The Veil of Veronica

By Crusader1307

A Story, although Biblical in intentions – was that of The “Veil of Veronica” or “Veronica's Veil”. Originating in The Middle Ages as a form of popular piety, The Veil was supposedly a cloth by which a young Hebrew Girl used to wipe the blood and sweat from the face of a battered and beaten Jesus Christ, when he fell carrying his Execution Device (Cross Beam), to Golgatha. When Veronica later looked at the Cloth, she saw the image (face) of Christ – imprinted into the material. As such, The Cloth became a “Holy Relic” to some. In truth, The Veil and of course Veronica did not exist in the strict sense of The New Testament Story. The Tale was created (some say by Francis of Assisi, 14th Century), as a way to instill popular piety for the creation of his “Stations of The Cross” (Jerusalem). Pilgrims were encouraged to visit The Holy Land and go to the spots were Christ suffered on the way to his execution.

The Story added several well known beliefs taught by The Church. However, it's so-called existence called into play many Medieval Expeditions and Crusades in search of not only The Veil, but other Holy Relics – said to exist in Muslim-held Territories. This belief in The Veil was at it's height in the 14th Century in Europe. Popularized in Medieval Art, The Veil evolved into several other Veil-like artifacts. The Face of Genoa. The Face of Saint Silvestro and The Manoppello Image – are all part of the piety, each with it's own link to Veronica. The most popular of these is The Face of Edessa or The Mandylion. Mentioned in the 4th Century AD, it was was that when this image was carried (as a Flag or Banner) before an Army – no Foe could defeat such an Army. In the custody of France's King Louis IX, it disappeared during The French Revolution of the 18th Century.