The
story
Comment of
P. H. Pfeiffer
From Jerusalem
to Rome
Paranormalogy
and the Holy Face of Manoppello
|
Ian
Wilson, historiographer, member of the British Society for the
Turin Shroud, writer of numerous publications regarding the
Veronica and the Shroud. |
“VERONICA”
and the Holy Shroud
Where
is nowadays the ancient roman Veronica? |
For
which reason the other Veil with the Image of Jesus Christ, in
times past exposed to millions of believers, nowadays is kept in
all secrecy ?
The
first official photo of the Holy Shroud of Turin was taken by
Secondo Pia in May, 1898.
Since
that historical occasion, millions of believers could admire the
Shroud close up and all the visitors were admitted laudably and freely, to the presence of the sacred object of Christianity,
the cloth which wrapped Jesus in the tomb, bearing marks of His
body and His blood and always to take new photos was permitted and
the researches were facilitated. But what happened to the roman
Veronica, the other great relic bearing marks of Our Lord’s Face
impressed on the Veil when, according to the popular legend, a
woman cleaned His sweat and blood while He was hardly dragging
himself along Calvary?
|
We
know historically that in Middle Ages and Renaissance during the
Jubilee Years (generally every 25 or 50 years or at the turning of
the century), the “Veronica” was exhibited to millions of
pilgrims who came from all parts to admire it, as it happens
nowadays when the
Holy Shroud is exposed in Turin.During
the Jubilee Year 1450, for example, a large crowd gathered there
and 172 pilgrims died in Rome that day when the multitude was
badly controlled. During the Holy Year 1575, while the large
cupola of Michelangelo for St. Peter’s Basilica was still under
construction, we know that 30.000 pilgrims were in Piazza San
Pietro waiting for the opening of the doors to contemplate the
Image and lots of them had travelled for miles and miles only to
enjoy the privilege to gaze at Veronica (Vera Icona) i.e.
the true Icon of Jesus.
Nevertheless,
for reasons never made completely manifest, the believers lost the
possibility to admire the Relic close up, except few chosen by St.
Peter’s canons and their members by right of birth, the so
called “Sampietrini”, since the Veronica was transferred where
it is nowadays, i.e. in a S.W. pilaster supporting St. Peter’s
cupola inside a special chapel just behind the balcony overhanging
the statue of Saint Veronica.
|
Veronica's monstrance, print from
a Mirabilia edition - 1489 |
Even
thou it seems that the Veil was shown from its balcony during the
Holy Year 1950, it was impossible to see any Image on it. At
present there aren’t photos, neither colour nor black and white
known to everybody and even the most formal and important
requirements to take a photograph are denied or ignored. Why this reserve only for this Veil, while colour or black and white
photos of the Holy Shroud of Turin ever since are allowed?
|
To this
mystery we must add the discrepancy between the medieval paintings
ad prints of the Veronica with the Image of Jesus with His sweat
and blood as in the Holy Shroud and the sporadic descriptions
regarding his aspect we have by few people who had, during this
century, the privilege of observing privately the Veil inside the
roman chapel.For
example in 1907 the German researcher Monsignor Joseph Wilpert was
allowed not only to see it, but also to remove the two protective
glass sheets to study it more distinctly and he relates he only
saw “a square section of light coloured material, rather faded
in the long run, with two confused blobs of brown rust colour,
each other connected”.
A present-day liturgic artist, Isabel Piczek from Los Angeles, who
saw the Veronica in 1950 while she was working on a fresco for the
Papal Biblical Institute, described it to me in the same way,
adding resolutely “you couldn’t discern any face or features,
not even the smallest sign”.
|
Veronica's
monstrance, print from
a Mirabilia edition - 1475 |
Is the breadth of cloth kept in St. Peter’s chapel the same Veil
thousands of pilgrims wanted to see during the Middle Ages
pressing together in Piazza San Pietro, even thou the Image, faded
in the long run, is now nearly invisible?
|
Or
must we agree with Father Pfeiffer who categorically affirms that
a secret change happened during the XVI century, so that the
original, true Veronica is that Veil appeared in those times at
Manoppello, while inside the roman chapel is kept just a common
cloth?The
third millennium after Christ has started and now, finally, in the
name of the general right of knowledge, someone responsible before
public opinion, must older promptly the longed for ostentation of
the Veronica to the public scrutiny. |
The Image of the
Holy Shroud |
The Holy Face
of Manoppello |
|