Relics are objects that, having belonged to men and women of God, can help people along their evangelical journey. The example of so many who have made their lives a masterpiece of love, also through objects, can continue to inspire and encourage Christians of all times. There are, however, particular relics that contain an unfathomable mystery and are those concerning Jesus Christ. Let us recall the most important ones: the Shroud, Veronica’s Veil, and the Holy Face of Manoppello. But are these relics genuine?
“Mysterious” relics
In reality, the focus is not on whether these relics really are what they claim to be, but on the “mystery” they contain, which leads directly into a different dimension, deeper and more spiritual than anything a simple object might evoke.
Indeed, what all of them have in common is that they are acheiropoietic, meaning not made by human hands, a characteristic discovered through the numerous studies conducted on them.
What do they consist of?
The most important relics are the Veil that Veronica used to wipe Jesus’ face as he climbed Calvary; the Shroud, that is, the cloth that wrapped Christ’s body after it was placed in the tomb; and the Holy Face, the small cloth placed over the Messiah’s face when he was prepared for burial, before he was wrapped in the shroud.
What relationships do they have with one another?
Another element that makes these precious relics truly unique is that, although they are located in different places and have followed different paths over the centuries, they reveal truly astonishing points of contact.
The Jesuit Heinrich Pfeiffer, together with other scholars, believes that the Holy Face of Manoppello is in fact the cloth placed over Christ’s face after he had been laid in the tomb, and is therefore the Veil of Veronica.
Other scholars, however, have identified similarities between the Holy Face of Manoppello and the Holy Shroud of Turin. Sister Blandina Paschalis Schloemer was the first to discover, through meticulous overlay work, that the Face of Turin and the one in Manoppello match perfectly. The only difference is that the man on the Shroud has his eyes closed, while the one in Manoppello has his eyes open.
A Face to discover
While the Holy Shroud is known to everyone, perhaps the Holy Face of Manoppello is still unknown to most people. Yet the allure of that small veil, measuring 0.17 x 0.24 m, could not leave anyone indifferent. It shows, in fact, the face of a man with long hair and a beard. This image is visible in the same way on both sides. Analyses carried out with ultraviolet rays found no type of color on the fabric, confirming that the face depicted is neither painted nor woven.
A place to visit
The Holy Face has been displayed in the church of Manoppello, in the province of Pescara, since 1638, in what was once the church of the monastery of the Friars Minor Capuchin. Today, the Sanctuary of the Holy Face stands there. The sanctuary was elevated to the status of a minor basilica after Pope Benedict XVI’s visit in September 2006.
Pausing before the Holy Shroud and the Holy Face transports us into a timeless dimension. We find ourselves immersed in the most important event in history: a God who becomes human so that no human being may ever feel alone again. If we have not yet had the opportunity to see these precious relics, let us give ourselves a gift of beauty and spirituality!
