ITALY: Pope Benedict to visit religious icon said to show the face of christ

Pope Benedict will become the first pontiff to make a pilgrimmage on Friday (Septermber 1) to see a msterious religious icon said to show the face of christ. Housed in a remote mountain monastery in Italy's central Abruzzo region and cared for by Cappuchin monks, Veronica's Veil hangs in the shrine of the Holy Face, in the monastery of Manoppello. The 17 by 24 centimetres (6.8 - 9.6 inches) cloth is said to be the veil of Veronica, a woman who wiped the sweat from Jesus's brow as he walked with the cross through the streets of Jerusalem. Legend tells how the face of Christ appeared on the cloth which is now said to have healing properties. Scientific studies carried out on the veil, which bears a striking resemblance to the Turin Shroud, confirm that the image is not is not made from paint. Hundreds of pilgrims visit the icon every week and its popularity has recently soared. "It is the image of a suffering Christ and I think he suffered for me' said pilgrim Franco Brizzi who had travelled from Rome to see the icon. A visit from the Pope will lend weight to the shrine and lead the church to regard it as a truly holy relic. "As a Pope, Benedict is in search of the face of Christ and comes to venerate it. He's like a pilgrim, that's the important thing' Brizzi said."(I feel) wonder, wonder. I can't explain how the face of Christ remained so visible after all this time" said pilgrim Silvana Fiorelli after seeing the veil. The Capuchin monks who take care of the veil say it has been in their care at Monappello for 500 years after being brought to them by a wandering pilgrim and they will soon be celebrating the anniversary date. "It is an historical event, he (Pope Benedict) is the first Pope to visit Manoppello. A Pope has never come here before. The Pope, like many pilgrims comes here, not so much to see Christ's face on Veronica's Veil but to be seen by it, to be loved by the eyes of the Lord" said one of the veil's custodians Capuchin monk, Friar Emiliano. "It is a grace to stay here, in this place. I think that Veronica's Veil is a true sign of our times because Christ shows himself as an image in the age of images' he said.

ITN Source | August 30, 2006

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