The Holy Face of Jesus

The Holy Face feast was established throughout the universal Church in 1958 by Pope Pius XII to be observed on the Tuesday (historically known as Shrove Tuesday) before Ash Wednesday. It is a beautiful and precious opportunity to make reparation for the outrages that the Holy Face of Jesus received during His Passion, and which He continues to receive daily in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.

I firmly wish that My Face reflecting the intimate pains of My Soul, the suffering and love of My Heart, be more honored! Whoever gazes upon Me already consoles Me…

Devotion to the Holy Face of Christ is of ancient origin, reaching back to the fourth century and before. From the 12th century on, the devotion began to revolve around the Veil of Veronica, held to be the cloth Veronica gave to Our Lord to wipe His face during the carrying of the Cross.  Popularity of the devotion grew enormously with St. Therese of the Child Jesus making known her devotion to the Holy Face, with an Archconfraternity of the Holy Face formed in Tours, France, in 1884.  A pious nun, Sr. Pierina, was deeply devoted to the Holy Face as a way to console Our Lord, to make reparation for the conversion of sinners, and make reparation for the negligence and contempt shown for the Blessed Sacrament.  She was miraculously able to obtain permission to cast a medal of the Holy Face, and its use was widespread amongst Italian soldiers in WWII.

Prayer of St. Therese of Lisieux to the Holy Face of Jesus

O Jesus, Who in Thy bitter Passion didst become “the most abject of men, a man of sorrows,” I venerate Thy Sacred Face whereon there once did shine the beauty and sweetness of the Godhead; but now it has become for me as if it were the face of a leper! Nevertheless, under those disfigured features, I recognize Thy infinite Love and I am consumed with with the desire to love Thee and make Thee loved by all men. The tears which well abundantly in Thy sacred eyes appear to me as so many precious pearls that I love to gather up, in order to purchase the souls of poor sinners by means of their infinite value. O Jesus, Whose adorable Face ravishes my heart, I implore Thee to fix deep within me Thy Divine Image and to set me on fire with Thy Love, that I may be found worthy to come to the contemplation of Thy glorious Face in Heaven. Amen.

ACT OF CONSECRATION

Lord Jesus, we believe most firmly in Thee, we love Thee. Thou art the Eternal Son of God and the Son Incarnate of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Thou art the Lord and Absolute ruler of all creation. We acknowledge Thee, therefor-e, as Uni- versal Sovereign of all creatures. Thou art the Lord and Supreme Ruler of all mankind, and we, in acknowledging this Thy domin- ion, consecrate ourselves to Thee now and forever. Loving Jesus, we place our family under the protection of Thy Holy Face, and of Thy Virgin Mother, Mary Most Sorrowful. We promise to be faithful to Thee for the rest of our lives and to observe with fi- delity Thy holy Commandments. We will never deny before men Thee and Thy Divine rights over us and all mankind. Grant us the grace to never sin again; nevertheless, should we fail, O Divine Savior, have mercy on us and restore us to Thy grace. Radiate Thy Divine Countenance upon us and bless us now and forever. Embrace us at the hour of death in Thy kingdom for all eternity, through the intercession of Thy Blessed Mother, of all Thy Saints who behold Thee in Heaven, and the just who glorify Thee on earth. O Jesus, be mindful of us forever and never forsake us; protect our family. O Mother of Sorrows, by the eternal glory which Thou enjoyest in Heav- en, through the merits of Thy bitter anguish in the Sacred Passion of Thy Beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, obtain for us the grace that the Precious Blood shed by Jesus for the re- demption of our souls, be not shed for us in vain. We love thee, O Mary. Embrace us and bless us, O Mother. Protect us in life and in death. Amen.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be world without end. Amen.

According to the care you take in making Reparation to My Face, disfigured by blasphemies, so will I care for yours, which has been disfigured by sin. I will reprint on it My Image and render it as beautiful as it was on leaving the baptismal font.” (November 3, 1845) –Promises of Our Lord to Sister Marie de Saint-Pierre