with profound respect by Mary and Joseph when they saw You for the first time, Re: Have mercy on us.
O Jesus, whose adorable Face ravished with joy the angels, shepherds, and Magi in the stable of Bethlehem, [etc.]
O Jesus, whose adorable Face wounded with a dart of love the aged Simeon and the prophetess Anna in the temple,
O Jesus, whose adorable Face was bathed in tears in Your holy Infancy…