Pope's visit draws attention to veil said to portray Christ's face

Published: 2006-09-01

MANOPPELLO, Italy (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI's Sept. 1 visit to the Sanctuary of the Holy Face drew attention to a veil some scholars say contains a true image of Christ. The man on the veil has a beard and long hair, his eyes are open, and his lips are parted as if he were ready to say something. Some scholars say this could be "Veronica's Veil," venerated for centuries in St. Peter's Basilica. Legend says Veronica, who wiped Christ's face along the road to Calvary, later went to Rome to leave the relic with St. Clement. The 7-inch-by-9.5-inch veil is transparent like a color slide. The viewer can see the same image from the front and the back as well as see any objects placed behind the veil. How the brown image appeared on the veil is still considered a mystery. The origins of the veil are riddled in mystery, too, though there are written accounts.

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