PRAYERS IN HONOUR OF THE HOLY FACE

BORROWED FROM THE SOVEREIGN PONTIFFS

AND

SAINT PETER OF THE VATICAN

HYMNUS PAPAE JOANNIS XXII,

IN HONOREM SANCTAE EFFIGIEI J. C. (1)

Salve, sancta Facies nostri Redemptoris,
In qua nitet species divini decoris,
Impressa panniculo nivei candoris
Dataque Veronicas signum oh amoris.

Salve, decus saeculi, speculum sanctorum,
Quod videre cupiunt spiritus coelorum,
Nos ab omni macula purga vitiorum,
Atque nos consortio junge beatorum.

Salve, Vultus Domini, imago beata,
Ex aeterno munere mire decorata.
Lumen funde cordibus ex vi tibi data,
At a nostris sensibus tolle colligata.

Salve, robur fidei nostrae christianae,
Destruens haereticos, qui sunt mentis vanae,
Horum auge meritum qui te credunt sane,
Illius Effigiem qui rex fit ex pane.

Salve, nostrum gaudium in hac vita dura,
Labili et fragili, cito peritura;
Nos deduc ad propria, o felix figura,
Ad videndam Faciem quae est Christi pura.

(1) Pope John XXII., who was elected Sovereign Pontiff in the year 1316, at Avignon, composed this hymn in honor of the Holy Face, and granted an indulgence of twenty-five years and as many quarantines to whoever should recite it. He grants the same indulgence to those who, not knowing how to read, will say for the same intention live Pater, Ave end Gloria.

 

HYMN OF POPE JOHN XXII.

IN HONOUR OF THE HOLY PACE

Hail! Holy Face of our Redeemer, hail!
Which shines in all its majesty divine
Upon the spotless veil, a priceless gift
To Saint Veronica; of love the sign.

Hail! glory of all time, glass of the Saints,
Wherein the blessed love for aye to gaze;
Destroy within us every stain of sin,
And with th’elect our souls towards Thee raise.

Hail, Face of God! with His own gifts adorned,
Whose splendor through the ages shall not cease;
Oh! make Thy light descend into our hearts,
And from their earthly toils our souls release.

Hail! mighty bulwark of the Christian faith,
Of heresy and lies the Victor Thou;
King in the Sacred Bread, renew the strength
Of all the faithful who before Thee bow.

Hail! all our joy in this hard life below,
So frail and fugitive, so quickly o’er;
Sweet Picture, lead us onwards to the skies,
That we may there the Face of Christ adore.

Salve, gemma nobilis, divina margarita,
Coelicis virtutibus perfecte munita,
Non depicta manibus, sculpta vet polita,
Hoc fit summus Pontifex, qui te fecit ita.

Ille color coelicus qui in te splendescit,
In eodem permanet statu, nec decrescit.
Diuturno tempore minime pallescit,
Fecit te rex gloriae fallere qui nescit.

Nesciens putredinem, servans incorruptum,
Quod est a Chrislicolo coram te deductum,
Tu vertis in gaudium gemitum et luctum,
Confer saluberrimum te videndi fructum.

Esto nobis, quaesumus, scutum et juvamen,
Duce refrigerium atque consolamen,
Ut nobis non noceat hostile gravamen,

Sed foveamur coelicum requiem. Amen.

OREMUS

Laetifica, Domino, vultum familiae tuae, et erue animas nostras ex inferno inferiori, ut tui Vultus contemplatione protecti, carnis desideria calcare valeamus, et te facie ad faciem venientem super nos judicem securi videamus, Jesum Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

Hail! noblest of all gems, celestial pearl,
In Thee innumerable graces shine,
No hand depicted Thee, no chisel carved,
Thou wert of God alone the work divine.

The tints with which Thy features He has traced
Will never alter and will never fade;
Changeless amidst the ravages of time,
The everlasting King Thy Face has made.

For ever incorrupt and free from stain,
The living Christ we honor still in Thee;
Thou turnest into joy our sighs and tears.
Oh! grant that we, in heaven, thy Face may see.

Be thou, we pray, our buckler and defense,
Our consolation and refreshment sweet,
That nothing hostile may our spirits harm
Till, after death, we rest at Jesus’ feet. Amen.

PRAYER

Shed, O Lord, joy over the faces of Thy faithful, and turn them away from the depths of hell, that, protected by the contemplation of Thy divine Face, we may have strength to tread under foot the desires of the flesh, and that we may behold Thee face to face, without fear, Lord Jesus Christ, when Thou comest to judge us. Amen.

HYMNUS PAPAE CLEMENTIS VI.

IN HONOREM SANCTAE EFFIGIEI J. C.(2)

 Ave, Facies praeclara,
Quae pro nobis in crucis ara,
Es facta sic pallida,
Anxietate donigrata,
Sudore sanguineo rigata,
Te texit lintoola.

In quo mansit tua forma,
Quae passionis norma
Est cunctis perlucida,
Cordi meo sic impressa,
Per te, Jesu, neque cessa,
Hoc cremare indefessa
Tui amoris facula.

Post hanc vitam cum beatis,
Contemplari voluptatis
Possim Vultum deitatis,
In perenni gloria. Arnen.

Signatum est super nos lumen Vultus tui, Domine;

Dedisti laetitiam in corde meo.

Salvum fac servum tuum,

Deus meus, sperantem in te.

 (2) This hymn was composed by Pope Clement VI. reigning at Avignon (France). The same Pope granted an indulgence of three years to any one reciting it before the veil of Veronica.

 

HYMN OF POPE CLEMENT VI.

 IN HONOUR OF THE HOLY FACE

O radiant Face, to Thee all hail!
For us become disfigured, pale
Upon the sacred altar rood,
All stained with drops of sweat and blood,
Thou, on the holy veil, didst trace
Its lineaments, devoid of grace.

Thy features on it thus impressed,
In testimony ever rest
Of Thy sore Passion and Thy death;
O Jesus, kindle with Thy breath,
Within my soul the flame of love,
And lift up to Thee above.

And let me, Lord, when life is o’er,
With all the blessed heavenwards soar,
And there, for aye, my longing sate,
Thy Holy Face to contemplate,
Of endless bliss the warrant sure,
Which shall from age to age endure. Amen.

O Lord, Thou hast impressed upon us the light of Thy Face;

Thou hast shed joy in my heart.

Save Thy servant,

Who hopes in Thee, O my God.

Salvum me fac in misericordia tua, Domine;

V. Non confundar, quoniam invocavi te.

Illumina Faciem tuam super servum tuum;

Et doce me justificationes tuas.

Domine, Deus virtutum, converte nos;

Et ostende Faciem tuam, et salvi erimus.

V. Domine, exaudi orationem meam;

Et clamor meus ad te veniat.

OREMUS

Deus, qui nobis signatis lumine Vultus tui, memoriale tuum instantia Veronicas imaginem tuam Sudario impressam relinquere voluisti, per passionem et crucem tuam tribue nobis, quaesumus, ita nunc in terris per speculum in aenigmate venerari, adorare, ac honorare te ipsum valeamus, ut te facie ad faciem venientem super nos judicem securi videamus, Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum. Amen.

Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, de cujus munere praeeminet baec Facies tua expressa tuo pretioso vultu, plebi luse, quae convenit ad hanc recolendam, peccatorum suorum da veniam, et corpus, sermones, sensusque guberna, et actus eorum qui in tua pietate confidunt. Qui vivis, etc.

Save me in Thy mercy, O Lord;

That I may not have to blush for having called upon Thee.

Cause the light of Thy Face to shine upon Thy servant;

And teach me Thy justifications.

O Lord, God of hosts, convert us;

Show us Thy Face, and we shall be saved.

Lord, hear my prayer;

And let my cry come unto Thee.

PRAYER

O God, who hast shed upon us the light of Thy Face, and who, by means of Veronica, hast willed to leave us Thy image impressed upon her veil, as an eternal warrant of Thy love, grant us, by Thy Passion and Thy Cross, grace to venerate Thee, to adore Thee and to glorify Thee now upon earth, whilst contemplating Thee as in the mirror of an enigma, in such a manner that we may not fear to look upon Thee face to face, when Thou comest Lord Jesus Christ, to judge us in the clouds of heaven. Amen.

God Eternal and Almighty, who by a special grace didst cause the precious features of Thy divine Face to shine upon Thy people assembled together to honor it, grant them the pardon of their sins, and govern the words, actions, senses and the faculties of those who confide in Thy mercy. Amen.

ORATIONES

AD SANCTAS RELIQUIAS MAJORES

Ad sanctum Sudarium beats Veronica.

Antiph. Tibi dixit cor meum: Quaesivi Vultum tuum; Vultum tuum, Domine, requiram: ne avertas Faciem tuam a me.

Signatum est super nos lumen Vultus tui. Domine;

Dedisti laetitiam in corde meo.

OREMUS

Mentibus nostris, quaesumus, Domine, Vultus sancti tui lumen benignus infunde, cujus et sapientia conditi sumus, et providentia gubernamur. Per Dominum, etc.

 Ad SS. Crucem Domini Nostri Jesu Christi.

Antiph. O Crux benedicta, quae sola fuisti digna portaro Regem coelorum et Dominum,

Dicite in nationibus,

Quia Dominus regnavit a ligno.

OREMUS

Deus, qui unigeniti Filii tui pretioso sanguine vivificae Crucis vexillum sanctificare voluisti: con cede, quaesumus, eos qui ejusdem sanctae Crucis gaudent honore, tua quoque ubique protectione gaudere. Per Dominum, etc.

Ad Ferrum Lanceae Domini Nostri Jesu Christi.

Antiph. Unus militum Lancea latus ejus aperuit, et continuo exivit sanguis et aqua.

Lanceis vulneraverunt me;

Et concussa sunt omnia ossa mea.

OREMUS

Deus qui ex tui sacri Corporis latere per Lanceam militis, sanguinem tuum in pretium, et aquam in lavacrum effudisti: concede propitius, ut qui Lanceam ipsam hic veneramur, ab omni hoste ipsius munimine protegamur. Qui vivis, etc.

PRAYERS

RECITED BEFORE THE HOLT MAJOR RELICS

Before the Holy Veil of the Blessed Veronica.

Anthem. My heart bath said to Thee— My Face hath sought thee; Thy Face, O Lord, will I still seek; turn not away Thy Face from me.

Thou hast cast upon us the light of Thy Face, O Lord;

Thou hast shed joy in my heart.

PRAYER

May Thy bounty, O Lord, shed in our souls the sweet light of Thy Holy Face, Thou whose wisdom has created us and whose Providence governs us. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, etc.

Before the most Holy Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Anthem. O blessed Cross, who wert alone worthy to bear in thy arms the Lord and King of heaven,

Proclaim it amongst the nations,

That the Lord hath reigned through the wood of the Cross.

PRAYER

O God, who, by the precious blood of Thy only begotten Son, hast willed to sanctify the living standard of the Cross, grant, we beg of Thee, that those who love to venerate this same holy Cross, may also enjoy Thy powerful protection. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, etc.

Before the iron of the Lance of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Anthem. One of the soldiers opened His side with a Lance, and there flowed forthwith blood and water.

They have wounded me with their spears;

And they have broken all my bones.

PRAYER

God, who from the side of Thy sacred body, pierced by the Lance of a soldier, didst shed Thy blood to redeem us and water to purify us, grant that this same Lance which we here venerate, may defend us always from our enemies. Thou who livest and reignest, etc.

 

PRAYERS TO THE HOLY FACE

TAKEN FROM THE PSALMS OF DAVID

My heart hath said to Thee— My face hath sought Thee; Thy Face, O Lord, will I still seek.

Turn not away Thy Face from me, decline not in Thy wrath from Thy servant.

Be Thou my helper, forsake me not; do not Thou despise me, O God my Savior. (Ps. xxvi, 8, 9.)

Make Thy Face to shine upon Thy servant; save me in Thy mercy. (Ps. xxx, 17.)

The eyes of the Lord are upon the just: and His ears unto their prayers.

But the countenance of the Lord is against them that do evil things: to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. (Ps. XXXIII, 16, 17.)

Why turnest Thou Thy Face away? and forgettest our want and our trouble? (Ps. xliii, 24.)

Turn away Thy Face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.

Create a clean heart in me, O God: and renew a right spirit within my bowels.

Cast me not away from Thy Face; and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me. (Ps. L, 11, 12, 13.)

May God have mercy on us, and bless us: may He cause the light of His countenance to shine upon us, and may He have mercy on us.

That we may know Thy way upon earth: Thy salvation in all nations.

Let people confess to Thee, O God; let all people give praise to Thee.

Let the nations be glad and rejoice. (Ps. lxvi, 2, 3, 4, 5.)

Hear me, O Lord, for Thy mercy is kind; look upon me according to the multitude of Thy tender mercies.

And turn not away Thy Face from Thy servant; for I am in trouble, hear me speedily. (Ps. lxviii, 17, 18.)

O God of hosts, convert us; and shew Thy Face, and we shall be saved. (Ps. lxxix, 8.)

Turn again, O God of hosts, look down from heaven, and see, and visit this vineyard… Things set on fire and dug down shall perish at the rebuke of Thy countenance.

Let Thy hand be upon the man of Thy right hand; and upon the Son of man whom Thou hast confirmed for Thyself.

And we depart not from Thee, Thou shalt quicken us; and we will call upon Thy Name. (Ps. lxxix, 15, 17, 18, 19.)

O Lord, God of hosts, convert us; and shew Thy Face, and we shall be saved, (Ibid. 20.)

Behold, O God, our protector; and look on the Face of Thy Christ. (Ps. lxxxiii, 10.)

Lord, why easiest Thou off my prayer, why turnest Thou away Thy Face from me? (Ps. lxxxvii, 15.)

Justice and judgment are the preparation of Thy throne.

Mercy and truth shall go before Thy Face: blessed is the people that knoweth jubilation.

They shall walk, O Lord, in the light of Thy countenance. (Ps. LXXXVIII, 15, 16.)

Hear, O Lord, my prayer, and let my cry come to Thee.

Turn not away Thy Face from me; in the day when I am in trouble, incline Thy car to me.

In what day soever I shall call upon Thee, hear me speedily. (Ps. ci, 2, 3.)

1 entreated Thy Face with all my heart; have mercy on me according to Thy word.

Make Thy Face to shine upon Thy servant, and leach me Thy justifications. (Ps. CXVIII, 58, 135.)

For Thy servant David’s sake, turn not away Tho Face of Thy anointed.

For the Lord hath chosen Sion: Me hath chosen it for His dwelling.

This is my rest forever and ever: here will I dwell for I have chosen it.

There will I bring forth a horn to David: I have prepared a lamp for my anointed. (Ps. cxxxi, 10, 13, 14, 17.)

Hear me speedily, O Lord: my spirit hath fainted away.

Turn not away Thy Face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit. (Ps. cxlii, 7.)

PROMISES MADE BY OUR LORD

TO THOSE WHO WORSHIP THE HOLY FACE

1° They shall receive upon earth an interior and constant light, and in Heaven they shall shine with a special splendor.

2° Those who contemplate the wounds of my Face upon earth shall also contemplate It irradiated with glory in Heaven.

3° Those who honor my Holy Face in a spirit of reparation will, by so doing, perform the office of St. Veronica. According to the care they take in making reparation by their homage to my Face, disfigured by blasphemers, I will, in the same degree, take care of theirs, which has been more or less disfigured by sin; My Holy Face is, as it were, the seat of the Divinity, which has the virtue of restoring in their souls the impression of the image of God.

4° Such as,/by their words, prayers or writings, shall defend my cause in the work of reparation, I will defend before my Father, and I will give them my Kingdom.

5° I will sustain them.

6° I will preserve them.

7° I will assure their final perseverance.

8° By offering my Holy Face to my Father the salvation of many sinners will be obtained.

9° As, in an earthly kingdom, everything can be procured by means of a coin marked with the effigy of the Prince, so, with the precious coin of the Holy Face, everything that can be desired will be obtained in the kingdom of Heaven.

10° By this Holy Face miracles will be worked.

OTHER FORMULAE OF PROMISES

MADE BY OUR LORD TO THOSE WHO HONOUR THE HOLY PACE

1° They shall receive in themselves, by the impression of My Humanity, a bright irradiation of My Divinity, and shall be so illuminated by It in their, inmost souls that, by their likeness to My Face, they shall shine more than others in eternal life. (St. Gertrude, Insinuations, book IV, ch. vii.)

2° St. Mechtilde, having asked our Lord that those who celebrated the memory of His sweet Face, should never be deprived of His amiable company, He replied— “Not one of them shall be separated from Me.” (St. Mechtilde, De la Grâce Spirit., liv. I, ch. xiii.)

3° “Our Lord,” says Sister Marie de Saint-Pierre, “has promised me, that He will imprint His divine likeness on the souls of those who honor His most holy countenance.” (January 21st 1847.)

“This adorable Face is, as it were, the seal of the Divinity, which has the virtue of reproducing the likeness of God in the souls that are applied to It.” (November 6th 1845.)

4° “By my Holy Face you will obtain the conversion of many sinners. Nothing that you ask in making this offering, will be refused to you. If you knew how pleasing the sight of My Face is to my Father!” (November 22nd 1846.)

5° “As, in an earthly kingdom, you can procure all you wish with a coin marked with the Prince’s effigy, so, in the kingdom of Heaven, you will obtain all you desire with the precious coin of My holy Humanity, which is My adorable countenance.” (October 29th 1845.)

6° “All those who honor My Holy Face in a spirit of reparation, will, by so doing, perform the office of the pious Veronica.” (October 27th 1845.)

7° “According to the care you take in making reparation to My Face, disfigured by blasphemies, so will I take care of yours which Has been disfigured by sin. I will imprint thereon My Image, and I render it as beautiful as it was oh leaving the Baptismal font. “(Our Lord to Sister Marie de Saint-Pierre. November 3rd 1845.)

8° “Our Lord has promised me,” says Sister Saint-Pierre, “that all those who defend His cause in this work of reparation, by words, by prayers, or in writing, He will defend before His Father; all heir death. He will purify their souls by effacing all the Idols of sin, and will restore to them their primitive beauty.” [March 12th 1846.)

  

CONDITIONS

 NECESSARY IN ORDER TO BECOME AN ASSOCIATE 

1° To be inscribed upon the Register of the Oratory of the Holy Face;

2° To receive the rules, with a certificate of admission;

3° To recite every day, for the intentions of the Archconfraternity— a Pater, Ave, Gloria, and the invocation— Domine, ostende Faciem tuam, et salvi crimus— “Lord, show Thy Face, and we shall be saved;”

4° To wear a picture of the Holy Face either on a cross, medal or scapular;

5° To attend as often as possible the monthly meetings;

6° To propagate the devotion to the Holy Face.

FORMULA FOR THE AGGREGATION

TO THE ARCHCONFRATERNITY OF THE HOLY FACE

By a brief of His Holiness Leo XIII., dated the 1st of October 1885, the Archconfraternity of the Holy Face was established in the Oratory of the Holy Face, at Tours, with the power of aggregating to itself, in all countries of the world, all the confraternities of the same name which, being canonically erected, desire to participate in the indulgences and other spiritual favors granted to it.

It is the Ordinary, otherwise called the Bishop of the diocese, who alone possesses the power of establishing the confraternity, of approving its statutes and rules, and of authorizing its aggregation to the archconfraternity of Tours.

The following are the three documents required by the Roman congregations—

1° An episcopal ordinance, in virtue of which the Ordinary canonically establishes the confraternity;

2° A copy of the statutes and rules, bearing the approbation and the signature of the Bishop, with the accessory modifications appropriated to the needs of the place and deemed to be suitable;

3° A testimonial Letter signed, by the Bishop and impressed with his seal, by which he authorizes the confraternity, established by him, to be aggregated to the archconfraternity at Tours.

This last document, as well as the copy of the statutes, must be sent to the director of the archconfraternity to be deposited in its archives. The ordinance of its establishment remains in the archives of the local confraternity.

Note. — 1° We hold, at the disposition of our colleagues, two formularies drawn up in Latin, Decretum erectionis and Litterae testimoniales, in accordance with the formulae of the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences and which it is only necessary to fill up and sign. We will send them to any one who may make application for them and they may then be submitted (o the ecclesiastical authority for the purpose of abridging the labors of the secretaries.

2° The accessory modifications of which our Statutes are susceptible are applicable to Article L, which it is well to appropriate to the name of the place; — to Article VI., as regards fixing the day of the monthly meeting, and, when needful, the detail of the ceremonies; — to Article VII., where the name of the director must be indicated. — At the conclusion of Article II., there may also he added the designation of certain vices peculiar to the locality and which it is most necessary to combat or repair, for example: blasphemy, drunkenness, the profanation of Sunday, etc.

According to canonical rules, it is permitted to add, but not to suppress.

These formalities being complied with, we then deliver to the director of the local confraternity a diploma of aggregation drawn, up in accordance with the prescriptions of the Sacred Congregations and giving a right to the indulgences and favors of the archconfraternity; at the same lime, we send him a separate sheet, containing on one side the principal points of the Constitution of Clement VIII. and on the other, the table of Indulgences. These documents must be preserved in the archives of the local confraternity; it will even be well to have the diploma framed.

From that limp forward, it will no longer be necessary to transmit to us the names of the associates. Each confraternity, thus aggregated, has its own register, its special meetings and particular organization. The director may continue to make application to us for certificates of admission, but he signs his own name by the side of ours; or else he may use other certificates brought out by himself.

Every year, during the month of July, he must inform us of the number of associates he has received, and the condition of the confraternity of which he is director. From time to time, if the opportunity arises, he must also send us an account of the most striking ceremonies which have taken place, and of the graces which have been obtained.

It is equally requisite, indeed it is very essential, as regards the aim laid down in our statutes, and as an exterior sign of the work, that there should be in the place which is the centre of the confraternity, an effigy of the Holy Face, similar to that of the Oratory at Tours, which is an authentic facsimile of the veil of St. Veronica. It should be publicly exposed in a suitable place and decorated in the manner most likely to excite the piety of the faithful, and it should be, as frequently as possible, accompanied by a lamp, lighted night and day, as a sign of honor and of reparation.

B. — These directions will be useful to ecclesiastics and even to laymen who, in concert with their pastors, are occupied in establishing or aggregating a confraternity. The two formula: the Ordinance of establishment and the Testimonial letter, printed in accordance with the Roman instructions, can be sent to them in order to be submitted to the secretary of the Bishop, when there will be nothing more to do than to fill them up.

The price of each sheet is 2d_1/2 — Expense of the Diploma and of the sheet annexed to it: 1s. 8d. — Voluntary offering which, including the above expense, must not, in conformity with the constitutions of Clement VIII., exceed £1.4.2.

In certain places in which the confraternity of the Holy Face has been established, an excellent custom has keen introduced, which we commend highly. Besides the official director named by the Bishop there is a lady president of the work assisted by one or two counsellors and some zealous persons, who form a little council under the authority of the ecclesiastical director, who may be of great use to him in particular cases relative to the confraternity. This means has evidently precious advantages. But it is quite optional with the director to adopt it or not. Should any director choose to employ it, he will without doubt find in his parish a sufficient number of devote and generous souls, as providentially they are to be found in every parish.

Diploma of Union. — Under the title of “Diploma of Union of prayers and of merits,” letters of affiliation may be granted to parishes, to communities, to associations and to other pious institutions, which, not possessing a confraternity, desire nevertheless to be united to us by a special link and cooperate in the work of reparation of the Holy Face. This diploma of union, differing from the diploma of aggregation, does not give a right to the indulgences, but it confers a participation in the prayers, adorations, merits and good works of the whole archconfraternity.

As an exception and a privilege denoting a specially distinguished favor, the diploma of union may be granted to certain zelators or benefactors who have rendered important services to the work of the Holy Face.

In these special cases, no canonical formality is required for their reception.